Normal test results

[Guest guest]

Hi All

I was diagnosed with ME about a year ago after suffering from ill health for the

past ten years. I have had my thyroid tested many times but the results are

always normal.

My mother died 13 years ago at 55 years old and I am sure she was also hypo. She

had many of the same signs/symptoms as I have but she also had other helth

problems and she was never diagnosed.

I started self prescribing Armour about four years ago and was doing quite well

for a couple of years until it was reformulated. Then it seemed not to work very

well at all. I started taking Synthroid for a time and was referred to Dr W in

Bolton who diagnosed ME/CFS.

He suggested I tried LDN. I did and it worked great for a time but when I got to

the higher dose, I started with localised rheumy type pains that would go away

at all until I stopped the LDN. By now, Dr W was unavailable so I then ordered

some Erfa. I am unhappy about self medicating and I went to my GP for tests and

guidance and the results I have so far are below. (I didn't take the Erfa until

after the tests had been performed)

I phoned the surgery yesterday and was told that all my results were normal.

The only results I have so far are as follows:

TSH 0.206 (0.1 to 4)

FT4 15.1 (8 to 20)

Copper 16.7 (13 to 26)

Zinc 15.9 (12 to 22)

Ceruloplasmin 241 (200 to 600)

I have since started on NAX and I started to feel less pain and sleep better

from the first day. I am now reintroducing Erfa but I seem to be feeling very

many symptoms, particularly fatigue and muscular/tendon problems. I am due to

see my GP tomorrow but I know I'm going to have a battle on my hands.

I'm going to ask for all my last two sets of test results and the ref ranges and

also for a referral to an endo from Sheila's list. I'm going to copy one of

Sheila's letter and take my husband with me. He only asked how I was this

morning and i broke down in tears because I feel so tired, ill and down. I'm

still working and have recently changed jobs to one that has a much lighter

workload so that's helped some.

I could do with some guidance of what I should ask my doctor and maybe some

understanding of my results. (They do in fact all look normal to me)

I asked last time for the whole range of tests and he agreed to some but not all

of them. Sorry I've rambled a bit but I am coming to the end of my tether and

feel like just giving up and accepting the fact that I have ME and my life and

capabilities are going to be much reduced in the future. Luckily my husband is

coming with me and hopefully will fight my corner for me.

Many thanks

Jackie

[Guest guest]

You can read about ceruloplasmin test results and what a low level might mean here Jacki, but this usually goes along with having high levels of copper, which you don't have http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/ceruloplasmin/test.html. Your zinc could be higher and you might start supplementing with 15mgs zinc (available through y our health food store).

Ask your GP to test your levels of B12, vitamin D3, folate, magnezium and especially your ferritin level. If any of these are low, your thyroid hormone can't be properly absorbed at the cellular level and you will continue getting your present symptoms until whatever is low is supplemented.

If he is not willing to work with you then you must ask him for a referral to an endocrinologist of your choice. Go to our FILES section and open the FOLDER entitled NHS Information for Patients and then open the one 'First visit to Endocrinologist' and you will pick up a lot of clues from the information there as to what questions you need to ask your GP and other tips. If possible, take somebody with you who is prepared to sit with a notepad and poised pen to write down answers your GP gives you. This makes them a lot more careful in their responses and take you much more seriously. You can give him the references as to the reasons why you are asking for certain mionerals and vitamins to be tested in case he tells you there is simply no need to test these or he denies there is any connection between low levels and thyroid disease:

· Low iron/ferritin: http://www.thewayup.com/newsletters/081504.htm and http://www.ithyroid.com/iron.htm . I also used the following article in our last TPA Newsletter http://www.femail.com.au/iron-levels-tony-pearce.htm

· Low vitamin B12: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18655403

· Low vitamin D3: http://www.eje-online.org/cgi/content/abstract/113/3/329 and http://www.goodhormonehealth.com/VitaminD.pdf

· Low magnesium: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC292768/pdf/jcinvest00264-0105.pdf

· Low folate: http://www.clinchem.org/cgi/content/full/47/9/1738 and http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/abs/10.1089/thy.1999.9.1163

· Low copper/zinc:http://www.istanbul.edu.tr/ffdbiyo/current4/07%20Iham%20AM%C4%B0R.pdf and http://articles.webraydian.com/article1648-Role_of_Zinc_and_Copper_in_Effective_Thyroid_Function.html

Hope this helps

Luv - Sheila

> The only results I have so far are as follows:> TSH 0.206 (0.1 to 4)> FT4 15.1 (8 to 20)> Copper 16.7 (13 to 26)> Zinc 15.9 (12 to 22)> Ceruloplasmin 241 (200 to 600) > I could do with some guidance of what I should ask my doctor and maybe some understanding of my results. (They do in fact all look normal to me)> I asked last time for the whole range of tests and he agreed to some but not all of them. Sorry I've rambled a bit but I am coming to the end of my tether and feel like just giving up and accepting the fact that I have ME and my life and capabilities are going to be much reduced in the future. Luckily my husband is coming with me and hopefully will fight my corner for me.

[Guest guest]

Thanks for taking time out again Sheila

I have asked for all these tests the last time I went but he wouldn't order most

saying I had had them recently enough. D3, he said would be low as it is in most

of the population at this time of year and as it was an expensive test to do,

was pretty pointless.

I am going to ask for my results from the last two sets of tests tonight to see

if I can see something obvious that he is missing. I'm also going to ask to see

an endo.

I am already supplementing my zinc with 25 mg per night. Also supplementing

selenium, magnesium, Vit B12, Vit C, Vit D3, NAX liquorice, Betaine HCL and

Acidopholous.

I don't think I can afford any more really.

Fingers crossed I get somewhere tonight.

Jackie

x

>

>

> You can read about ceruloplasmin test results and what a low level might mean

here Jacki, but this usually goes along with having high levels of copper, which

you don't have

[Ed]