I have symptoms of autoimmune but bloods all normal range?

[budgetingnovice1993]

LH 26.8
TSH 0.59
FSH 10
Free T4 11.9

36 year old female. I have had symptoms of thyroid balance and PCOS. I cannot get anywhere with GP as my bloods are within normal range. Why do I feel so lousy if everything ok? Why do I have adult acne, dry skin, digestive problems, joint pain, mood swings, swollen lymph nodes, hirsutism, anxiety, digestive issues etc if all ok?
Any advise welcome.

Advice!

Hopeful bump

What's your CRP and ESR? RF?

I think I only got tested for androgen and thyroid function. I had to ask for the above results as the receptionist initially just said 'all normal'.

Autoimmune is often things like ANA, ANCA, that sort of thing.

private testing? They test for more stuff like antibodies and ft3

Our considered view on private testing of your thyroid function – Thyroid UK

Did they test for diabetes?

Those are only 4 blood test results and none of them are tests for autoimmunity. You have to go back to the GP and ask for more investigations. Have they looked at your adrenals?

I don't think so as it want a fasting blood test. They were just testing thyroid function and androgen levels.

Wasn't *

To be honest they weren't that interested. I explained my symptoms, they took bloods and then when I called the receptionist said all within normal range and no offer to follow up as obviously I am still symptomatic. Felt like that was the end of their investigations.

As previous posters have said, autoimmune disease hasn't been excluded. Further blood tests would be appropriate in conjunction with a GP/ANP listening properly to your account of what you are experiencing and following you up when the results are available to decide on the most appropriate further management/specialist referral.

You don't have to fast to get a diabetes blood test, I have recently been diagnosed as having an underactive thyroid, my main symptom prior to the diagnosis was feeling extremely fatigued all of the time, a full blood test count was taken, it also showed that I was pre-diabetic which is a risk factor with underactive thyroid. I was put onto levothyroxine which I have to have regular blood tests for to make sure I am having the correct dosage, the last test was last week where I also had a diabetes blood test to see if it has developed or remains the same.
Ask for a full blood test to put your mind at ease.

Disinterest is common. Unfortunately you need to be assertive and advocate for yourself until they properly investigate it.

You can also ask for a paper copy of your results. Often people get told all is normal when things are on the edge of the range. You can have ferritin in normal range and feel terrible for example

If they were checking for PCOS I would have expected a test for Testosterone?

If you have joint pain I would want my Vit D checked too. I get really painful ankles when my Vit D is borderline (I get symptoms even though I am slightly above the NHS cut off).

Its worth getting some bloods done, check things like vit D, B12 if poss, iron etc, CRP if you can persuade them. If you have the money, google private blood tests there are loads of companies that can do whatever tests you ask for eg. google medichecks, forth, thriva...often have discounts for new customers. As pp said, you prbably have to get to the bottom of this yourself unfortunately. I eventually got a diagnosis of axial spondyloarthrtis through this route, my GP had said no way is it that you're too old.

Getting a diagnosis of this is hellish. It won't necessarily show in blood tests. There's also a myriad of other things which mimic the symptoms (some STDs, lyme disease, long covid, crohns disease, coeliac..endless list). It takes on average seven years to diagnose an auto immune condition.

Try keeping a diary of your symtoms which is a good start. Investing in a private GP to get a rheumalogy referral is also possible.

GPs told me, dismissively, for 5 years, that I "wasn't ill" because my bloods ",were normal" before I was finally diagnosed with an autoimmune condition thanks to an observant optician. I would have had visible symptoms of it every time I went to a GP appointment. It doesn't ever show up in my bloods but thankfully did when the neurologist ran other diagnostic tests

What condition was it @lapsedbookworm ?

I had a series of blood tests to find out why I was weakening, vomiting, sweating, depressed etc. The first tests were generic in nature, the second load looking for something else, the third something else, etc, etc, etc. It took until 2-3 weeks away from dying until some person in a blood laboratory decided to be a bit more objective. They found leukaemia and I was whisked in for treatment within 2 hours.

I'm afraid this is the story for many many women.
Thyroid tests are shit in the UK.
Your body is telling you you have autoimmune problems, your body knows better than a computer result of a blood test.
Things you can look up:
Hashimotomos
Candida in the gut
Thiamine deficiency
Niacine "
Magnesium. "
Selenium "
Changing to an autoimmune diet will help if you feel you could do one.

Oops sorry I didn't say! That was unhelpfully cryptic. Myasthenia Gravis. Fairly rare but equally I had the classic "ptosis" throughout all those GP appointments. Now I know about it, it is so obvious in all the photos of me during that time

That's so interesting. My mother had same diagnosis fl- after optician's visit! Myasthenia Gravis.