Well this is showing a TRab of 1.50 with a cut off being 3,30 - so a negative result for Graves :
But showing over range TPO at 246 where the range is given as a cut off at 34 : and a positive for Hashimoto's Auto Immune thyroid disease.
So your symptoms are more likely to be transient hyper phases - swings in symptoms - with the thyroid becoming increasingly damaged with every attack and you needing further support in the form of thyroid hormone replacement - initially T4 - Levothyroxine.
Many forum members find the research and suggestions of Dr Izabella Wentz worthwhile :-thyroidpharmacist.com
Normal potassium levels in humans are between 3.5 and 5.0 mmol/L (3.5 and 5.0 mEq/L) with levels below 3.5 mmol/L defined as hypokalemia.[1][2] It is classified as severe when levels are less than 2.5 mmol/L.
Your level of 2.5 mmol/L (I'm assuming those are the units of measurement, but please check) is on the cusp of being a severe deficiency which would need hospital treatment to improve it.
And low potassium would make you feel absolutely dreadful.
No, that's what it says on my portal. The Endo didn't even mention it when I called to discuss the TPO results. Perhaps it's expected with Thyrotoxicosis?
He said all my results are improving, so I'll see if I can find it on previous tests. I've had four sets of bloods done since October and they are in 3 different formats so it's all rather confusing!
I will do some reading on that too, I guess. Thank you for flagging.
Can I just say that you are avoiding the main problem. Eating potassium-rich foods is a good idea when your potassium deficiency has already been properly treated. But self-treatment now of such a poor level of potassium is not a good idea because your result is simply too low and it needs treatment quite urgently.
The other thing is that there might be a treatable reason for your potassium being that low, and supplementing might just disguise it for a little while without curing the problem.
I wouldn't have worried about this with numbers so small.
The problem is that sodium and potassium are two of the most important nutrients required by every cell in the human body because they control what goes in and out of cells. The reference ranges are so narrow for them, precisely because they are so important. Doctors are happy to have a huge reference range for things they don't consider life-threatening or urgent, but when they know the huge importance the ranges can be tight.
I think you should phone up NHS 111 and ask what you should do. Or alternatively there is an online site, but I have no idea how good it is :
Not intentionally - I'm desperately trying to understand the problem.
Thank you very much for your concern. I really do appreciate it.
I have a GP appointment first thing in the morning and will make this the first thing I bring up.
Im under the care of Endocrinology, Urology, Heamatology, and having weekly GP appointments and they all receive my bloodwork. These bloods were taken 2 weeks ago (and have apparently improved since the last lot) so I am happy to wait until the morning - but I absolutely take your advice on board and am working to understand the issue.
That's a relief, a level of potassium of 4.8 is a good level. I can't think what could have caused your levels to go down that quickly, but then I'm not a doctor. I hope your doctor has something constructive to say about it.
The GP asked me to come in for blood tests right away, when I asked about my potassium level. She also sent an 'urgent' request for help to the Endo.
My results were uploaded to the portal last night, showing potassium at 4.1. The GP is closed today and the Endo, as seems to be normal, did not respond.
My Endo is useless, as far as I can tell. My GP sent several 'urgent' requests for help in January and received nothing until an instruction to switch me from Carbimazole to PTU in Feb. By that time, I had already been prescribed PTU, taken it for *about a week (my sense of time is skewed atm), and decided to switch back because my palpitations increased drastically.
So, my potassium appears to be fine but I am yet to find out if this was a mistake or if it can change that quickly.
I am also about to run out of Carbimazole (tomorrow) and have been requesting a new prescription for 2 weeks, which my Endo has not actioned despite multiple calls, and my GP won't issue without their approval.
After 10 years of advocating for the NHS, fundraising, and arguing with my 'natural medicine only' Mother to listen to qualified medical professionals, I am starting to hate the NHS.
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