Hi everyone, I’m looking for any information about bloods and Thyroid please.
I was diagnosed in 2017 with chronic pain, chronic fatigue and osteoarthritis. I have tried all pain medications the NHS has, and nothing touches the pain. I have had horrendous pain in my feet, left one for over a year, and that disappeared then it started in the right one .
I am so fed up with just getting told it’s chronic pain, and nothing showing up on X-rays and ultra sound.
I have tried , Reike, laser treatment, Tres, acupuncture, physio, private podiatrist, rheumatology, pain management, fascia release , food sensitivity testing, etc, etc.
I decided to go to a private GP and see if they could come up with anything different. I was sent for X-rays to make sure there were no stress fractures, which there wasn’t. I was then referred to rheumatology again ( privately).
They did bloods, and I was called last week to say my ANA was 1:640 homogeneous . ENA was negative for rheumatoid factors. He asked me to come back to have more bloods done, this time for ENA , DNA and Thyroid.
This is all new to me, and never thought it may be an under active thyroid. I looked it up using Doctor Google, and I have a lot of the symptoms, especially fatigue, weight gain and joint pain.
My question is, does my ANA reading suggest it’s Underactive Throid, when I have looked it up it’s suggesting lupus, Sjorgens or other autoimmune diseases.
Also, when I get my Throid results back, what would the readings show if I did have Thyroid issues.
Sorry for such a long post.
Many thanks
Pam
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Pammygtf
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The NHS varies in what they test you for. You’ll likely have better luck with private.
If you can advocate for yourself, you will want to ask for all the thyroid hormones, antibodies and key vitamins listed below.
Essential will be TSH and FT4 together.
But here is the wish list:
Thyroid hormones
1) TSH
2) Free T3
3) Free T4
****Do your best to test early close to 9 am if you can, and definitely fast (even if the GP tells you it doesn’t matter.) Also, if you are taking anything/multivitamin that contains Biotin stop about a week (someone please correct me if I’m off on when to stop) before as it will interfere with the test****
Thyroid antibodies
If there are issues, you will also look to get antibodies tested at least once, which helps clarify if the cause of the issues are autoimmune. If you can ask for them in your first test, even better.
1) TPOab
2) TGab
Vits/minerals
Lastly, the following are needed for optimal thyroid function, and thyroid issues will usually lead to deficiency in these. So when we see low thyroid, we expect these will be low. When we see these low, not a bad idea to suspect thyroid.
I’m not 100% sure - someone may correct me, but ANA tests don’t have to do with thyroid directly.
However, there can be overlap between autoimmune diseases, and sometimes someone with one autoimmune condition may be at higher risk for developing others.
An ANA test just tells you if there are some sort of antibodies somewhere in the body, but doesn't tell you which or where. What's more, I've often noticed that ANA can be negative but TPOab high. I've no idea why, but I don't think it's a very helpful test.
So ANA tests are not for thyroid… but as you said your ANA indicates presence of an auto immune condition, but it is NOT an antibody test narrowing it down to a specific autoimmune. That’s why your doctor will now run you through the usual suspects for autoimmunes (ie, rheumatoid ruled out, doing thyroid).
If your thyroid function is low (which we can help you interpret via the tsh and free ts) the TG antibody will help determine if the cause is definitively autoimmune. The TG antibody is a very specific antibody that only targets the thyroid. It will not tell you anything about other possible autoimmune issues.
Awesome that you got all 4 thyroid tests - when do you get the results?
Well when you get them, start a new post with the subject “Help with blood test results please!” Or something like that… and if you remember in the post you “tag” my screen name (ie, use the @ symbol then start typing the name) as I’m definitely curious too what it will tell you and I won’t see it unless you tag me.
With the positive ANA it could be a couple other things, not no need to over-think that until you get the definitive thyroid numbers.
Oh - and make sure you get a copy of your results from the receptionist or the NHS app (I’m not in the UK, but know many people have to be proactive to get those, but you are legally entitled to them.)
We here on the forum will need not only the results but the test RANGES, since it varies lab to lab. So make sure to get those.
Depending, your GP might just say everything is “normal” but doctors most often misinterpret “in range” for “Nothing to see here!”
But that’s not always the case - so do share your results here when you get them and you will get excellent interpretation from us : )
It’s definitely worth pursuing the thyroid angle. For info, my feet started hurting a couple of years ago and it’s only reading your post that I’ve realised that they’re slightly improved. I started levothyroxine in August, still optimising - it’s a marathon, not a sprint to get well.
I’ve had a rheumatology appointment, X-rays, ultrasounds, physical therapy, echocardiogram, endoscopy, ultrasound…..umpteen blood tests. All in the past year for various ailments whose appearance has, strangely enough, coincided with my thyroid health worsening. Coincidence? I don’t think so.
Ah that sounds so like me. So for you, it’s all linked with your thyroid ?
This is very interesting. See thinking your making it up when all the tests come back negative and X-ray are normal, and after 7 years struggling I had kind of just accepted the pain .
I would love to be given medication that actually helps. I’m feeling optimistic, don’t get me wrong I’m not wanting to have Thyroid problems, but if this was to give me answers , I will be very happy 😃
It’s widely and commonly acknowledged on this forum that your thyroid being out of whack can cause myriad other problems.
Aches and pains are commonplace, as are gastrointestinal problems.
I now have issues tolerating carbs and can absolutely no longer eat or drink anything remotely sweet.
A dodgy thyroid can be behind fertility issues and can affect menstruation. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if my early ‘menopause’ (44/45) was actually caused by untreated hypothyroidism. The list goes on and on.
To paraphrase and probably misquote greygoose , every cell in your body needs T3 to function properly so it stands to reason that a deficit will wreak havoc throughout our bodies. Ergo, numerous seemingly unconnected problems could potentially be traced back to poor thyroid function.
Be sure to start a new post once your results are in 🤗
As your next bloods are by private (vs NHS) can you call and ask if all the thyroid tests already suggested here are included (TSH, Free T4, Free T3, antibodies, etc) before you have them done? And if not, can you ask they be included? The Free T3 is sometimes the most important of these and the one most often not included.
Often if the test ordered is a ‘Thyroid Screening” test, if the TSH is “in range” they don’t go on to check FT4 and FT3. I’ve learned to always check my lab orders so I don’t have to go back for a second or third blood draw.
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