Blood results

[Happygirly]

Can anyone explain these a bit? Had through the post today, so can’t speak to GP until Monday. I am being tested for all sorts of things as I have had possible adrenal/thyroid/menopause issues for the last 9 months. Thank you

[Lora7again]

Your TSH is much too high and should be about 1. Do you have the ranges for the T4? Also you really need to test your vitamin levels because they are always low in people with thyroid disease. You need to test your B12, Iron and Ferritin, Vitamin D and Folate. I think you need treating because you are definitely hypothyroid. How are you feeling?

Just to add I was told I was suffering with the menopause at 48. It took 2 years before I convinced them it was thyroid disease. I actually didn't go through the menopause until I was 55. You can read my story on my profile page if you are interested.

[Happygirly in reply to Lora7again]

Thank you fir the reply, no that is how it was on the letter. That was from the endocrinologist who I paid to see privately.

Long story short, March 2019. Went to Gp feeling g rubbish, tired, aches, can’t sleep, hair falling out, gaining weight despite working out with a PT and following strict diet. Was put on HRT and they ordered full blood tests as I hadn’t had any for years, TSH showed to be 8.7, so then was put on thyroxine in July. Thyroxine was increased in September as my TSH was 6.7 and 2 weeks later I had a massive episode where I became very ill very quickly, an ambulance was called and my blood pressure was 200/111 very scary. Told to come off the hrt and thyroxine. More tests done. A couple more nasty turns followed, racing heart, raised BP and feeling very ill. I was put on propanolol and doxasocin (alpha and beta blockers) More tests including 24 hour urine collection, the endocrinologist was thinking I may have an adrenal gland problem. Did another range of blood tests just before lockdown and just had those results. He said that the thyroid is fine under 10. Have taken myself off the alpha and beta blockers as they made me feel like a zombie.

[Lora7again in reply to Happygirly]

How much Levothyroxine were you taking? Usually you start on 50mcg and then a blood test after 6 weeks and then a increase of 25mcg. You continue to do this until your TSH is 1 or lower and your T4 and T3 are in the upper third of the range. Also Propranolol is usually given to people who are hyperthyroid not hypothyroid. I would change your Endocrinologist because yours sounds clueless.

[Happygirly in reply to Lora7again]

I started on 25 in July which was then increased to 50 in September then stopped taking it as told.

The endocrinologist is the one at my Hospital, we initially paid for a Private appointment to speed things up then I went on to his NHS list.

[Lora7again in reply to Happygirly]

It sounds like there is something else going on as well as your thyroid disease. I would ask to be referred to another Endocrinologist asap.

[Happygirly in reply to Lora7again]

Thank you

[Wetsuiter]

I have no answers for you, but if he means that your TSH under 10 then he's wrong.

[Happygirly in reply to Wetsuiter]

Thank you. He said a TSH of under 10 doesn’t need treating.

[Wetsuiter in reply to Happygirly]

NCE guidelines are that you are given a trial if you have symptoms. I spose he could say it was a trial and it 'didnt work'.

Did anyone mention Hashimotos? Or Thyroiditus?

Edited: Sorry, I see Marz beat me to it.

I have v basic knowledge, but my simple understanding is:

You (may) have symptoms, your TSH is high than expected, yourFT3 AND FT3 and low, and you may have the antibodies mentioned. I wont try to explain antibodies cos I dont want to get it wrong, but you can gave a 'swing' where your TSH drops and FT3 and 4 increase. Not often as extreme as 'real' hyperthyroidism, and it eventually swings back into hypothyroidism.

Does this ring any bells?

Because Dr ignore usually the antibodies, a 'swing'seems to take them by surprise. Treatment might be to miss a few doses, then continue.

Not saying this is def what happened to you, but is one scenario.

[Happygirly in reply to Wetsuiter]

Thank you. No this has never been mentioned. I was on thyroxine for 3 months last year when my TSH was at different times between 6 and 9. I’m

Not currently taking any medication at all. When I was very unwell in September, the doctor did say I was showing more signs of hyper than hypo but my blood showed otherwise. This is the first time I have had antibodies tested that I know of but the endocrinologist hasn’t even acknowledged that they are high so I was unaware.

[Marz]

Your raised TPO anti-bodies would confirm Hashimotos. Has this been mentioned ? It could also explain symptoms ..

[Happygirly in reply to Marz]

No that has never been mentioned. I have no idea!

[Marz in reply to Happygirly]

It's in your results above and as you can see they are over range. Hashimotos is auto-immune thyroid and the most common thyroid condition globally. If you scroll down and down to the heading TOPICS there are over 3,000 posts on the topic !

Hashimotos can trash vitamins and minerals so very important to test B12 - Folate - Ferritin - VitD. If low in their ranges they can cause so many symptoms ...

[Happygirly in reply to Marz]

Thank you. Any ideas why the doctor would not have mentioned that?

[Marz in reply to Happygirly]

Because they do not understand auto-immunity and as treatment of the thyroid is the same with or without Hashimotos they mostly ignore it ... Read as much as you can as suggested above - so much we can do to help ourselves ...