LibbyB

[Liz061254]

Good morning I have just joined today but was looking for some info / advise

I have been diagnosed with Pernicious Anaemia and on SI B12 injections monthly with my GP doing alternate 8 weekly jabs but I was wondering if I could possibly have an under active thyroid problem as I have very similar symptoms I know symptoms can be very similar to PA/ B12 deficiency as well . This is a copy of my blood from Nov2018

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Liz

That's a very wide range for TSH, usually its something like 0.2-4.2.

Those results are almost 6 months old and not really relevant now.

Anyway, your TSH was quite high in range. In a normal healthy person one might expect to see TSH no higher than 2ish. But TSH can be elevated by non-thyroidal illness so it's worth repeating the test a couple of months after a result like this.

FT4 was 58% through range and one might expect to see it around mid-way through range in a normal healthy person.

I would retest but do a full thyroid panel and Vit D, Ferritin and Folate if not already done (B12 is included in the test but you're already sorting that).

Medichecks and Blue Horizon do home fingerprick tests (or option of venous blood draw at extra cost) if your GP wont do all of them. The thyroid tests needed are

TSH

FT4

FT3 (GP probably wont be able to get that done, the lab decides even when requested by GP)

Thyroid antibodies (again GP may not be able to get these done)

Full thyroid panel plus vitamins:

Medichecks Thyroid Check ULTRAVIT medichecks.com/thyroid-func... (on special offer at the moment)

Blue Horizon Thyroid Check PLUS ELEVEN bluehorizonmedicals.co.uk/t...

If you have your current vitamin levels and just need the thyroid panel then go for

Medichecks Thyroid Check PLUS medichecks.com/thyroid-func... (use code THYROIDUK for 10% off any test that is normal price)

Blue Horizon Thyroid Check PLUS SIX bluehorizonmedicals.co.uk/t...

[shaws Administrator]

Hi Liz061254. I note you've posted about two years ago and that you also have P.A.

There's no past history in your Profile.

Your TSH is rising and in other countries you may be diagnosed when TSH is above 3, although the top TSH number is 3 on your tests. If you're in the UK doctors have been told not to diagnose until it is 10+.

I shall give you a list of clinical symptoms and some advice on how to get the best from your blood tests.

Blood draw should be at the earliest possible, fasting (you can drink water) and allow a gap of 24 hours between last dose and test and take afterwards. This allows the TSH to be at its highest as it drops throughout the day.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

I would request that your doctor tests for Thyroid Antibodies as that would mean you should be prescribed no matter what the TSH states. It would be an Autoimmune Thyroid Disease, commonly called Hashimotos or hashi's. It is the commonest form of hypothyroidism.

I had P.A. diagnosed long before hypothyroidism and sometimes if we have one autoimmune disease we can develop others.

[Liz061254 in reply to shaws]

Thank you I’ve had PA for about 12 years now I am self injecting B12 monthly due to neurological problems and sever nerve damage from being under treated for years I’ve only moved to a new health board in the last 18 months and feel I’m not getting anywhere with my new GP surgery but I’m getting really helpful advise from the group members thank you .my main concern is my weight gain at the moment .

[shaws Administrator in reply to Liz061254]

Don't worry too much at present about your weight gain - another clinical symptom of hypo as it means our metabolism is too low as we're not yet on an optimum dose.

As your dose is slowly increased your weight should reduce. The TSH aim is 1 or lower whilst many GPs think anywhere in the range is fine.