Re: Are these results normal?

[Guest guest]

Could you please re-post your lab results with the units (like pg/ml, etc.) and

the " normal " reference ranges? Some of these numbers look strange to me, but I'm

in the US and our labs might use different units.

(But from your earlier post, I don't think that menopause at age 54 is abnormal

or something you should worry about!)

Thanks,

Barb L.

>

> Hello to Everyone. Can I have some views please on these test results.

> TSH 2.33 Free T4 19.8.Cortisol 360, 25(OH) Vit D 112, Ca Cor2.39 Ca 2.4

>

[Guest guest]

hello dizzie

the fact that your thyroid has shrivelled up probably indicates you have

hashimoto's auto immune thyroiditis ...have you ever been tested for auto

antibodies (anti tpo and anti tgab)? do/have any members of your family

(mother, grandmother, aunts etc) suffer from thyroid problems?

although you haven't included the reference ranges for your blood tests, (can

you get hold of them)from what i recall about other people's tests results, your

free t4 at 19.8 seems on the high side and could well indicate that your body

doesn't effectively convert the inactive storage hormone t4 into the active

hormone t3. low conversion would explain why you feel so awful because you just

don't have enough active hormone for your body to function properly. would it

be possible for you to get a free t3 test done privatley?

what was your b12 result? what about esr?

> Endo refused point blank to even consider Cytomel /Armour saying all is ok.

Why do I feel so ill?

there are too many ignorant and arrogant so called professionals who can't see

what is in front of them ...if you asked this endo why you still felt so ill,

what was the response? (but perhaps that was a rhetorical question).

the hormonal shift related to menopause will of course be having an effect on

you as well ...would it be possible for you to get your sex hormones tested?

what supplements (if any) are you taking?

what is your diet like?

i'm sorry you feel so ill but please don't despair ...you can and will get your

health back but it will take a bit of time to do so.

best wishes

trish

>

> Hello to Everyone. Can I have some views please on these test results.

> TSH 2.33 Free T4 19.8.Cortisol 360, 25(OH) Vit D 112, Ca Cor2.39 Ca 2.4

> I have been suffering many years I have added my last post as I only received

one reply [thank you Joy for that] and not entirely sure I am using this site

correctly.

> These results have been given although I continue to suffer from the problems

below. I am on 100mcg of Thyroxine daily and my scan has revealed my Thyroid has

shriveled up. The scan report states Both lobes of the Thyroid gland appear

Hypoechoic and small [atrophic] \\\the isthmus could not be visualised. No

retrosternal extension no significant focal thyroid abnormality. No enlarged

cervical lymph nodes noted.

> Endo refused point blank to even consider Cytomel /Armour saying all is ok.

Why do I feel so ill? My GP has agreed to send me to a different hospital for a

second opinion and has agreed to refer me privately to Dr S if all else fails.

If anyone can advise me I would be really grateful.

[Guest guest]

I

responded to the message below - see my response at message 96410. It is

ALWAYS best to stick with your original subject heading otherwise, this can

cause confusion. Your previous message had the subject heading " A scan has

shown my Thyroid has shriveled up " .

Also, you need to

give the reference range whenever you give us the results of any tests

you have had done, otherwise, we have no way of knowing whether your results

are at the bottom, the middle, the top, or even outside of the reference range.

I also sent an attachment with my message about all the different conditions

that go along with people suffering symptoms of hypothyroidism and asked you to

go through each one of them by way of a process of elimination in an attempt to

find out if you have an underlying cause. Below is my previous response to your

'Old Message'

Telephone the secretary of this

endocrinologist or your GP and ask her to give you all the results of the tests

that were done, together with the reference range. Don't wait until the next time

you see him/her. No doctor or NHS member of staff can withhold any of the

information that is in your medical notes under the Data Protection Act 1998.

Once you get these results post them on the forum so we can help with their

interpretation and never accept a doctor telling you that your results are

'normal'. Most don't even know how to read results. Also, find out whether you

were tested to see if you have antibodies to your thyroid. Antibodies see the

thyroid gland as public enemy number one and set about its gradual complete

destruction, which sounds as if this could be what is happening to you.

I would not go back that

endocrinologist, she obviously knows little and has little sympathy for her

patients. I have sent you a list of doctors who you might wish to ask your GP

to refer you to.

Can you let us know how much

levothyroxine you are taking and when it was last increased and also what other

supplements are you taking. Check out the attached document showing just some

of the associated conditions.

You also need to get your levels of

iron, transferrin saturation%, ferritin, vitamin B12, vitamin D3, magnesium,

folate, copper and zinc tested and let us know these results together with the

reference range for each.

Luv - Sheila

OLD POST

Hello to everyone. I am new to the group and after bombarding poor Sheila with

my questions have now found how to share my problem. I have been hypothyroid

for 30 years but never free of the symptoms. 4 years ago things were getting

worse and I have gained 5 stone in weight. I have been diagnoised with high BP,

atrial tachycardia and menopause. I am convinced all my symptoms are associated

with my thyroid problem. I have never been properly controlled and sice finding

out about armour have attempted to get access to it via the nhs. The

endocrinologist was horrified that I wanted it and told me my TSH was witnin

the normal range and advised me to find another consultant that might be more

sympathetic to my request. She was very rude and rubbished everything I tried

to tell her. I have had cortisol, b12 and ESR but no results as yet. A scan

last week has revealed the thyroid has shriveled up to practically nothing. Can

anyone tell me what this means please. I feel so ill and can't get the help I think

I need. I don't know what the thyroid fuction test readings were but will ask

when I see my GP. I am 54 and female. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

No

virus found in this message.

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[Guest guest]

We

need

reference ranges for all of these tests please to enable us to translate them.

Also, you said previously that you had a vitamin B12 test done, do you have the

results for these, and what about iron, transferrin saturation%, ferritin,

magnesium, folate, copper and zinc? You need these tested to see whether any of

them are low in the range. If low, your thyroid hormone is unable to be

properly utilised at the cellular level and whatever is low would need to be

supplemented.

The

cause of your hypothyroidism is obviously Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. Antibodies

see your thyroid gland as public enemy number one and over the years, set about

its complete destruction. Your body then has to rely on thyroid hormone

replacement for the rest of your life. Unfortunately, many doctors believe

levothyroxine works for all, but it doesn't, and they should do their homework and

check out the various studies that indicate that T4 is of no use to anyone except,

figuratively, as a storage unit for the metabolically-active thyroid hormones

T3, T2, and possibly T1. As Dr Lowe says, when T4 ends its long ride

through the circulating blood, it enters cells. There, enzymes convert it to

T3, and, after a while, other enzymes convert T3 to T2. The T2 becomes T1, and

eventually T1 becomes T0 (T-zero). T0 is just the amino acid backbone(called

" tyrosine " ) with no iodine atoms attached. Because it has no attached

iodine atoms, T0 is no more a hormone than is T4.

Rather

than being a hormone, T4 is a “prohormone.” That means that enzymes

have to convert T4 to T3 before T4 benefits us. T4 is no more a hormone than

beans in an unopened can are a food. For all practical purposes, canned beans

become food only when a can opener frees them so you can eat them. Hence, T4,

like canned beans, only potentially benefits us, but actually does so

only after being freed from its metabolically unusable form.

There

is a huge minority who cannot convert T4 into T3 who will continue to suffer

symptoms until we get some of the active thyroid hormone T3 into our cells. It

is likely that you need the addition of T3, either in combination with T4, in

natural desiccated porcine thyroid extract, or just T3 on its own. I have sent

you a list of doctors who prescribe T3. If NHS, ask your GP to refer you to

them (even if you have to go a long way outside of your area), but if private,

you can make an appointment yourself, apart from Dr Skinner who asks for a GP

referral.

Luv

- Sheila

TSH 2.33 Free T4 19.8.Cortisol 360, 25(OH) Vit D 112, Ca Cor2.39 Ca 2.4

I have been suffering many years I have added my last post as I only received

one reply [thank you Joy for that] and not entirely sure I am using this site

correctly.

These results have been given although I continue to suffer from the problems

below. I am on 100mcg of Thyroxine daily and my scan has revealed my Thyroid

has shriveled up. The scan report states Both lobes of the Thyroid gland appear

Hypoechoic and small [atrophic] \\\the isthmus could not be visualised. No

retrosternal extension no significant focal thyroid abnormality. No enlarged

cervical lymph nodes noted.

Endo refused point blank to even consider Cytomel /Armour saying all is ok. Why

do I feel so ill? My GP has agreed to send me to a different hospital for a

second opinion and has agreed to refer me privately to Dr S if all else fails.

If anyone can advise me I would be really grateful.

[Guest guest]

Hi Barb

Thank you for replying. I am afraid this is what they gave me. I am waiting for

the new appointment now and will ask for specific test results which if you

don't mind I will post for you to look at once I have had them done. Oh I know

about the menopause as I went in to it at age 40 after a hysterctomy at 34. I

just listed what I am currently suffering with and which I have put so many

symptoms down to although last test shows post pausal so it must be my thyroid.

GP saying it might be ME! Tahnks again for your help

Luv Bobbi

> >

> > Hello to Everyone. Can I have some views please on these test results.

> > TSH 2.33 Free T4 19.8.Cortisol 360, 25(OH) Vit D 112, Ca Cor2.39 Ca 2.4

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Trish

Thank you so much for replying to me. These were all the results they gave me.

What would I need to ask for as I can write to the secretary and ask her for a

break down. I haven't had B12 test and the other results were for Vitamin D a

9am cortisol blood test and ECR. The consultant didn't even bother to call me

back just sent a letter saying she couldn't help as my thyroid was normal and in

any event would not prescribe anything else. My two sisters, my mums sister and

two neices all have thyroid problems 9underactive except my niece who is over

active] so it is very much in my family. When I told her ill I felt she said

well you are not 20 anymore, do some exercise and diet! She also told me not to

use the internet as it is dangerous! My cholesterol is very low which proves I

don't eat unhealthy food. I am a very careful eater. I joined weightwatchers and

put on 3 LB in 6 weeks. I listed the menopause as I am taking a very minute

amount of HRT as I had a hysterectomy at 34 and am now post pausal as change

started at age 40. Trish where or how do I go about getting a private blood test

done. Will do anything to feel good again. I am happy that I am getting a second

opinion though, at least my GP is supporting me as she said she really wants to

learn about the alternative treatment to thyroxine. I can't thank you enough for

taking the time to reply to me, I feel now that I have got somewhere to turn to

for support. So glad I found this site.

Luv Bobbi

>

>

>

>

> hello dizzie

>

> the fact that your thyroid has shrivelled up probably indicates you have

hashimoto's auto immune thyroiditis ...have you ever been tested for auto

antibodies (anti tpo and anti tgab)? do/have any members of your family

(mother, grandmother, aunts etc) suffer from thyroid problems?

>

moderated to remove older messages

[Guest guest]

Hello Bobbi

You need to ask your GP to test your levels of iron, transferrin

saturation%, ferritin, vitamin B12, magnesium, folate, copper and zinc. Should

any of these be low in the reference range, no amount of thyroid hormone can be

fully utilised at the cellular level. Check out the attached document which you

might want to print off to show to your GP. These are references to the

research and studies that have been done to show the connection between low

levels of these specific minerals and vitamins and low thyroid. Check out also

the other attachment which shows some of the associated conditions that will

stop thyroid hormone from working. You might want to print this off and show it

to your GP too.

I would tell your GP of the family members who have a thyroid or

autoimmune problem and ask that you be tested to see whether you have TPO

and/or Tg antibodies. If positive, this definitely shows that the cause for

your hypothyroidism is Hashimoto's disease.

You must not go back to the female endoprat. She obviously knows

little to nothing about the functioning of the thyroid system, I bet if you look

her up on Google, you will find she specialises in diabetes - most

endocrinologists do, as that is a pretty easy option, and therefore, they learn

little about the thyroid.

Doctors should NOT diagnose or titrate a patients dose of

thyroid hormone by thyroid function blood tests alone. They should check your symptoms

and signs, which she doesn't even do.

Perhaps if she did use the Internet (where all the top research

is published) she just might learn something. It is shameful that an

endocrinologist is not even aware of this, and shameful too that she should

treat you like you are a dumb cluck!

I have sent you a list of recommended doctors who prescribe with

other thyroid hormones other than levothyroxine-only.

Luv - Sheila

These were all the results they gave me. What would I need to ask for as I can

write to the secretary and ask her for a break down. I haven't had B12 test and

the other results were for Vitamin D a 9am cortisol blood test and ECR. The

consultant didn't even bother to call me back just sent a letter saying she

couldn't help as my thyroid was normal and in any event would not prescribe

anything else. My two sisters, my mums sister and two neices all have thyroid

problems 9underactive except my niece who is over active] so it is very much in

my family. When I told her ill I felt she said well you are not 20 anymore, do

some exercise and diet! She also told me not to use the internet as it is

dangerous!

2 of 2 File(s)

MINERALS AND VIT. TESTING.doc

WHY THYROID HORMONE REPLACEMENT MAY NOT BE WORKING FOR YOU.doc

[Guest guest]

Many sufferers who have been given a diagnosis of FM, CFS and ME

find that the active thyroid hormone T3 is what they need. These are symptoms

of hypothyroidism.

Luv - Sheila

Thank you for replying. I am afraid this is what they gave me. I am waiting for

the new appointment now and will ask for specific test results which if you

don't mind I will post for you to look at once I have had them done. Oh I know

about the menopause as I went in to it at age 40 after a hysterctomy at 34. I

just listed what I am currently suffering with and which I have put so many

symptoms down to although last test shows post pausal so it must be my thyroid.

GP saying it might be ME! Tahnks again for your help

Luv Bobbi

---

[Guest guest]

MODERATED TO REMOVE PREVIOUS MESSAGES. Please leave just a few lines of what you

are responding to and delete the rest before clicking SEND. Luv - Sheila

----------------------------

Hi Sheila

I can not begin to thank you enough for providing me with such detailed

information and advice.You have given me so much hope I can't begin to describe.

Yes it was in a diabetic clinic that I was seen. All she did was draw a picture

of " a pretty butterfly " [ her description of the thyroid gland!] and bamboozle

me with technical medical jarrgon!

I have been reffered back to the hospital that I was treated in for 30 years

although sadly the endo there whom I knew and trusted has now retired. The

endoprat[hahha] refused to even read his letter of 1999 to my GP which advised

that my thoratic valve had risen rendering the thyroid gland out of range and

that I would require regular check ups to monitor this. My last GP failed to do

this. I will definetly show my GP what you have sent me as she is following this

with great enthusiasm. She also said that the endo's comments about the internet

were riddiculous and outdated saying exactly the same as you. I will arrange for

to have these blood tests and let you know. Thank you again Sheila you are an

angel for helping so many people.

Luv Bobbi

>

> Hello Bobbi

>

> You need to ask your GP to test your levels of iron, transferrin

> saturation%, ferritin, vitamin B12, magnesium, folate, copper and zinc.

> Should any of these be low in the reference range, no amount of thyroid

> hormone can be fully utilised at the cellular level. Check out the attached

> document which you might want to print off to show to your GP. These are

> references to the research and studies that have been done to show the

> connection between low levels of these specific minerals and vitamins and

> low thyroid.

[Guest guest]

EDITED TO REMOVE MOST OF PREVIOUS MESSAGE AND OTHER PREVIOUS MESSAGES - CAN YOU

PLEASE DO THIS YOURSELF BEFORE CLICKING ON SEND OTHERWISE YOU RISK YOUR MESSAGE

BEING REJECTED AND YOU BEING ASKED TO SEND IT AGAIN AFTER DOING THIS. THIS

APPLIES TO ALL MEMBERS OF COURSE.

MODERATOR

So sorry Sheila for not doing things correctly on here, I am not very good with

computers! Thanks again for all the info

Luv Bobbi

>

> We need reference ranges for all of these tests please to enable us to

> translate them. Also, you said previously that you had a vitamin B12 test

> done, do you have the results for these, and what about iron, transferrin

> saturation%, ferritin, magnesium, folate, copper and zinc? You need these

> tested to see whether any of them are low in the range. If low, your thyroid

> hormone is unable to be properly utilised at the cellular level and whatever

> is low would need to be supplemented.

>

[Guest guest]

Oh Bobbi - we have heard your story so many, many times. Stick

with us and we will set you hopefully on the road to recovery. Trouble is

doctors are badly taught in medical school, and it seems to me that they are

not being taught to think for themselves and use their brains. They accept

whatever they are told without question. So pleased that you have a good GP who

is showing a genuine interest, and hopefully, she will learn something to pass

on to her other patients suffering with symptoms of hypothyroidism.

Hi Sheila

I can not begin to thank you enough for providing me with such detailed

information and advice.You have given me so much hope I can't begin to

describe. Yes it was in a diabetic clinic that I was seen. All she did was draw

a picture of " a pretty butterfly " [ her description of the thyroid

gland!] and bamboozle me with technical medical jarrgon!

[Guest guest]

hi bobbi

sorry for being slow getting back to you.

in message no 96861 you said

" I have had cortisol, b12 and ESR but no results as yet

which is why i asked

" what was your b12 result? what about esr?

so i am a bit confused because you then say " I haven't had B12 test " ????!

>My cholesterol is very low which proves I don't eat unhealthy food.

i don't think you are right in your assumption ...cholestereol is the building

block for steroid hormones and cholestertol in the skin is essential for good

conversion of the sun's rays into vitamin d (which isn't a vitamin at all and

is more like a steroid hormone too).

do you eat some good quality saturated fat every day (e.g.organic butter or

organic coconut oil?) ...some saturated fat is one of a few things that our

adrenal glands need in oder to function properly.

from what you say about family members with thyroid problems, it definitely

sounds like you have hashimoto's ...your niece may be over active at the moment

as part of the so called hashi roller-coaster ...has she had antibodies tested?

she would probably benefit from a gluten free diet.

i am not in the uk but i think a good place to get private blood tests done

would be genova diagnostics ...check in the files for details and there are tpa

discounts for certain tests.

trish

>

> Hi Trish

> Thank you so much for replying to me. These were all the results they gave me.

What would I need to ask for as I can write to the secretary and ask her for a

break down. I haven't had B12 test and the other results were for Vitamin D a

9am cortisol blood test and ECR.