A TSH of 1.69…. think I'll pour the Ginger Wine!

Well just got my latest blood test result – what a surprise... TSH 1.69! (last 5.12).

Does this indicate I’m doing something right? Or have I got someone else's result by mistake? (No medication with half a thyroid, 9.30am test whilst feeling rotten).

OK What’s changed since last year?

I do feel better on the aches & pains front (supplementing with Vit D3) relief.

And I feel less tired and brighter too (have to use week-ends to catch up 'tho).

I’ve gone hippy, avoiding all processed food (esp bread/cereals etc.) eggs, butter, fish, meat & veg fine; avoiding chemicals too - except Epson salts in bath!

I’ve also learnt at 52, I can say ‘no’.(avoiding stress).

BUT What’s still wrong? (I could see it as back to square one).

I still am really cold, sometimes palpitation jitters & tremor (not the cold sort) brain foggy and new symptoms dry skin on face & shins, & fine thin hair (never had these before so looking at B12/ferritin next).

Still no sense of smell/taste and had 2 sinus colds plus a bug in 3 weeks! (none for a year then 3 come at once! Like a bus?).

However I will take this as good news (forever optimist!) but as I felt dreadful I was sure test would be over 5 as usual this time of year – hence psyched myself up to ask a trial of Levo (per article on my previous blog).

Am I better? Dunno, in 2 minds, as usual.....

Meanwhile shall I have the Shropshire blue or the Brie (K2) ?...... Easy, both!

Ah well, it’s nearly Easter and the weather MUST get better! Cheers!

Jane

[helvella]

What is wrong is the lack of an FT4 result! (FT3 wouldn't go amiss, either.)

I am going to suggest that you are suffering from having a hypopituitary disorder. Apparently up to 5% of the population have some level of autoimmune pituitary destruction.

The other possibility I can come up with is that some other non-thyroidal illness is going on.

In the meantime, Shropshire Blue and spinach quiche... Mmmmmmmm. Is it Craven Arms or somewhere down there it comes form?

Rod

[Hidden in reply to helvella]

yep Rod, you got the 'undertone' thanks.

always have a little niggling thought in the back of my mind (or behind nose) about pituitary, as Dad had acromegaly (benign leaky tumour - I had a benign leaky nodule.. hmm)

Of course ENT doc 'poo pooed' any connection (duh the TSH is a test for pituitary hormone not Thyroid hormone) still gotta be positive nonetheless.

What extra FT4 or FT3 tests - don't be silly! And non-Thyroid? - I'm just a plain horse not a Zebra! Not sure how I would even try for pituitary testing?

5% is 1 in 20? about same probability as Thyroid or Diabetes then.

nope - my cheese says produced in Long Clawson, Leics (def not creamy enough - too crumbly) & Somerset Brie, ah well got a free Roquefort (ewe's milk from France, yay! but probably Welsh sheep lol!) We do have a Muller factory 'tho! Will look out for that quiche 'tho sounds yummy! J

[helvella in reply to Hidden]

You've got to MAKE the quiche yourself - you won't find it!

Many years ago I decided to make a Stilton and spinach quiche - but hadn't got any Stilton - so substituted Shropshire Blue. And it was better, much better.

You got a birthday sometime? This could be your present:

homebloodtests.co.uk/epages...

tinyurl.com/ctffl5m

And, unlike the really heavy "your pituitary no longer exists" type of problem, a touch of hypoP could simply be preventing your pituitary making enough TSH - but allowing more or less an adequate level of the other hormones (maybe not enough, but liveable). Taken the edge off it rather than a nuclear blast!

Yes - have seen the Muller factory quite a number of times.

[Hidden in reply to helvella]

OK that's a different lab to usual, thanks, can I ask at my surgery to take blood to send to a private lab? (I'll ask first at ENT next week - not expecting anything tho!).

Have you visited Muller or just seen it on TV adverts - chap I knew has moved to Germany now & not a Salopian cow in sight in reality! but there's are lot of tomatoes grown nearby, and a very nice pub with lovely steak J

PS how do you stop the pastry going soggy with quiche?

[Marz in reply to Hidden]

....bake the pastry blind ! Either place a piece of grease-proof paper onto the pastry and fill with dried beans or something similar and pop into the pre-heated oven for a few minutes. Or - paint the pastry with beaten egg and again pop into the oven and bake. It firms up the pastry before adding the filling. Good Luck !

I make olive oil pastry - no rubbing in and oh so easy. Grated lemon rind added too !

M x

[Hidden in reply to Marz]

Thanks Marz, yes always baked it blind & weighted down with rice - but still goes soggy! Haven't baked pastry for years! (as hubby gets belly ache anyway).

[Marz in reply to Hidden]

....oh dear ! x

[Hidden in reply to Marz]

tempted to have a go, just to see - I like quiche & have no ill effects from pastry (soggy or not!). No marg 'tho and perhaps GF flour, just so I can convince myself it's healthy!

and maybe I'll eat it all myself!

I'm not fussed about Chocolate so something savory will be my Easter treat instead. J

[Marz in reply to Hidden]

....Happy Easter x

[helvella in reply to Hidden]

You take the blood yourself using a finger prick lance. Avoids all the issues of getting someone to take your blood.

I have been past Muller several times! No reason to visit it, but you can't miss it, can you!

[Hidden in reply to helvella]

not seen the factory actually!

Ah good - like the home Vit D test then

[helvella in reply to Hidden]

Somewhat more blood! A little phial rather than drops (I think).

[Hidden in reply to helvella]

I'll ask ENT first to see if they will consider a Pituitary test (& FT4 FT3) if not I'll try myself, but confess I am a bit of a stone

[snowstorm in reply to Hidden]

Hello --- press on and demand: if your Dad had a leaky acromegaly then they HAVE to check it out. Nag & NAG & nag until someone listens!!!

[Hidden in reply to snowstorm]

Thanks snowstorm, I will practice nagging!

[Hidden]

You still have symptoms, so you aren' better yet. What have you been doing to make yourself better, apart from D3 and diet and staying calm (all very good0? You could try taking glandulars? I have done so and they have made me considerably better.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Yes I tried NutriT (before Vit D), very jittery and I stopped after a few weeks (got NutriA as I thought that may have to be first but haven't tried it - yet). J

[puncturedbicycle]

Don't TSH levels fluctuate on their own? Pre-T4 (I had naturopathic treatment + diet) I had v high (30s) and lowish (5ish) results but I never felt any better until I got on T4 (and the results have still been underwhelming). I often wonder what results would look like if taken over the course of a day, week or whatever.

Your symptoms sound like mine pre-T4. I had awful churning anxiety and couldn't cope well with stress, hair thinning, freezing cold, etc.

It sounds like you really needed the vitamin D! For some people that is a miracle worker esp for aching joints.

[Hidden in reply to puncturedbicycle]

Thanks puncturedbicycle, will ask for FT4 and FT3 too.

Yes the vitamin D turned things around for me as far as pain was concerned, just need to sort out the rest! J

[nobodysdriving]

we know how reliable and good TSH is (yeah right).

Spareribs, I admire how you keep positive xx

[pinkdiamond]

Not really connected with main topic of discussion but the cookery bit, just try making the inside of the pie and leaving out the pastry it is less fattening and just a savoury baked custard really but nice