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Help interpreting results
Good evening! I was wondering if you could help me interpret my annual blood test results. My doctor particularly flagged my C-Reactive Protein and TPO Ab numbers:
C-Reactive Protein 12.17
TPO (Microsomal) Ab 355.7
If there are other numbers I can provide to give a bigger, better picture please let me know. I have access to the full panel results. This is the first time this has come to my attention that there might be a problem. The internet is scaring the crap out of me. I have found the MedHelp community to be a huge help in getting to the bottom of things.
I appreciate words of wisdom and feedback.
C-Reactive Protein 12.17
TPO (Microsomal) Ab 355.7
If there are other numbers I can provide to give a bigger, better picture please let me know. I have access to the full panel results. This is the first time this has come to my attention that there might be a problem. The internet is scaring the crap out of me. I have found the MedHelp community to be a huge help in getting to the bottom of things.
I appreciate words of wisdom and feedback.
A good thyroid doctor pays more attention to symptoms than just test results. Just having test results that fall somewhere within the range does not mean that all is okay. First the ranges are flawed, due to the erroneous method used to establish them. Secondly, people are different and may have different levels of thyroid hormone at which they feel best and have no hypo symptoms. You can read about this in the following link. I recommend reading at least the first two pages to see what tests are required to aid diagnosis, and how symptoms are the most important indicator of thyroid status. You may want to read further, for the analysis and supporting scientific evidence supporting the suggestions on page 2. You can also consider giving a copy of the full paper to your doctor and then request to be treated clinically as described, rather than just based on test results.
http://www.thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/TUK_PDFs/diagnosis_and_treatment_of_hypothyroidism_issue_1.pdf
If you are unsuccessful at getting what you need from your doctor then if you will tell us your location, perhaps we can suggest a good thyroid doctor in your area.
http://www.thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/TUK_PDFs/diagnosis_and_treatment_of_hypothyroidism_issue_1.pdf
If you are unsuccessful at getting what you need from your doctor then if you will tell us your location, perhaps we can suggest a good thyroid doctor in your area.
Flyingfool,
Good morning and thank you for your feedback! My doctor has prescribed some supplements for inflammation and to correct my iron, B12, and D3 deficiencies, as well as probiotic. She also asked me to eliminate dairy, gluten and refined sugar from my diet. She would like to see me again in 3 months to repeat my lab work.
Does this sound par for the course? I talked to her physician's assistant yesterday and asked if I should head to an endocrinologist. The PA said that will be determined at the 3 month check up.
Good morning and thank you for your feedback! My doctor has prescribed some supplements for inflammation and to correct my iron, B12, and D3 deficiencies, as well as probiotic. She also asked me to eliminate dairy, gluten and refined sugar from my diet. She would like to see me again in 3 months to repeat my lab work.
Does this sound par for the course? I talked to her physician's assistant yesterday and asked if I should head to an endocrinologist. The PA said that will be determined at the 3 month check up.
Your B-12 is low. I would try to get it up to above 700 if not towards the very top of the range. Many countries do not even start the low part of the range until 500. And you tested at 512 which would be close to rock bottom in those other nations. There seems to be very little risk of overdose of B-12 and if low in B-12 results in fatigue.
your other symptoms also all are consistent with low Thyroid. in order for many people to feel well they need BOTH of the following.
1) Free T4 to be at 50% of the range if not a bit higher. YOu are testing at only 35% of the range. So definately room to improve there!
And- That means in addition to #1 you need to also have
2) Free T3 to be 50% to 67% of the range with more people seeming to lean more towards the 67% rather than the 50%. You are testing at 62.5% which is actually pretty good.
It is important to note that your body cells ONLY use the Free T3 hormone at the cellular level. And thus symptoms best correlate to FT3 levels. That being said, some people do not feel in balance unless they have both the FT4 and FT3 levels in proportion to each other. That is for you, you may consider taking a T4 medication to try to get the FT4 level up to about 50%, which should result in an increase in the FT3 level as well if your body is converting. So maybe a small starter dose of T4 may make sense.
Ferritin is also a bit low. Ideally for thyroid metabolism you would like to have the Ferritin at about the level of 70.
your other symptoms also all are consistent with low Thyroid. in order for many people to feel well they need BOTH of the following.
1) Free T4 to be at 50% of the range if not a bit higher. YOu are testing at only 35% of the range. So definately room to improve there!
And- That means in addition to #1 you need to also have
2) Free T3 to be 50% to 67% of the range with more people seeming to lean more towards the 67% rather than the 50%. You are testing at 62.5% which is actually pretty good.
It is important to note that your body cells ONLY use the Free T3 hormone at the cellular level. And thus symptoms best correlate to FT3 levels. That being said, some people do not feel in balance unless they have both the FT4 and FT3 levels in proportion to each other. That is for you, you may consider taking a T4 medication to try to get the FT4 level up to about 50%, which should result in an increase in the FT3 level as well if your body is converting. So maybe a small starter dose of T4 may make sense.
Ferritin is also a bit low. Ideally for thyroid metabolism you would like to have the Ferritin at about the level of 70.
1 Comments
flyingfool, I appreciate your feedback. This is still an uphill battle for me. I tried to get in to see an endo and was told that all my values look normal to them. I'm so frustrated.
Updates:
C-Reactive Protein: 12.17 Reference Range: 0.00-10.00 (mg/L)
TPO (Microsomal) Ab: 355.7 Reference Range: 5.0-34.0 (IU/mL)
TSH: 2.43 Reference Range: 0.30-5.00 (mcIU/mL)
Free T3: 3.5 Reference Range: 2.0-4.4 (pg/mL)
Free T4: 1.15 Reference Range: 0.80-1.80 (ng/dL)
Ferritin: 60 Reference Range: 13-400 (ng/mL)
VitD: 38.6 Reference Range: 30.0-80.0 (ng/mL)
B12: 517 Reference Range: 211-946 (pg/mL)
Doctor's notes with my results: very elevated CRP and TPO ( thyroid antibodies) so strict antiinflammatory diet highly recommended. VIt D3 (dose rec), Encourage Anti Inflammatory diet. Repeat fasting chol panel in 3- 4months. Low ferritin level so recommend Ferrous C One daily X 3 mo and rpt level 3 month . Increase iron rich foods including black strap molasses 1 TBSP w/ lemon juice in cup of green tea daily Vit D3 10k/day X 3mo then rpt level. Suboptimal B12 level so recommend: Methy B12 5000mcg orally once daily for 3months OR Methyl B12 injections once weekly for 6 weeks then repeat level in 3months.
Symptoms: This was an annual checkup with a new physician. She asked if we could do full blood workup and urine analysis. Now that I have looked at the symptoms for hypothyroidism, I can see some similarities:
Fatigue - I have alerted doctors to this for years. They have all told me to get a solid 8 hours of sleep.
Constipation - I have tummy issues. I tend to swing from one extreme to another.
Dry skin - I do have dry skin, I never thought it could be tied to a health issue
Weight gain - I have always had weight fluctuations. I injured my back two years ago and steadily put on weight. I attributed it to the injury and putting in more hours at work.
Heavier, irregular periods - I had them in in teens and was put on birth control pills. I had migraine issues about 6 months ago and had to stop taking birth control pills immediately. My periods have regulated, but to me, come across as heavy.
Thinning hair - I do shed quite a bit. I attributed this to aging. My stylist comments that I still have a ton of hair though.
Impaired memory - I have moments of forgetfulness, nothing that alarms me, but I do seem to have a hard time concentrating.
Are there other symptoms I should be looking out for?
C-Reactive Protein: 12.17 Reference Range: 0.00-10.00 (mg/L)
TPO (Microsomal) Ab: 355.7 Reference Range: 5.0-34.0 (IU/mL)
TSH: 2.43 Reference Range: 0.30-5.00 (mcIU/mL)
Free T3: 3.5 Reference Range: 2.0-4.4 (pg/mL)
Free T4: 1.15 Reference Range: 0.80-1.80 (ng/dL)
Ferritin: 60 Reference Range: 13-400 (ng/mL)
VitD: 38.6 Reference Range: 30.0-80.0 (ng/mL)
B12: 517 Reference Range: 211-946 (pg/mL)
Doctor's notes with my results: very elevated CRP and TPO ( thyroid antibodies) so strict antiinflammatory diet highly recommended. VIt D3 (dose rec), Encourage Anti Inflammatory diet. Repeat fasting chol panel in 3- 4months. Low ferritin level so recommend Ferrous C One daily X 3 mo and rpt level 3 month . Increase iron rich foods including black strap molasses 1 TBSP w/ lemon juice in cup of green tea daily Vit D3 10k/day X 3mo then rpt level. Suboptimal B12 level so recommend: Methy B12 5000mcg orally once daily for 3months OR Methyl B12 injections once weekly for 6 weeks then repeat level in 3months.
Symptoms: This was an annual checkup with a new physician. She asked if we could do full blood workup and urine analysis. Now that I have looked at the symptoms for hypothyroidism, I can see some similarities:
Fatigue - I have alerted doctors to this for years. They have all told me to get a solid 8 hours of sleep.
Constipation - I have tummy issues. I tend to swing from one extreme to another.
Dry skin - I do have dry skin, I never thought it could be tied to a health issue
Weight gain - I have always had weight fluctuations. I injured my back two years ago and steadily put on weight. I attributed it to the injury and putting in more hours at work.
Heavier, irregular periods - I had them in in teens and was put on birth control pills. I had migraine issues about 6 months ago and had to stop taking birth control pills immediately. My periods have regulated, but to me, come across as heavy.
Thinning hair - I do shed quite a bit. I attributed this to aging. My stylist comments that I still have a ton of hair though.
Impaired memory - I have moments of forgetfulness, nothing that alarms me, but I do seem to have a hard time concentrating.
Are there other symptoms I should be looking out for?
1 Comments
I should probably add a little more information about myself? I am a 36 year old woman. I am currently on immunotherapy shots for allergies. Other than that, I was unaware of any health issues. I appreciate your thoughts and feedback. Please let me know if there are additional details you need from my end!
Thank you for checking in with me, Amm0 & Barb135. I just finished a workout, I will grab all this info from the report & post as soon as I get home tonight. I appreciate the additional direction about reference ranges - I will be sure to add this info as well & my doctor's notes.
COMMUNITY LEADER
Hi red... What's the reference range for the C-reactive Protein? Some labs have different ranges for everything, so we always have to post ranges, with results. I can tell by looking that your TPOab is too high, no matter what lab it was done at..
Did you have a Free T3, Free T4 or TSH test done? If so, we could use those results and reference ranges, as well.
Your TPOab result is the basis for a diagnosis of Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, which is an autoimmune thyroid condition that, eventually, destroys the thyroid so it no longer produces hormones. Sometimes, we just have to ignore "Dr. Google", because there are too many horror stories... There's no reason to be scared; many/most of us on the forum have Hashimoto's.
Do you have symptoms of hypothyroidism?
Did you have a Free T3, Free T4 or TSH test done? If so, we could use those results and reference ranges, as well.
Your TPOab result is the basis for a diagnosis of Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, which is an autoimmune thyroid condition that, eventually, destroys the thyroid so it no longer produces hormones. Sometimes, we just have to ignore "Dr. Google", because there are too many horror stories... There's no reason to be scared; many/most of us on the forum have Hashimoto's.
Do you have symptoms of hypothyroidism?
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