Is it common to have raised ESR in hashimotos disease? I am asking this because my results came back and mine was 19 (ref range 3-12 is normal). My other results are:
TSH 2.55 (ref.range 0.50-4.00)
T4 16.8 (ref.range 10.0-23.0)
T3 5.1(ref.range 3.5-6.5)
Anti-thyroid peroxidase 194 (ref. range below 60)
Anti-thyroglobulin 318 (ref. range below 60)
All my other bloodtests came back normal, iron etc. So no problems in other areas.
My thyroid ultrasound said the following that my "gland was not englarged. The texture was somewhat heterogeneous. Mild increase of vascularity was seen. No solid or cystic nodules was detected. "
I saw my doctor because I have had 4 weeks low grade fever, swelling of neck and eyelids, muscle and joint pains, shoulder pain, ear pain, anxiety and panic attacks.
Written by
het1234
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
I suspect that ESR (Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate) probably is raised in many people with thyroid issues, including Hashi's, but since it isn't often tested people won't know about it.
ESR is a measure of inflammation or infection, just like CRP (C-Reactive Protein). I don't know why some doctors test ESR and others test CRP. It's rare to see anyone having both done from the same blood sample, but perhaps it happens. (I think I've seen one post on this forum where both ESR and CRP results were quoted.)
and for more information click on each of the plus signs on the page except the first one where it says "Choose Topic" (which takes you to the search page).
TSH 2.55 (ref.range 0.50-4.00)
T4 16.8 (ref.range 10.0-23.0) 52% of the way through the range
T3 5.1(ref.range 3.5-6.5) 53% of the way through the range
Anti-thyroid peroxidase 194 (ref. range below 60)
Anti-thyroglobulin 318 (ref. range below 60)
Your TSH is too high for a treated patient with hypothyroidism. Are you being treated for hypothyroidism? If yes, what are you taking and how much? If you are being treated then you need an increase in dose.
The fact that your T4 and T3 are both around the same distance through the range suggests that you are probably a good converter. But many of us feel at our best when Free T4 and Free T3 are higher in the range. Whether your results would still show good conversion if your TSH was lower and your Free T4 was higher is something nobody can guess.
All my other bloodtests came back normal, iron etc.
If it was a doctor who told you that your iron was normal that just means that the results were in range. It doesn't tell you if your results were optimal. Do you have any nutrient results and ranges? Did you have an iron panel done? Or a Full Blood Count?
I am actually not diagnosed at all. I am not on any medication either. On online forums I have been told that I have Hashimoto but all the doctors I have seen all seem to think that I do not have any issues and they all take the lets wait and see approach. My thyroid problems started in 2017 when I was diagnosed with postpartum thyroiditis in 2017 after I gave birth to my son (I had hyper and hypo phases) and after it resolved (however my symptoms never quite fully left & I still have thyroid antibodies) doctors have told me I have normal thyroid function and I have been told my symptoms are not thyroid related and that my symptoms are due to the fact that I am now a mother.
My current blood test results are;
Iron 15 (ref range 7-27)
Ferritin 32 (ref range 30-300)
Full blood count was done as well, everything was within range and ok:
The fact that you have antibody levels that are way over the range indicates that you have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, whatever your doctors say.
My thyroid problems started in 2017 when I was diagnosed with postpartum thyroiditis in 2017 after I gave birth to my son (I had hyper and hypo phases)
Having hyper and hypo phases is absolutely a classic symptom of Hashi's.
Each of the times you've had a "hyper" phase your thyroid has been getting attacked by your immune system. It slowly destroys the thyroid and eventually makes people permanently hypothyroid.
In a sane, compassionate healthcare system you would already be treated for hypothyroidism, but in the UK (where the health system is neither sane nor compassionate for hypothyroid patients) many doctors insist that TSH must go up to 10 or more before they will treat. Some will treat at lower levels, but finding one that will is the difficult thing.
Many hypothyroid people feel much better when they give up gluten, whether they have coeliac disease or gluten intolerance. Gluten intolerance is many times more common than being coeliac, but there are no tests available for intolerance, people just have to try it and see. And it has to be done 100% ruthlessly - cheat days are not recommended at all. People have to become expert at reading labels. Buying a good gluten-free cookbook may be helpful, particularly if you like puddings, cake and bread. The commercially produced gluten-free food that you can find in the shops is often very expensive, rather horrible, and home made is better. For info on the very basics of going gluten free take a look at this site :
Unfortunately it seems to have become a very quiet forum. When I first joined it, as a newbie to eating gluten-free, it was quite busy.
If you decide after, say, three months that being gluten-free is not helping you then you could go back to eating it. There's no point in avoiding it if it doesn't help you.
Another thing that helps some people, particularly those with thyroid antibodies, is supplementing selenium. The recommended dose for people with hypothyroidism is 200mcg per day. (I can't tolerate that much and I take a much smaller dose - 100mcg or less.)
From your FBC results most of them look fine to me. But the ones I've listed above might be indicating a problem.
MCV (Mean Corpuscular Volume) is an indicator of the size of your red blood cells. There are various reasons for high MCV (i.e. large red blood cells), and a common one for people who have thyroid disease is low Vitamin B12 and/or low Folate. Do you have results for these? Do you supplement? It's difficult to interpret B12 and folate if you've been supplementing recently. They can look "normal" but as soon as you stop supplementing they might drop like a stone. Before supplementing either of these try and get them tested.
MCH (Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin) According to this link :
High MCH value can often be caused by anemia due to a deficiency of B vitamins, particularly B-12 and folate. Both of these vitamins are required by your body in order to make red blood cells. These types of anemia can develop if your diet is low in B vitamins or if your body does not absorb B-12 or folate properly. It’s important to be aware of the symptoms of a B-12 deficiency.
The most common cause of low MCHC is anemia. Hypochromic microcytic anemia commonly results in low MCHC. This condition means your red blood cells are smaller than usual and have a decreased level of hemoglobin.
This explanation contradicts your high MCV and your high MCH. Your red blood cells aren't small they are tending towards the larger end of the scale and your haemoglobin is quite healthy, it isn't low.
When people have contradictory results on these kinds of tests it suggests that they have non-optimal results in various nutrients, usually low iron, low B12 and low folate. Low iron makes blood cells smaller, and low B12 / folate makes blood cells bigger. If you have both it can give results in a Full Blood Count that are contradictory.
Iron 15 (ref range 7-27) 40% of the way through the range
Ferritin 32 (ref range 30-300) Less than 1% of the way through the range
Do you have any results for transferrin saturation or TIBC done at the same time as the iron and ferritin?
Optimal levels for iron results can be found on this link :
Serum iron needs to be between 55% and 70% of the range (i.e. 18 - 21 - closer to the bottom of that range for females, say, 18 or 19), so your result is too low.
Ferritin : People feel best when this is around mid-range or a little bit over. Your level is much too low and you need a level of around 165 - 180 (ish).
In your shoes with these results I would suggest that you should be taking iron supplements. However, read this link about why people should be cautious and test frequently :
Prescription-strength iron supplements can be bought over the counter in pharmacies without a prescription (with the pharmacist's permission).
I always take ferrous fumarate 210mg when I need to boost my iron. When I was severely deficient in iron I was taking 1 tablet, 3 times a day. However lots of people don't tolerate iron supplements very well and ferrous fumarate and ferrous sulfate are poorly tolerated. I can only manage to take ferrous fumarate with food, which is not ideal, and I can't tolerate ferrous sulfate at all. Other supplements that people can try are ferrous gluconate (which is about half the strength of ferrous fumarate and ferrous sulfate). There is also ferrous bisglycinate or iron bisglycinate (slightly different names for the same thing). The bisglycinate option is never prescribed because it has quite a low level of iron in it, but plenty of people manage to improve their iron with it, and it is much more freely available than the others that I have mentioned. There are other options, but they tend to be hard to get hold of in the UK and very expensive.
Another option for improving iron is to eat 200g liver, about once a week.
To summarise - I would suggest trying the following :
1) Go 100% gluten-free for three months. If you get benefits from doing so, keep it up permanently.
2) Start taking selenium supplements.
3) Get your vitamin B12 and folate tested. Ask for feedback in a new thread. I wouldn't expect your levels to be catastrophically low, I would expect them to be less than optimal though.
4) Start supplementing iron. Given how poor your results are I think this could be a cause of a lot of your symptoms.
5) Test your iron and ferritin regularly - once a month for the first two or three months of supplementing, then reduce the frequency of no problems are arising.
1) I don't think you should consider taking thyroid hormones yet. See what happens with the above suggestions.
I also have to ask...
Do you take anything optional e.g. supplements or multivitamins or (non-optional) prescribed meds?
Just for info... Low iron causes me problems with anxiety and depression. If I got anxious and/or depressed I would check my nutrient levels, I wouldn't take an anti-depressant.
My doctor and specialist both have not mentioned anything about my iron & ferritin levels since they still seem to be within the reference range. But now that you mentioned about it being too low, maybe my pescatarian diet is one reason for it to, perhaps I should buy iron supplements and see how it goes. I already take b12 supplements and multivitamin supplements.
"Do you have any results for transferrin saturation or TIBC done at the same time as the iron and ferritin?"
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Elevated TSH, T4 low, T3 normal
Hashimoto's and Graves?
hashimotos?
Newly diagnosed - Hashimoto's question
