# Question about labs



## ykcebmeg (Dec 11, 2012)

I was wondering if anyone can tell me what they think about my labs. I have not been diagnosed with any thyroid issues although I suspect that I am hypo. I am freezing all the time, my average temp. is 96.0, I am losing hair by the handful, gaining weight for no reason, I could list so many issues it's ridiculous. My doctor recently diagnosed me with polycystic ovarian syndrome based off an ultrasound that shows multiple follicles on both ovaries. Here are my labs:

10/2 at 7:30PM
ferritin 12 ng/ml range 10/291
iron saturation 12.4 range 15-50
TPO ab negative (<10)
TSH 3.9 uIU/ml range 0.27-4.20
25 OH Vit D 22 range insufficiency 10-30ng/ml 
According to my doctor these were all fine (even though the iron and Vit D are out of normal range). However, she sent me to an endo because of the PCOS.

New labs were:
11/20 at 8:45 AM
all male hormones were normal (which brings the question of do I have PCOS or not)
TSH 1.34 miU/l range 0.40-4.50
T3 total 76 ng/dL range 76-181
T4 free 2.0 ng/dL range 0.8-2.7

With these results my endocrinologist basically said that there is nothing wrong with me and if I am gaining weight it must be my fault. She actually suggested that I join medifast which is funny to me because I wear size 7 (before I started gaining weight I was a size 4) and I am not even considered overweight for my height, I'm just at the top of the healthy weight range. These doctors are making me feel like I am crazy... How can my TSH have changed so much? Is having T3 in the low range part of my problem? I am so frustrated and I don't know where to go from here.

Thanks for any advice,
Becky


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

ykcebmeg said:


> 10/2 at 7:30PM
> ferritin 12 ng/ml range 10/291
> iron saturation 12.4 range 15-50
> TPO ab negative (<10)
> ...


Hi Becky,

Your endo is incompetent. I have no experience in PCOS or the symptoms it causes.

Your Ferritin level indicates that you should be supplementing with iron. If you do begin to supplement be sure to re-test in 3-6 months to see where you are at. 3/4 range is goal.

Your T-3 total again indicates an issue with conversion of your T-4 hormone while your FT-4 indicates you are normal. The low T-3 could be causing some of your symptoms as well as the low ferritin.

Start with the iron and someone else will hopefully post some thoughts on your thyroid levels.


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## midgetmaid (Jul 22, 2010)

When my ferritin was low in the range, I felt terrible. I couldn't take iron so I supplemented with Floradix and brought the ferritin up but Floradix is expensive. I started taking vit. C with every meal and ate more foods containing iron (very dark chocolate, spinach, etc...) and was able to raise it.

Renee


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

ykcebmeg said:


> I was wondering if anyone can tell me what they think about my labs. I have not been diagnosed with any thyroid issues although I suspect that I am hypo. I am freezing all the time, my average temp. is 96.0, I am losing hair by the handful, gaining weight for no reason, I could list so many issues it's ridiculous. My doctor recently diagnosed me with polycystic ovarian syndrome based off an ultrasound that shows multiple follicles on both ovaries. Here are my labs:
> 
> 10/2 at 7:30PM
> ferritin 12 ng/ml range 10/291
> ...


Becky............there is something really wrong with your numbers. T3 completely in the basement and that is alarming as the Total 3 is bound, unbound and rT3 (reverse hormone.)

It would be a very good thing to get the FREE T3 test.

Dr. Mercola (FREES)
http://www.mercola.com/article/hypothyroid/diagnosis_comp.htm

Free T3 and Free T4 are the only accurate measurement of the actual active thyroid hormone levels in the body. This is the hormone that is actually free and exerting effect on the cells. These are the thyroid hormones that count.

The tests below would be very helpful and I advise that you request and ultra-sound of the thyroid as well.

TSI
Normally, there is no TSI in the blood. If TSI is found in the blood, this indicates that the thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin is the cause of the of a person's hyperthyroidism. 
http://www.medicineonline.com/topics/t/2/Thyroid-Stimulating-Immunoglobulin/TSI.html

Trab
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17684583

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/

At this point, all the tests above are important as you could be hyper or hypo.

As you know, your ferritin needs working on. It should be 50 to 100; the closer to 100, the better.


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## ykcebmeg (Dec 11, 2012)

Thanks for such a quick response guys. I figured I needed to be on an iron supplement but my doctor told me I was fine because I am not anemic. I feel stuck, I researched the endo that I saw and she has great reviews but was not at all helpful. Any advice on finding a doctor who will listen and perhaps take a closer look at things. Why does this have to be so hard to diagnose??? I am tired of feeling like crap


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