# Labs: original and recent



## usmc4myson (Sep 26, 2010)

Hello,
I just joined this board today, and boy, I am thankful to have found it.

Quick history.
41 y old mom of three
Hashimoto's
Fibro
Narcolepsy
IBS
allergies/reactive airway

Symptoms right now:
very hard to swallow, feels like a lump of oatmeal is stuck in my airway, hard to catch a good deep breath, pain in legs and arms, weird palpitations on the right side of my neck when I lay down,neck glands swollen, burning gums, mouth feels raw inside, flushed face, red, burning eyes, extreme weakness in right arm/hand, hard time going up steps due to muscles pooping out, and transient abdominal pain/cramping.
Just had abdom/pelvic CT scan done last week-premedicated with prednisone-and benadryl. Had immediate reaction to prednisone, and then dye. :sad0049:

Here are the labs that were drawn when I was first dx with Hashi's in 2000.

Thyroglobulin AB 10.2 H (<2)
Thyroid Peroxidase AB 47.3 H (<2)
Free T4 .8 (.8-2.7) 
T-3 uptake 23 (22-35)
TSH 2.15 (.40-5.50)
ANA positive 1 pattern homogeneous 1:80 (less than 1:40) 
Rheumatoid Factor 6 (<14)
Lyme AB positive 1.51 <1.20= positive
Western Blot B. Burgdorferi AB positive

I was treated for Lyme disease and put on Synthroid .25 mcg. back then in 2000.

Current dose of Synthroid: .100 mcg

Labs drawn at ER 4 nights ago:

TSH 4.14 (.34-5.60) 
Free T4 .85 (.58-1.64)
Free T3 3.2 (2.2- 3.8)
WBC 13.8 H ( 3.5-10.5)
Hematocrit 43.5 H (34.9-43.4)
Granulocytes 71 H (47-70)
Neut ABSO (ANC) 9.8 H (1.5-8.5)
ALT 37 H (4-35)

I should also note that last March my thyroid panel was as follows:
TSH 1.29 (.4- 4.50)
T-3 uptake 29 (22-35)
T-4 total 10.6 (4.5- 12.5)
Free T4 index (T-7) 3.1 (1.4-3.8)

My biggest question is: what does the fact that my TSH skyrocketed to 4.14 tell the doctors who are treating me for these debilitating and potentially dangerous symptoms?
Is it normal for the TSH to skyrocket after a CT scan with contrast? If I keep taking my normal dose of Synthroid, am I making it worse??

I plan on calling my primary care dr on Monday. It would be so helpful to hear your opinions and suggestions as to what to say to him, and what to ask him.

Thank you, thank you, thank you in advance. I'd appreciate your insight!!

~Amy


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

usmc4myson said:


> Hello,
> I just joined this board today, and boy, I am thankful to have found it.
> 
> Quick history.
> ...


Amy; welcome. Ordinarily I would say high hematocrit standing alone indicates dehyrdration but combine that with the high granulocytes, I would say something is afoot. Add to that the neutrophils being high. I think you need to talk to your doctor about all this and further testing should be done.

Clearly you also have autoimmune thyroid disease and this could all be tied in and for that reason I strongly advise you to get a radioactive uptake scan of the thyroid. You have swollen lymph nodes and that suggests that cancer has to be ruled out. Combine that with the above, I would also ask to be tested for Hodgkin's and Non-Hodgkins.

Depending on what the RAIU (radioactive uptake scan) shows, you may need to have FNA (fine needle aspriration) of nodules

Here is a place where you can look up your labs on your own to find out what each one means.

http://www.labtestsonline.org/

I and others are here to help you all we can and best of all, we have such a great support group here.

This is going to be step by step; there is a of testing to be done here.

I also think you may be very very low in your iron stores which is accounting for some of the symptoms such as burning mouth. I would like to suggest a Ferritin test also.

Here is info on that.
Ferritin http://www.thewayup.com/newsletters/081504.htm

Did you know you got a tick bite? Lyme disease can be debilitating and that is absolutely no joke.


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## usmc4myson (Sep 26, 2010)

Andros,
Thank you for your insight. I had no idea I was bitten by a tick. It was my Mom who saw how tired I was and suggested I get tested for Lyme's. The doctor agreed to test me, and voila.

My Dad is in remission for Hodgkins, which he got when he was around my age. His mom-my Nana- had thyroid cancer and had her thyroid removed at age 41. My Mom's mother had Grave's and I think her thyroid was removed too.

I also read that researchers think that narcolepsy may be an autoimmune disease...
I also probably have chronic post traumatic stress. Both my husband and my 15 year old son have Aspergers. It is like walking on pins and needles in my own home most of the time. I literally jump out of my skin when startled. So that's a whole different component...and my adrenals are getting really really tired. I am in a tough place right now, because my 18 year marriage may have to end. I don't want to blame the aspergers, but it has come to the point where my physical health has reached its lowest point. For example, my husband didn't want to take me to the ER the other night. He kept arguing that because I could still talk, I wasn't in grave danger...besides, he really was planning to exercise and take a nap when he got home from work. He is not a mean, vicious person, but he has no idea how his attitudes and his perseverations affect me. I felt beaten and bruised, and he never laid a hand on me. That's the gist of it. For 18 years, I have been so strong, and tried to keep everything on an even keel...and I am tired...body, mind, soul, and spirit. I thank God I have His word to comfort me. Without it, I would have absolutely no hope or strength at all.

I will research the links you kindly provided for me. I am deeply grateful for the support.

~Amy


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

usmc4myson said:


> Andros,
> Thank you for your insight. I had no idea I was bitten by a tick. It was my Mom who saw how tired I was and suggested I get tested for Lyme's. The doctor agreed to test me, and voila.
> 
> My Dad is in remission for Hodgkins, which he got when he was around my age. His mom-my Nana- had thyroid cancer and had her thyroid removed at age 41. My Mom's mother had Grave's and I think her thyroid was removed too.
> ...


Aw; God bless you, Amy!! Keep the faith. I am strong believer in prayer. God is "listening!"

Asperger's; that is mighty interesting and a person can easily be beaten down by family members with it. It drains your cup on a daily basis.

I had narcolepsy because of thyroid disease. I stopped eating all glutens and sugars and boy did that help. I got on to it because I kept on falling asleep after meals. That was an obvious clue.

Now that I have been treated and stabilized for my TD, I no longer have narcolepsy.

And I am grateful for you!! I am glad you are here. Come Monday, you will get more replies to your posts. Weekends get a little slack around here.

Interesting about your dad's medical history. Make sure all your doctor's know this. Those ticks!! They are really bad this summer here in Ga.. When the wind blows, they fall out of the trees right on you. They say the "hitchhike" on the wind.


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## usmc4myson (Sep 26, 2010)

Wow. I thought Narcolepsy was a lifetime dx. It's encouraging to hear that your narco has resolved due to cutting out gluten/sugar and having your TD remediated. I found out I had narco when I kept yawning constantly...all day long...every minute or so! I also fell asleep in waiting rooms, at the nail salon, you name it! I also had mild cataplexy where my hands would instantly get weak and lose all strength. They did sleep studies and nap studies and the dx was made. The cataplexy has resolved on the medication I am on at night called Xyrem. I wasn't getting ANY stage 4 sleep. zip zero. After being on Xyrem, I actually feel human when I wake up in the morning.

I called my Dad and got the name of his endo. I will make appt Monday morning due to family history, current symptoms, and current labs. Would you believe that I have never had an ultrasound of my thyroid done??

When I start to really think about how COMPLEX we humans are...it boggles my mind. The psalmist was correct when he said we are "fearfully and wonderfully made!!!" Scientists haven't even scratched the surface of understanding how the brain works! WOW.

Thanks again for your help. I feel emotionally so much better just getting some insight and input from you (Andros) and the rest of the board. :hugs:


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## lavender (Jul 13, 2010)

Please be kind to yourself. You are going through a lot, and I believe that stress is at the root much illness-especially auto-immune. I am sorry your family has not been supportive. You deserve good people in your life.

I have a significant amount of post traumatic stress myself and believe that is what set the stage for auto-immune disorders in my body. I had a therapist who drew a really good correlation between PTSD and auto-immune illness in that the body/mind gets so accustomed to fighting off attackers that it is unable to stop when the threat is no longer there, can no longer distinguish between and threat/non-threat and starts attacking our own healthy cells/support systems.

I am on to the connection between TD and sleep disorders. I see a sleep doc for fatigue issues, and did a sleep/wake study several years ago with really inconclusive results. borderline sleep apnea and narcolepsy. I refused the narcolepsy drugs because I knew that stimulants would just send my body into melt down. When I saw her last week, I told her about my graves diagnosis, and she seemed to think this was at the bottom of my fatigue all along. I just sat without saying a word because I have been arguing this with my other docs all along, but they just keep saying that nothing was wrong because my lab work was always normal. She and I are hopeful that stabilization of my thyroid will help resolve fatigue as well.


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## usmc4myson (Sep 26, 2010)

Lavender,
Thanks for your input. You are absolutely right about stress and its effects. Hyper-vigilance, I think is what they call it. You are always on alert for threats, and your adrenals never get a chance to rest. explode

The Adderall they put me on saved my life. It does not make me feel the least bit jumpy--and believe me--I was NERVOUS about taking the first dose of it. If I were not medicated, my drivers license could be taken away, and for good reason too!

I go to my doctor again tomorrow. I go armed with knowledge, and I go as my own best advocate.

Onward into battle!!


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## usmc4myson (Sep 26, 2010)

Had a positive experience at my doctor's today. He feels that my thyroid reacted wildly to the iodine in the CT scan from two weeks ago, and the effects are wreaking havoc on my system. He did a physical exam of thyroid, and said he could not feel any nodules, but that does not mean there are none there. He said there is no such thing as a stat ultrasound of the thyroid at our hospital, but he would have ordered it stat if he could. His nurse got me in tomorrow morning. He ordered stat labs, which were done today. 
Told me to keep taking my 112mcg of Synthroid even tho it makes me feel jittery and anxious. Told me to take Benadryl too??
Said that after we get lab results, he can see if my medication dose needs to be titrated up or down.

Told me that TSH levels fluctuate all the time, and that it was not a big concern. However, I forgot that I had labs drawn in June, and my TSH in June was .77 (.5-4.50). Then last week at the ER it was 4.14. 
He ordered a complete thyroid panel, plus thyrogloblulin antibodies and another antibody. I am kicking myself because I forgot to bring the list of tests that Andros suggested!! Will post results when I get them.

Does the ultrasound make you gag?? I have an intensely powerful gag reflex...

~Amy


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## chopper (Mar 4, 2007)

No, an ultrasound does not make you gag. Its a simple scan on the OUTSIDE of your neck where your thyroid is and they press lightly as they run what looks like a computer mouse over the outside of your neck near your collarbone. I can't see anyone gagging from that.


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## usmc4myson (Sep 26, 2010)

Thanks Phil! I gag when I see someone else gagging...so you never know with me! My entire neck area feels so tight and weird when I swallow...so I shall be prepared to gag, and pleasantly surprised when I don't! :a1Thyroid:

I am actually looking forward to this ultrasound. It feels like a step in the right direction.


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## chopper (Mar 4, 2007)

I wouldn't be surprised if your thyroid and frequent gagging were related.

Remind me never to choose you as my teammate in a burger eating contest. 

One of my buddies is like that. We ate a bunch of white castle belly bombers and one friend puked out in the parking lot. My squeamish friend was just getting done bragging about how he managed not to puke when he saw my other friend barf and just then a crow came down from a tree and carried a hunk of puke away and right then and there he lost it and started puking his brains out. Funny puke story.


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## usmc4myson (Sep 26, 2010)

Ok...I am actuallly laughing out loud...THANK YOU NasdaqPhil!! Just what I needed! The crows make the whole story...:tongue0013:

I was so good during the US...deep breathing...and thinking about anything but my throat. Then she started pressing down right on the front of my throat, and I felt a tiny urge to gag...which immediately catapulted into overt gaggery. Thankfully I was able to compose myself so she could finish.

Today is my first day back on my .112 mcg of Synthroid after not taking it for 2 days. In Home Depot after the US, I got this fantastic pain in the upper right abdomen-not in the gallbladder area--mine is surgically removed...but somehow deeper and lower. The pain was loud and sharp for a few minutes, then it kind of died down to a dull roar, and it has now settled right at my hip--down even lower on the right. Is this some weird adjustment my body is making to the hormone? I also feel lightheaded and can't seem to focus on what I am doing...plus I've got this headache where deep inside my head behind my nose--it is throbbing away rhythmically. Along with burning gums and a metallic taste in my mouth.

Could it be that the iodine in the CT scan from the 17th of Sept. killed off what was left of my thyroid? That is why I am reacting so violently to taking my Synthroid?? I am getting some of the same symptoms that someone gets after a TT when they begin dosing the hormone.

Oh well....now I wait for results from the testing.

You made my day, NasdaqPhil!!! :hugs:


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