Blood Test Results from GP, very ill and no diagnosis

[LadyLovely84]

Hello,

Sorry I know some of these bloods will be irrelevant to the thyroid forum but posting just in case someone who knows better than me spots something.

Background- I’ve been ill since 14, originally diagnosed with ME/CFS. Only thing that routinely showed up in tests was extremely low blood pressure (72/48) and regular low white cell count. My Mother has Hashimotos and a maternal Aunt had Graves, and a cousin has Hyperthyroidism. Everyone over 40 on Father’s side is diabetic. I’ve gradually been getting worse over the past 6 years. Piling on weight (gone from Slim to Obese on 1200 cals a day), fatigue to the point of only being able to work part-time then falling asleep when K get in. Episodes of shivering, low body temp all the time, chronic IBS and right sided pain, I’ve now had two recent episodes of lactation though I’ve never been pregnant, I’m having flooding periods, breathless, dizzy, often feel flu like. My neck is looking thicker than usual but not goitre levels. My symptoms seem identical to my friend who is the same age (37) and has Hashimotos and sub clinical TSH.

3 years ago I saw Dr Peatfield. My RT3 ratio was low on a Medichecks test (on this I also didn’t show any signs of Hashi’s) so I sought advice here and went to see him. In his opinion after urine tests, I was not converting T3 to T4, my cortisol was slightly high and he thought I had Adrenal insufficiency and also said Hypothyroid which I was surprised by. He started me on Adrenavive II and Metavive I as treatment. Then obviously he retired so I got not follow up and as I can only work part time and live alone I couldn’t afford the Adrenavive and Metavive. I’ve never been prescribed Thyroxine.

I’ve eaten a strictly gluten free diet for 8 years. I take a lot of supplements. Ashwaghanda, Angus Castus for Fibrocystic Breast Disease, LOADS of iron and Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Choline for Brain Fog, Probio Probiotics or VSL. I was taking Vitabiotics Well Woman Advanced which is in 3 separate tablets (one multivit, one oils, one calcium) until recently as I stopped because I wanted to get a true reading on my bloods. I’ve been taking Iron for 5 years (everything from SpaTone to Ferrous Sulphate and all in between) but my Ferritin has never gone above 28.

I’m now at the point where I’m struggling to function and my elderly parents are having to help me. I can’t go on like this.

I have struggled to even get a GP appointment despite the extreme flooding during my periods, right sided pain, lactation and breathlessness. I’ve been trying for a month and only now been given a telephone appointment next week. These bloods were ordered by a nurse who thought I seemed anaemic. According to the receptionist these bloods are normal no action to be taken. My folate is high (I’m not taking folic acid), my platelet volume is also high and my ferritin is 18.

Please could someone take a look at my bloods and let me know how they would proceed? I am prepared to pay privately to see an Endocrinologist and am also seeking recommendations in the NW by PM. I’ll also travel if it’s someone exceptional. I’m so grateful for this forum.

eGFRcreat (CKD-EPI)/1.73 m*2 - (SK2688) - Normal no action

>90

ml/min/1.73m*2

Serum ALT level - (SK2688) - Normal no action

28

iu/L

0.00 - 34.00iu/L

Serum 25-HO vit D3 level - (SK2688) - Normal no action

60.8

nmol/L

50.00 - 250.00nmol/L

Serum TSH level - (SK2688) - Normal no action

2.06

miu/L

0.30 - 5.00miu/L

! Haematinics Profile - (SK2688) - folate sightly high - rpt

Serum vitamin B12

458 ng/L

170.00 - 730.00ng/L

! Serum ferritin

18

ug/L

10.00 - 291.00ug/L

! Serum folate

>24.0

ug/L

3.00 - 19.00ug/L

Biochemistry Profile - (SK2688) - Normal no action

Serum sodium

139

mmol/L

133.00 - 146.00mmol/L

Serum potassium

4

mmol/L

3.50 - 5.30mmol/L

Serum urea level

3

mmol/L

2.50 - 7.80mmol/L

Serum creatinine

59

umol/L

45.00 - 84.00umol/L

Serum calcium

2.41

mmol/L

2.20 - 2.60mmol/L

Serum total protein

68

g/L

60.00 - 80.00g/L

Serum albumin

43

g/L

35.00 - 50.00g/L

Serum bilirubin level

6

umol/L

0.00 - 20.00umol/L

Serum alkaline phosphatase

81

iu/L

30.00 - 130.00iu/L

Serum adjusted calcium conc

2.37

mmol/L

2.20 - 2.60mmol/L

19-Mar-2021

! Blood count/differential - (SK2688) - Just outside normal ranges, no action

Total white cell count

5.6

10*9/L

3.90 - 10.2010*9/L

Red blood cell (RBC) count

4.69

10*12/L

3.90 - 5.2010*12/L

Haemoglobin estimation

133

g/L

120.00 - 156.00g/L

Haematocrit

0.395

0.36 - 0.46

Mean corpuscular volume (MCV)

84.3

fL

80.00 - 99.00fL

Mean corpusc. haemoglobin(MCH)

28.4

pg

27.00 - 33.50pg

Mean corpusc. Hb. conc. (MCHC)

337

g/L

315.00 - 360.00g/L

Red blood cell distribut width

14.2

11.50 - 14.70

Platelet count

276

10*9/L

150.00 - 370.0010*9/L

! Mean platelet volume

10.4

fL

5.90 - 9.90fL

Neutrophil count

3.4

10*9/L

1.50 - 7.7010*9/L

Lymphocyte count

1.75

10*9/L

1.10 - 4.5010*9/L

Monocyte count

0.3

10*9/L

0.10 - 0.9010*9/L

Eosinophil count

0.02

10*9/L

0.02 - 0.5010*9/L

Basophil count

0.03

10*9/L

0.00 - 0.2010*9/L

Large unstained cells

0.06

10*9/L

0.00 - 0.5010*9/L

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Just testing TSH is completely inadequate

Vitamin D is on low side

Ferritin terrible

B12 slightly low at under 500

Folate high

Suggest you start supplementing vitamin D to improve to at least around 80nmol and around 100nmol maybe better

humanbean may pop along to comment on low ferritin

Lactation suggests high prolactin, common with autoimmune thyroid disease also called Hashimoto’s

Suggest you get FULL thyroid testing done via Medichecks or Blue horizon

TSH, Ft4, Ft3 and BOTH Tpo and TG thyroid antibodies

Ask GP to test prolactin and MRI of pituitary

If both thyroid antibodies are negative will need ultrasound scan of thyroid

20% of Hashimoto’s patients never have high thyroid antibodies

Also testing for Glandular Fever (EBV) .....possibly as original cause of fatigue at 14

EBV

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

drhedberg.com/epstein-barr-...

hypothyroidmom.com/hashimot...

drchristianson.com/epstein-...

Roughly where in the U.K. are you

Many thyroid specialists currently doing consultations on zoom

Email Thyroid UK for list of recommend thyroid specialist endocrinologists...

NHS and Private

[e-mail]

[LadyLovely84 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you so much for all your insight it’s much appreciated. I tested positive both for EBV and Coxsackie the year prior to the ME diagnosis. I only found this out 20 years later though when I got a copy of my notes to take to Dr P 😠. I’m unsure if the high folate is caused by diet as a lot of the iron rich foods I eat (and I eat a lot of them) also contain folic acid/are high in folate.

I’m in Lancashire and drive so could travel a reasonable distance if necessary although overnight stays obviously not possible but Zoom consultations would be a brilliant option. Will check out your links and email thyroid U.K.

Thanks again.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to LadyLovely84]

Getting FULL thyroid testing done BEFORE consultation

Come back with new post once you get results

[LadyLovely84 in reply to SlowDragon]

Will do!

[LadyLovely84]

Thank you, it was the nurse that ordered them (I realise they are professionals but I feel a GP might have recognised the symptoms!). TSH is 2.04 though so I doubt they will offer me a full panel as that’s in normal range ☹️.

[LadyLovely84]

Thank you, this is all very useful!

[LadyLovely84]

This is my opinion too. I actually never tell people about the ME diagnosis as personally I feel it’s a bit of a one size fits all “slap a label on it” response when a Consultant doesn’t want to admit they are out of depth or doesn’t want to spend on further testing. I was referred to an Endo at 15 as GP suspected Addisons Disease. I was told all was normal and immediately discharged. 20 years later I found out through my notes that they lost all my bloods so had no way of knowing whether I was ok or not.

[LadyLovely84]

Yes, I think about all the people that are being failed and just accept what they hear as gospel when they are told results are in normal range or that the diagnosis is something without questioning it.

Before finding this forum I really wouldn’t have a clue. It’s a Godsend!

[Hidden]

As you've had issues with your cortisol levels in the past I would ask for it to be checked again, it needs to be done between 8-9am & make sure you get copies of your results too. You will need to stop taking Ashwaghanda for several days prior to the blood test also check if any of the supplements contain Biotin as this can skew results.

[LadyLovely84 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you. I’ve been looking into the Blue Horizon test which includes Cortisol as well as a Thyroid panel. I stopped all supplements except Agnus Castis (Vitex) and Spatone almost a month ago to get an accurate result on bloods. Previously I HAD tested while on Biotin so maybe that made TSH/Antibodies appear normal.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to LadyLovely84]

recommended saliva 5 point cortisol and Dhea test by Regenerus or Geneva

regeneruslabs.com/products/...

cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0...

thyroiduk.org/help-and-supp...

IMPORTANT to stop taking any supplements that contain biotin a week before ALL BLOOD TESTS as biotin can falsely affect test results