# Newbie with labs



## Widget1970 (Jan 30, 2013)

I have been feeling horrible for a while but just recently the symptoms have just been too hard to live with. I finally went to the doctor and had some tests performed. I have all the classic symptoms of hypothyroid. My hair has been falling out. I am exhausted all the time even though I get 9-10 hours of sleep every night. My knees, hips and ankle joints hurt and are so stiff. I keep a heater on under my desk regardless of the season. I am 42 years old. I should not be feeling this badly.

I was on levothyroxin from 2008 to 2010. They started me out on .50 and finally moved me up to .75. I had to beg my doctor to put me on it as he kept saying that I was within the normal range, which was .25 to 5.50. In 2010 I was able to lose 30 pounds and I continued to feel great. No symptoms of HYPERthyroid but the MD decided to take me OFF thyroid meds. instead of lowering the dose. I felt really good during the time I was on the meds. I have been off them since October 2010. Needless to say I have gained back all the weight and all the symptoms and now they are worse than before. I am starting to feel depressed that I may have to live feeling like this all the time. I called a compounding pharmacy and asked that Pharmacist who the doctors were that prescribed Armour and he gave me two names. I asked him out of the two, which one would be more likely to be the best and I have an appointment with that doctor next Tuesday.

The MD I was seeing only used TSH to go by. Below are my TSH levels while I was seeing him and my most recent labs. Any input would be great. By the way, the most recent doctor said I was fine and was not hypo. I currently feel like CRAP!!

05/2009 - .83TSH ref. range .34-4.82
04/2010 - 1.27TSH ref. range .34-4.82 This is when he raised my dose.
05/2010 - .41TSH ref. range .34-4.82
09/10 - 0.01TSH ref. range .34-4.82 Lab note that this was repeated. 
10/2010 - .24TSH ref. range .34-4.82 This is when he took me off the meds.

01/29/2013 Labs

TSH - 3.27 Ref. range - 0.34-5.60
T4, total - 8.6 Ref. range - 4.5-12.0
T3 Uptake - 41.6 Ref. range - 29.0-44.0
FTI, Calculated - 3.6 Ref. range 1.7-4.2
Cholesterol - 193
Triglyceride - 260 (This was the only number that worried him.)
HDL - 52
LDL - 89
VLDL, Cholesterol 52.0


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Widget1970 said:


> I have been feeling horrible for a while but just recently the symptoms have just been too hard to live with. I finally went to the doctor and had some tests performed. I have all the classic symptoms of hypothyroid. My hair has been falling out. I am exhausted all the time even though I get 9-10 hours of sleep every night. My knees, hips and ankle joints hurt and are so stiff. I keep a heater on under my desk regardless of the season. I am 42 years old. I should not be feeling this badly.
> 
> I was on levothyroxin from 2008 to 2010. They started me out on .50 and finally moved me up to .75. I had to beg my doctor to put me on it as he kept saying that I was within the normal range, which was .25 to 5.50. In 2010 I was able to lose 30 pounds and I continued to feel great. No symptoms of HYPERthyroid but the MD decided to take me OFF thyroid meds. instead of lowering the dose. I felt really good during the time I was on the meds. I have been off them since October 2010. Needless to say I have gained back all the weight and all the symptoms and now they are worse than before. I am starting to feel depressed that I may have to live feeling like this all the time. I called a compounding pharmacy and asked that Pharmacist who the doctors were that prescribed Armour and he gave me two names. I asked him out of the two, which one would be more likely to be the best and I have an appointment with that doctor next Tuesday.
> 
> ...


You are hypo, alright!! Geez!! You should have never been taken off your med. You were doing fine! I never "understand" that!

Here is some info which may be helpful.

TPO (antimicrosomal antibodies) TBII (thyrotropin-binding inhibitory immunoglobulin), Thyroglobulin Ab, ANA (antinuclear antibodies), (thyroid hormone panel) TSH, Free T3, Free T4.

You can look this stuff up here and more.........
http://www.labtestsonline.org/


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## Widget1970 (Jan 30, 2013)

I am confused as to what the T3 uptake and FTI, Calculated are. Are there any other tests I should have this new doctor do that the previous one did not? All the doctors I have seen before have only felt on my neck and said that the thyroid feels fine. How can that be if I am hypo? Should I have any scans or tests for Hashi? I just know I am tired of feeling the way I do. I sometimes worry about my job because I am so foggy headed. It is embarrassing to not know an answer to a simple question in a field that I have 20 years experience. I am tired of being tired. 

Oh and another one of the tests they did that was high was the Neutrophil-Absolute Ct. it was 6.3 and ref. range is 2.2 -4.8? Does anyone know what that is?


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## jenny v (May 6, 2012)

Definitely ask them to test your FREE T3 and FREE T4 (I capitalized the free because that is the important word!). Your TSH is already showing you're hypo and the frees will help confirm that.


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## surge (Aug 15, 2012)

grr. it makes me so bad that the doc just pulled you off the med instead of lowering. What? I don't know what the other results mean, but I agree that a FT4 and FT3 will be helpful in confirming you're hypo. But if you're going to a doc who prescribes armour, I suspect you'll be getting those tests. You're absolutely RIGHT to follow up on this.


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## Widget1970 (Jan 30, 2013)

I met with the new doctor today. I AM IN LOOOOOVE!!! I showed him my most recent test results and he immediately told me all the different tests he wants run. He went ahead and prescribed me 20 days worth of 60mg of Armour and I am to see him in 2 weeks. Some of the tests he ordered are a full thyroid panel, tpo etc., cortisol, testosterone and a whole lot more. I am so excited that I have found a doctor that will run all the right tests and finally make me feel normal.


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## StormFinch (Nov 16, 2012)

Congrats Widget, great to hear!


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## Widget1970 (Jan 30, 2013)

I went this morning to get my blood drawn for the new doctor. They drew 6 vials. The lady doing the blood draw said that he was checking everything under the sun. So hopefully I will know something in a week or so.


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