Blood test results received

[LunaMa]

Hi everyone

I saw my GP last week and the TSH had come back as 7.4 (5.5) - that test was done before I knew it should be done early in the morning and fasting. I’d printed off the list of symptoms from Thyroid UK and marked up the ones I was experiencing (about 80% of them) so she started me on 50 mcg Thyroxine and I’ll have another blood test/review in 5/6 weeks.

Today I got the results back from Medichecks (ultravit test), as follows:

CRP: 6.49 (<5)

Ferritin: 126 (13-150)

Folate Serum: 5.41 (>3.89)

Vit B12: 104 (37-188)

Vit D: 36.9 (50-175)

TSH: 10.9 (0.27-4.2)

FT3: 3.38 (3.1-6.8)

FT4: 10.1 (12-24)

Thyroglobulin Antibodies: 169 (<115)

Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies: <9 (<34)

I did this test fasting, at 08:20 having not taken any usual meds (such as sertraline). Interesting how much higher the TSH is - the tests were only about 5 days apart.

There are a lot of comments, the main ones being around hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s. Also I was given advice about Vit D insufficiency, CRP (risk of impact to heart health) and to get ferritin retested in 8 weeks.

If anyone has any thoughts or suggestions I’d love to hear them, particularly around recommendations for vitamins. I am already gluten free (long standing sensitivity). Please pm if necessary, as per forum rules.

[Mary-intussuception]

CRP is C-Reactive Protein and it's an inflammation marker. It's not very high ( slightly raised) but it's an indication of some inflammation somewhere in the body. I don't understand about the comment 'risk of impact to heart health ' following that result, but yes - our heath in general is impacted by being left undiagnosed with Hashimoto's and Hypothyroidism and untreated.

I would show these results to your GP and ask for the Vitamin D insufficiency to be treated. You'll probably be prescribed 800 IU colecalciferol (D3) daily maintenance dose. My result doubled on this. Ask GP to monitor.

Don't understand your Ferritin being so high if you're not on any supplements, but it is in range. Maybe the advice is to check is doesn't go any higher ?

You could ask to be referred to an Endocrinologist.

In 5/6 weeks time you should have dose increased, then this should be repeated. (Make sure FT3 & FT4 are retested each time ).

Did you have any test to check Adrenals?

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Mary-intussuception]

Mary

Medichecks do CRP-hs which is the High Sensitivity test, a bit different from the standard CRP test. In their description they say

"C-Reactive Protein (CRP) is an inflammation marker used to assess whether there is inflammation in the body - it does not identify where the inflammation is located.

High Sensitivity CRP (CRP-hs) is a test which is used to detect low-level inflammation which is thought to damage blood vessels which can lead to a heart attack or stroke.

Raised levels are a risk factor for cardio-vascular disease."

[Mary-intussuception in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks Susie, thought it was just CRP. Didn't realise it was CRP-hs. Is the range the same then but the significance different if slightly raised?

I've known CRP results in 3 figures.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Mary-intussuception]

It has been listed in the post as just CRP, but I know that the Ultravit uses the high sensitivity version of CRP test. (Blue Horizon use the standard CRP test.)

Both versions of the test use <5 for the range.

All I know about the CRP-hs is what's in Medichecks blurb

My surgery uses the standard CRP test and I've been slightly raised a couple of times but never higher than 7. For lower values they just put <5 which isn't particularly useful really!

[LunaMa in reply to Mary-intussuception]

Sorry I missed the HS off!

[Mary-intussuception in reply to LunaMa]

But it's helpful to have explanations on here - useful to know. So no harm done ! ☺

[LunaMa in reply to Mary-intussuception]

Very true - I’ve learnt so much from the explanations on this site.

I found the comments about inflammation interesting because I have had repeated chest infections and a bronchoscopy 3 weeks ago revealed inflammation in the lungs. Just hoping all of his info helps in clearing up what is going on in my chest as well.

Re the ferritin, I’m not on any supplements. The comment made was that when the CRP HS is raised, the ferritin result can be unreliable, so I was advised to have it retested in 6-8 weeks. I don’t think my surgery will check for FT3/4, so I’ll probably have to go to Medichecks again.

Thanks for your comments - much appreciated!

[silverfox7 in reply to Mary-intussuception]

Plus more of us can learn as well!

[SlowDragon Administrator]

See GP for treatment for vitamin D deficiency

Local CCG guidelines show you will need 1600iu daily for 6 months

clinox.info/clinical-suppor...

[LunaMa in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you, I didn’t know that. I’m going to send the results to my GP and arrange a follow up appointment to discuss.

My husband has MS and there is a definite similarity in some symptoms. As he is also more likely to suffer from insufficiency/deficiency he’s going to get tested as well.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to LunaMa]

Hundreds of web links talk about importance of vitamin D wth MS

(Just like Hashimoto's)

touchneurology.com/content/...

Also, just like Hashimoto's, gluten intolerance may be an hidden issue

multiplesclerosisnewstoday....

[LunaMa in reply to SlowDragon]

I have mentioned vit D to him and he suspects he may be deficient. The gluten free aspect is another matter! He’s very traditional in his outlook to all matters medical and this is on the limit of what he would consider worth trying. I’ll try to find a way of dropping it into the conversation - wish me luck 😉