I have some results...

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the replies, Mandy and Sheila - all this is such an eye opener - I'm

so glad I found you guys!!

I've just checked my online med records and these are the results (I don't know

if that is all the tested, or whether some take longer...?:

Serum albumin 42 g/L 35-50

Automated comment:

Normal

Serum total protein 69 g/L 60-80

Automated comment:

Normal

Serum magnesium level 0.74 mmol/L 0.7-0.95

Automated comment:

Normal

Serum urea level 4.4 mmol/L 2.5-7.5

Automated comment:

Normal

Serum creatinine 73 umol/L 46-89

Automated comment:

Normal

Corrected serum calcium level 2.2 mmol/L 2.1-2.55

Automated comment:

Normal

Serum inorganic phosphate 0.7 mmol/L 0.8-1.5

Automated comment:

Abnormal

Serum calcium 2.18 mmol/L 2.1-2.55

Automated comment:

Normal

Serum sodium 140 mmol/L 134-146

Automated comment:

Normal

Serum potassium 4.5 mmol/L 3.5-5

Automated comment:

Normal

Serum lactate dehydrogenase level 329 iu/L 200-520

Automated comment:

Normal

AST serum level 25 iu/L 0-38

Automated comment:

Normal

Serum gamma-glutamyl transferase level 28 iu/L 0-40

Automated comment:

Normal

ALT/SGPT serum level 40 iu/L 0-38

Automated comment:

Abnormal

Serum alkaline phosphatase 68 iu/L 35-100

Automated comment:

Normal

Serum total bilirubin level 4 umol/L 0-17

Automated comment:

Normal

Serum TSH level 5.26 mu/L 0.25-5

Automated comment:

Abnormal

Serum free T4 level 11.9 pmol/L 12-25

Automated comment:

Abnormal

Serum ferritin 11 ug/L 14-180

Automated comment:

Abnormal

I've been prescribed: Ferrous Fumarate Tablets 210 mg ONE TO BE TAKEN TWICE A

DAY

Why is the TSH so out when it was ok just a few weeks ago? Is that because I

didn't take the thyroxine on the day of the appt, as I normally do?

Any thoughts are welcome, please. I should note he told me my ferratin levels

must be ok!! I also note free T3 isn't on there...?

Thanks again

Helen :-)

[Guest guest]

Probably because your ferritin level is so low. This is why it

is essential that doctors are made aware of the reasons we need our ferritin,

vitamin B12, vitamin D3, magnesium, folate, copper and zinc levels tested. If

any of them are low, thyroid hormone cannot be properly utilised at cellular

level, so we get symptoms of hypothyroidism and our blood test results will

show this - as yours have. Your free T4 is below the bottom of the reference

range - you definitely need to know what your free T3 level is. I would also

ask for the above tests to be done as I didn't see them listed. Whatever is low

in the reference range must be supplemented before your thyroid hormone can

work.

You need to start eating foods that have a very high iron

content and also take 4/5000mgs vitamin C daily to help with iron absorption.

Did y our doctor tell you that you must not take any form of

iron with thyroid hormone replacement. It must be taken at least 4 hours away

from each other, as should calcium also.

Luv - Sheila

Serum TSH level 5.26 mu/L 0.25-5

Automated comment:

Abnormal

Serum free T4 level 11.9 pmol/L 12-25

Automated comment:

Abnormal

Serum ferritin 11 ug/L 14-180

Automated comment:

Abnormal

I've been prescribed: Ferrous Fumarate Tablets 210 mg ONE TO BE TAKEN TWICE A

DAY

Why is the TSH so out when it was ok just a few weeks ago? Is that because I

didn't take the thyroxine on the day of the appt, as I normally do?

Any thoughts are welcome, please. I should note he told me my ferratin levels

must be ok!! I also note free T3 isn't on there...?

Thanks again

Helen :-)

[Guest guest]

You definitely need to know what your free T3 level is. I would also

> ask for the above tests to be done as I didn't see them listed. Whatever is

> low in the reference range must be supplemented before your thyroid hormone

> can work.

> Did your doctor tell you that you must not take any form of iron with

> thyroid hormone replacement. It must be taken at least 4 hours away from

> each other, as should calcium also.

Thanks, Sheila.

Free T3 was requested but hasn't been done. Are labs allowed to ignore what GPs

ask for?

Now is the time to send the links, I think!

I will do that tomorrow morning and make an appt at the same time. Next step,

if he still refuses, will be a letter.

I only know to take thyroxine on an empty stomach and without anything milky

because I saw something about it online years ago. I asked my gp at the time

and he said it makes no difference when it is taken. I've stuck to taking it

first thing anyway and never have cereal or anything like that with them.

I've been told the results by a receptionist, over the phone, but I don't think

for a minute he'd know about the impact of iron, even if he'd told me the

results!

One other thing: he has also increased my thyroxine by 50mcg a day, so that

will take me up to 250mcg a day. Is it worth me doing that, do you think?

I have a feeling it won't make a lot of difference if it is more how my body is

using it than the amount itself? Have I got the wrong end of the stick?

(Wouldnt surprise me!). At least I know why I'm always so confused now!!

I'm rather cross about all this and I'm prepared to do what it takes to get

answers!

Best wishes,

Helen

[Guest guest]

I honestly don't know whether laboratories are actually allowed

to ignore doctors requests for certain blood tests. In this case, I think it is

the laboratory that has decided whether or not to do them as a cost cutting

exercise. I think they know pretty well that the majority of doctors have no

idea about blood tests and that they know even less about interpreting them, so

they get away with it. In my book, if a doctor requests blood tests for his

patient and the laboratory refuses, I, personally, would go direct to the head

of the laboratory and ask them WHY they had refused to do the test and demand

that it be done. I truly would do this, but I am lucky in that I live in North

Yorkshire, and up here, most laboratories automatically will test our Free T3 -

and they mainly do the tests that doctors request. Again, sad to say, but I

honestly think it is patients lack of action that once more, allows these

laboratories to get away with this. We need to demand that either our doctors

write a letter to the lab, or telephone the lab as a follow up and they should

make the lab do the testing - or the patient goes to the lab. themselves and

make the same demand.

Your GP needs to take some time out and update his information

regarding diagnosing and treating those with the symptoms of hypothyroidism. Not

doing so causes harm to his patients. You should not take thyroxine for an hour

before or after food and you should drink a big tumbler of water with it.

I would try the increase to 250mcgs - you never know, it might

work, but if it doesn't, then you are probably in need of the addition of T3,

either synthetic or a change over to natural thyroid extract. However, you

would have to see a specialist to recommend this.

It often takes a moment of realisation to know just how badly

our doctors are treating us, especially when we 'lay' folk on the forum have

learned so much and can make ourselves, and other members, better. Being cross

is good - it will give you the incentive to do whatever it takes to change

things for the better. Before you know it, you will be in a position where YOU

can educate your doctor - I know for a fact that I personally have further

educated my NHS endocrinologist, and he, in turn, has gone on to further

educate his colleagues.

Luv - Sheila

One other thing: he has also increased my thyroxine by 50mcg a day, so that

will take me up to 250mcg a day. Is it worth me doing that, do you think?

I have a feeling it won't make a lot of difference if it is more how my body is

using it than the amount itself? Have I got the wrong end of the stick?

(Wouldnt surprise me!). At least I know why I'm always so confused now!!

I'm rather cross about all this and I'm prepared to do what it takes to get

answers!

_,_._,___