I have just found this site and I'm hoping for some advice 😊
I was diagnosed 5weeks ago with costocondritis (inflammation of the cartalidge around the ribs) I've had numerous bloods tests and have found out that my serum ferritin is 13.0 and after convincing doctors to test my thyroid my TSH was 2.74. Over the past couple of years I have been suffering with hypothyroid symptoms (long family history of this) Do you think this could this be hypothyroidism? Any advice would be greatly appreciated as I'm exhausted and want this sorting so that I can return to work.
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jamcas
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That result looks very low in range. GP should run full iron panel test for Anaemia
For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested. Also EXTREMELY important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12
Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially if you have autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's) diagnosed by raised Thyroid antibodies
Ask GP to test vitamin D, folate and B12 levels
Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and before eating or drinking anything other than water .
This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, best not mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)
Is this how you did these tests?
Private tests are available. Thousands on here forced to do this as NHS often refuses to test FT3 or antibodies or all vitamins
Medichecks Thyroid plus ultra vitamin or Blue Horizon Thyroid plus eleven are the most popular choice. DIY finger prick test or option to pay extra for private blood draw. Both companies often have special offers, Medichecks usually have offers on Thursdays, Blue Horizon its more random
Serum prolactin 161 (59-619) this result is from a year ago not been restested or investigated just highlighted as abnormal.
**I follow strict gluten free diet, as I react really badly to gluten,and have done since 2017 - before feeling ill I took an iron and vitamin c tablet daily. (Containing 14mg iron and 60mg vitamin C in each tablet)
Eating liver or liver pate once a week, plus other iron rich foods like black pudding, prawns, spinach, pumpkin seeds and dark chocolate, plus daily vitamin C can help improve iron absorption
Medichecks Thyroid plus ultra vitamin or Blue Horizon Thyroid plus eleven are the most popular choice. DIY finger prick test or option to pay extra for private blood draw. Both companies often have special offers, Medichecks usually have offers on Thursdays, Blue Horizon its more random
Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and before eating or drinking anything other than water .
This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, best not mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)
I've been speaking to my doctor again due to me still feeling extremely tired, breathless etc. They've said that they will retest my bloods again in two weeks as they want to see if the iron tablets are helping with symptoms. They have noted that they want to retest fbc, ferritin, prolactin and TFT would you advise that these are the tests that I need, will these look further into my thyroid ? I've noted discharge from both breasts recently too , sorry to be graphic I'm just worried .
That article is very interesting to read. It's certainly making me more determined not to try to just continue with trying to manage this . I need help and if I need to do private testing it'll be worth it to hopefully alleviate my symptoms.
Hi there! I had costchondritis for a full year, prior to going on thyroid medicine. After I started thyroid medicine, it went away within 10 days & hasn't come back. For me, it was definitely a hypo symptom.
Wow, I can't believe you have been in the same situation. if you don't mind me asking , how did you eventually get your diagnosis of hypothyroidism? Everything seems to be pointing towards that, including a big family history of it .
I went to the dr to be tested for MTHFR and I mentioned I had felt tired lately. She ran a full thyroid panel & I had TPO & TG antibodies, raised TSH, and low FT3. Then I realized all my other weird, "random" symptoms were Hashimoto's and it all made sense. I have seen costo listed on thyroid symptom lists.
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