Totally confused by blood results.
Posted , 5 users are following.
TSH (0.27 - 4.20)
November 4.21
January 6.07
February 7.89
March 4.05
May 4.13
July 2.95
August 4.30
T3 (2.0 - 4.4)
January 3.5
February 3.0
March 2.9
July 2.9
August 2.6
T4 (9.3 - 17.0)
January 10.8
February 9.5
March 11.7
May 10.8
July 12.0
August 10.8
TPO (<34) in January 304.4 and in July 309.8
Anti-thyroglobuline (<115) in January 98.6 and in July 102.5
Ferritine (13-150)
November 68
March 62
July 99
Vit D (30-70) in March 32
Vit B12 (197-771) in November 716
Tests in July show I've magnesium deficiency even though I'm taking supplements. Also my selenium was too high so I've stopped taking supplement. My iodine levels are low.
I have hashimotos hypothyroidism, inner ear infection and am told I'd Mono in the last year, tested positive for EBV.
I started changing diet, no gluten and taking lots of supplements in June. Right now I feel totally bummed because it seems as if I'm not improving at all. I've reduced levo to 25mcg. My appointment with the endocrinolgist is on Monday.
Can anyone help me to know what's going on and what should I ask for next? I've had one week feeling near-normal this year but recently have started feeling worse again with heart palpitations, anxiety, feeling zombied out and tired, dry skin, hair falling out. It feels like there is no way out of this nightmare.
0 likes, 15 replies
mary59914
Posted
I forgot to say I've changed my dr and am currently on a homeopathy and chinese medicine treatment. However they do not seem to know much about hashis and hypo. I'd love to have a specific program to follow rather than all this not know what to do stuff.
Am I doomed to just struggle though it all until my thyroid finally is gone?
valentina1224 mary59914
Posted
Hi Mary, my only sugestion is to follow your doctors instructions, and alternative medicine use it with your meds, in my experience alternative medicine, although I love it, it has to be done at the same time than occidental med.
And if you are not satisfied by this new doctor get another one until your gut and body tells you you're better. In 1 week or 2 with meds you should be able to notice the improvements, take lab tests on your own.
Hope you get better soon.
mary59914 valentina1224
Posted
I should also have mentioned that my old dr tried for 6 months to find the right dosage of levo. The side effects were really bad so we never found the right dosage.
The only other thyroid med available here in France is liothyronine which the dr's tell me has a bigger effect on the heart. With levo my heart isn't ok at all. Which is why I reduced dosage.
Perhaps I cannot fully accept my future.
MtViewCatherine mary59914
Posted
Hi Mary, with Hashimoto's, you often get sporadic thyroid activity. So your results don't seem too unusual. You show an increasing trend in your TSH until Feb, followed by a decreasing trend. At first glance, I'm guessing the decrease is due to medication that you started around Feb? If you did not start meds, the decrease in TSH could be due to your pituitary sort of giving up trying to stimulate your thyroid. When hypothyroidism goes untreated for long periods of time, the TSH often goes down and doesn't show as high.
Your T4 seems on the low end of normal, and varies some up and down, but not a lot. So that looks somewhat stable, though low-ish.
Your T3, which is produced from T4, shows a gradually decreasing trend. This could be due to a decreased conversion of T4 or a decreased availability of T4. Conversion happens in the gut and liver among other cells, so you're smart to clean up your diet and go gluten-free!
Since you have a diagnosis of Hadhimotos's, you already know you have auto-immune disease. Antibody tests have as much as a 50% false negative rate, and they depend on the condition of your immune system, so they are very unreliable. You have auto-immune disease, so work with that and trying to decrease triggers. The gluten free will go a long way towards this.
Something I've been looking into lately is tyrosine, because it is a precurser to thyroxin. Phenylalanine also seems to play a role. It seems there could be some dysfunction in these precursors that don't affect any other aspect of health and only impact the iodination process. So I'm looking at tyrosine foods, a diet high in animal protein, organic of course, and possibly supplementation.
Overall, I don't think your thyroid results are unusual for Hashimoto's, as its normal for function to be sporatic as the disease progresses.
Hooe that helps!
Catherine
santhi_79396 mary59914
Posted
mary59914 santhi_79396
Posted
Slight hearing loss which I'm told should return.
Severe tinnitis.
Bad vertigo.
However the ENT dr who made the diagnosis seems to be on a bit of an ego trip stating himself that he's the best in the area, brushing off my questioning and my linking my symptoms to my hypo prob... the treatment for inner ear infection causes IBS symptoms so how am I to see if its gluten or the meds causing it? Sorry I am waffling.
MtViewCatherine mary59914
Posted
Hi Mary, the symptoms can absolutely be connected. Myself and at least one other person on this site experienced increased nodule growth while on the levo.
It's simple mechanics, really. The neck inflammation prevents the ear eaustatian tubes fron draining properly. This results in a buildup of fluid in the ears. Voila, ear infection, vertigo, etc.
If you aren't prone to ear infections, then it's likely related.
mary59914 MtViewCatherine
Posted
Exhausting as I've gone to 5 dr's, 2 endocrinologists, 3 ENT dr's. Fed up at this stage.
MtViewCatherine mary59914
Posted
Yes Mary. Sorry you're having such difficulties.
I got got fed up after several years and don't bother. I'm better off researching and trying things online. Cheaper too.
mary59914 MtViewCatherine
Posted
MtViewCatherine mary59914
Posted
i gave up trying to work with the doctors after becoming completely disabled by their treatment regime.
I use an OTC and am starting to recover now. Slowly.
mary59914 MtViewCatherine
Posted
I am on homeopathy and go to a Chinese acupuncturist, though am beginning to think I know more about hashis than them.
What's OTC? Are you on "normal" thyroid meds?
MtViewCatherine mary59914
Posted
Yes, you will know more about hypothyroidism than they will. NO ONE, NO DOCTOR OR PRACTITIONER WILL EVER KNOW MORE UNKESS THEYVE EXPERIENCED IT. Chances are if they've experienced it, they probably don't have the energy to work.
However, acupuncturists and Homeopathy practitioners treat the whole body. So they will help rebalance and energize, in addition to helping with the thyroid. So stick with those as long as you feel they're helping you.
It it took me years, but with acupuncture and herbs, I've been able to substantially shrink my cyst. Keep in mind, it takes years, even decades for the disease to progress to full blown hypothyroidism. It will also take a while to heal and reverse the disease once you find something you feel is working.
MtViewCatherine mary59914
Posted
Mary, I tried prescription meds. Since none of them are bio identical, none work right. I was so sick, I figured I didn't have anything to lose by trying the over the counter bovine glandular. MUCH!!! BETTER!!!
its organic, no additives, the dosing is more stable. Yeah. Seriously. Surprise.
barbara98940 mary59914
Posted
In Hashimotos hypothyroidism your immune system is attacking your thyroid. Sometimes it does a better job of this than others, hence the variability in your blood test results. Going gluten free is said to help, as is eating a diet low in processed foods/ready meals. This very time consuming to implement - I have to do it due to being allergic/intolerant to many foods and additives.