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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by jerrympls on May 2, 2003, at 19:53:20
so, I finally got the official word from my general pract. doc - he did some thyroid tests and hemoglobin:
TSH - 7.67
T4 - 0.7Ferritan - 7
Iron - 28
TIBC -537If I am correct, my TSH level is off the charts. And, apparently my iron stores have been depleted and the Doc says I have "Iron Deficient Anemia," and put me on an iron supplement. Wants me to follow up with my endocrinologist about the thyroid.
WOW...no wonder I'm depressed and fatigued all the time.
Posted by Jaynee on May 2, 2003, at 20:57:14
In reply to Test results: TSH level Iron, posted by jerrympls on May 2, 2003, at 19:53:20
You need to find out why you are low in iron. Since your transferrin Saturation is only 5% and ferritin is only 7, you should have more tests done. Could be parasites, blood loss, etc, etc. Instead of just taking iron, you should insist on finding out what is going on.
What was your Hemoglobin?
Good luck
Posted by jerrympls on May 2, 2003, at 21:34:44
In reply to Re: Test results: TSH level Iron, posted by Jaynee on May 2, 2003, at 20:57:14
> You need to find out why you are low in iron. Since your transferrin Saturation is only 5% and ferritin is only 7, you should have more tests done. Could be parasites, blood loss, etc, etc. Instead of just taking iron, you should insist on finding out what is going on.
>
> What was your Hemoglobin?
>
> Good luckI think my hemoglobin was 12.0 - whatever that means?
Posted by noa on May 3, 2003, at 7:02:59
In reply to Test results: TSH level Iron, posted by jerrympls on May 2, 2003, at 19:53:20
Jerry,
Not exactly "off the charts" but definitely HIGH!! Ie, definitely out of the conventional normal range and much higher than what we consider to be normal range.
Was the T4 a "Total T4" or a "Free T4"?
Acc. to Mary Shomon, the range for Total T4 is 4.5 to 12.5, which would make your 0.7 Extremely low. The Free T4 test ranges from 0.7 to 2. Which makes your 0.7 at the low end. Either way, the numbers look hypothyroid.
I can tell you from my own experience (and my TSH was similar but not quite as bad as yours, and my T4 was not as bad as yours) that when the hypothyroidism was finally identified and treated properly (much more aggressively than had been by my pdoc and internist), THAT was when I finally started to get good results from my antidepressants. THAT was when I finally started to feel better! It did take months, maybe even nearly a year, but the improvement was pretty steady--I felt better each month following initiation of the aggressive treatment (ie, more thyroid meds so my TSH was brought down to less than 1.0).
Good luck--I am glad you got that identified!
BTW--The values I cited are from a chart at Mary Shomon's site---
http://thyroid.about.com/library/weekly/bltest-values.htmBTW2--I wonder if the endo might also help you with the low iron. I know my endo made connections between seemingly disparate signs and symptoms and had me tested for several other endocrine disorders. Most turned out negative, but I did end up needing meds for insulin resistance.
Posted by stjames on May 3, 2003, at 19:55:02
In reply to Re: Test results: TSH level Iron, posted by noa on May 3, 2003, at 7:02:59
Noa, is there more than one TSH test, such as "ultra sensitive" TSH test or are they one in the same ?
This is the end of the thread.
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