Blood test results advice

[Justine_Case]

Hi I have untreated hypothyroidism/hashimoto's (with a goiter) and am feeling absolutely awful.

I am tingling all over, am breathless sometimes, have hair loss, palpitations aching joints, and am very very tired.

Also, I keep getting hot/sweating, which I understand isn't typical with Hypo symptoms?

My GP wont treat my thyroid until my TSH levels are higher, and it has actually dropped a bit - from 4.14 to 3.68.

I have now had some blood tests The GP online results say 'normal no further action'

Would you mind taking a look to see if there is anything out of the ordinary?

I had requested the other Thyroid panel tests - and vitamin D, but they didn't do them.

Test was done at 08.30am (obviously not on Levothyroxine) and I didn't take Biotin, as advised on here.

I'm not expecting to feel the way I did before getting this autoimmune disease, but honestly I have never felt this bad ever.

I have added my full blood count, not sure if anyone knows how to interpret this?

Full blood count

Haemoglobin concentration 122 g/L [115.0 - 165.0]

Red blood cell count 4.03 10*12/L [3.8 - 5.8]

PCV 0.384 [0.37 - 0.47]

Mean cell volume 95.3 fL [83.0 - 101.0]

Mean cell haemoglobin level 30.3 pg [27.0 - 32.0]

Mean cell haemoglobin concentration 318.0 g/L [288.0 - 352.0]

RDW 12.8

Total white blood count 4.2 10*9/L [4.0 - 10.0]

Neutrophil count 2.46 10*9/L [2.0 - 7.0]

Percentage neutrophil count 58.6

Lymphocyte count 1.35 10*9/L [1.0 - 3.0]

Percentage lymphocyte count 32.1

Monocyte count - observation 0.27 10*9/L [0.2 - 1.0]

Percentage monocyte count 6.5

Eosinophil count - observation 0.06 10*9/L [0.02 - 0.5]

Percentage eosinophil count 1.4

Basophil count 0.06 10*9/L [0.0 - 0.1]

Percentage basophil count 1.4

Platelet count - observation 166 10*9/L [150.0 - 400.0]

Mean platelet volume 14.5 fL

Nucleated red blood cell count 0.0 /l00 WBCs

Serum ferritin level 31 ug/L [11.0 - 307.0]

SERUM B12 AND FOLATE

Serum vitamin B12 level 583 ng/L [180.0 - 915.0]

Serum folate level 18.8 ug/L [3.1 - 19.9

Serum TSH level 3.68 U/mL [0.38 - 5.33]

many thanks

[SlowDragon Administrator]

what vitamin supplements do you normally take

You need to test vitamin D

Have you had coeliac blood test done, or are you already on strictly gluten free diet

Ferritin is deficient….and will most likely be lowering TSH

are you vegetarian or vegan

Heavy periods?

Pre or post menopause?

Low iron and/or low ferritin frequently linked to hair loss

cks.nice.org.uk/topics/anae...

In all people, a serum ferritin level of less than 30 micrograms/L confirms the diagnosis of iron deficiency

Also See page 7 on here 

rcn.org.uk/-/media/royal-co...

Look at increasing iron rich foods in diet 

Eating iron rich foods like liver or liver pate once a week plus other red meat, pumpkin seeds and dark chocolate, plus daily orange juice or other vitamin C rich drink can help improve iron absorption

List of iron rich foods

dailyiron.net

Links about iron and ferritin

An article that explains why Low ferritin and low thyroid levels are often linked 

preventmiscarriage.com/iron...

 

irondisorders.org/too-littl...

davidg170.sg-host.com/wp-co...

Great in-depth article on low ferritin 

oatext.com/iron-deficiency-...

drhedberg.com/ferritin-hypo...

This is interesting because I have noticed that many patients with Hashimoto’s disease and hypothyroidism, start to feel worse when their ferritin drops below 80 and usually there is hair loss when it drops below 50.

Thyroid disease is as much about optimising vitamins as thyroid hormones

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

restartmed.com/hypothyroidi...

Post discussing just how long it can take to raise low ferritin 

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Never supplement iron without doing full iron panel test for anaemia first and retest 3-4 times a year if self supplementing. It’s possible to have low ferritin but high iron 

Medichecks iron panel test 

medichecks.com/products/iro...

Iron and thyroid link

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Posts discussing why important to do full iron panel test

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Chicken livers if iron is good, but ferritin low

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Heme iron v non heme

hsph.harvard.edu/nutritions...

Good explanations of iron 

theironclinic.com/iron-defi...

theironclinic.com/ironc/wp/...

Helpful info on iron infusion and supplements 

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[Justine_Case in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi thank you for replying

'what vitamin supplements do you normally take' I was taking B12 because my levels were low a couple of years ago, however my last 2 private tests were high active B12, so I stopped them back in June.

I was taking vitamin D supplements, due to a deficiency again 2 years ago, but only take them occasionally now (did suspect D levels may be poor again, in spite of my being outside a lot)

I am post menopause, stopped periods 4 years ago, and had a hysterectomy 3 years ago. Use Estradiol gel once a week.

I'm not vegetarian or vegan. Am having problems with iodine high foods, as these give me palpitations/ and high pulse rate after consuming them.

So my Ferritin levels are low? Could this account for my numerous symptoms?

This would be considered iron deficiency, and not anaemia?

I had already upped my iron foods - liver pate, red meat dark chocolate etc in recent months so I can't really improve on that.

Should I try and speak to my GP to see if he advises ferrous fumurate, or am I wasting my time?

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Justine_Case]

I should ask GP …..keep annoying them…..eventually you might get levothyroxine prescribed

ALWAYS worth trying strictly gluten free diet, but rule out coeliac first

Come back with new post once you get vitamin D test results

NHS easy postal kit vitamin D test £29 via

vitamindtest.org.uk

[Justine_Case]

Should have said - I have been on a gluten free diet for a while now, before I knew I had an autoimmune problem.

Thing is with gluten, for years I had this blistering rash on my scalp, that was extremely painful. Also alongside this I developed neurological symptoms.

Isaw a neurologist who said it was shingles/migraines, and a Dermatologist who agreed with shingles.

However this went on for years, then I read something somewhere that suggested I give up gluten - I did and the 'shingles' disappeared! Plus some of the joint pain and nerve pain improved.

Mentioned this all to my GP recently who insisted that gluten only causes stomach problems.

He then made me resume gluten so as to test me for celiac.

I did say I don't care if I have celiac or not, either way gluten clearly doesn't like me so I have no intention of eating it again - but he insisted.

So I had the celiac test last week with the other above tests, but results not due for another week.

So having resumed gluten after a long spell not eating it, I am feeling rubbish, and am pretty sure that scalp rash the GP clearly thinks I am imagining is back!

Thank you for your advice SlowDragon, I will organise a vitamin D test.

[Tuttare in reply to Justine_Case]

Dermatitis Herpetiformis (DH), is the blistering skin manifestation of Coeliac disease. I had it on my elbows when I was a teenager.

Look at Coeliac UK's website for more info.

Gluten ataxia causes nerve issues.

Unfortunately, a negative Coeliac test does not mean you haven't got it, you'd have to have an endoscopy to be sure.

Your GP is clueless! (Some people don't even have digestive issues). Coeliac disease is a multi-system disorder.

[helvella in reply to Tuttare]

Some photos of Dermatitis herpetiformis:

dermnetnz.org/topics/dermat...

Some photos of Shingles:

dermnetnz.org/topics/herpes...

Photos on the internet are NOT a good way of diagnosis anything! But they can help as a guide and to suggest possibilities.

[Justine_Case]

Wow helvella and Tuttare I have looked at those links, plus Googled (I know) Gluten ataxia, and Dermatitis herpetiformis.

The symptoms associated with those are EXACTLY what I have been experiencing for so long.

I never got upset stomach etc with gluten, but that rash and awful joint and nerve symptoms.

I just hope there is not too much damage been done.

Honestly my GPs have been completely hopeless.

Thank you for this info, it has been extremely helpful.