Multiple symptoms & conditions, medical anxiety and an appointment coming up

[KatyMac]

New(ish) GP - seen her once and she started treatment for B12 deficiency based on the "it can't do any harm" scenario.

I have a BMJ article about B12 and a list of my many, many symptoms - would it be wrong to print them off and leave them for the GP about a week before my appointment?

Newest blood test shows:

B12 over 2000 (I said that was because I'd just had 6 injections & you shouldn't test again that soon)
Folate over 20 (which is a surprise as I reduced it & then stopped taking it ages ago as it made me feel funny)
MCV 96 (range 83-101)
MCH 31.9 (range 27-32)
Zinc 9.1 (range 11-24)
TSH 2.73 (range .35-3.5)
free T4 12 (range 8-21)
ferritin 55 (range 23-300)

Grudgingly referred to a neurologist on the basis of my 'worsening' neurological symptoms - which I thought was nerves getting better

So I'm a bit lost

B12 now good, but keep on top of it. Folate is tied up with B12 so possibly raising one has raised the other. Zinc still below range, but you can buy a zinc supplement and take that. TSH too high (should be around 1), Free T4 too low, should be somewhere round 18, ferritin too low, needs to be at least 70 and preferably nearer 100.

I can't remember whether you have a hypothyroid diagnosis or not, but with an FT4 that low, and presumably an FT3 correspondingly low, you are likely to have symptoms, regardless of the TSH being within the reference range. If you have not had your TPO and TgAB antibodies checked, I suggest you go back and ask for them to be done.

That test may provide the answer to all your health problems.

But 2.5weeks since my last injection & have a mouth full of ulcers, the pins&needles are backand my tummy is very upset again - it might have been a placebo effect but really liked it and the way it gave me more energy

I know virtually nothing about Thyroid as my symptoms seem to be a mix of low/high

More research,I guess

Sorry I didn't say 'thanks' I should have done......I was away collecting DD from college & on my phone - sorry

The doctor phoned to say I was Vitamin D deficient too

Thyroid being a mix of high/low symptoms.... Hashimoto's?

Everything you write is screaming "multiple autoimmune conditions" IMO. Including the family history (your brother).

Sadly, in this area of medicine, knowledge is lacking/only just emerging (the autoimmune cause/contribution of many diseases is only recently understood).

You have had Coeliac testing, so either you don't have it, or have "false negative", which is surprisingly common.

Negative or not, you have a long list of symptoms consistent with ceoliac or a serious non ceoliac reaction to gluten and/or other grain proteins.

IMHO you should try to seize control and try an exclusion diet COMPLETELY free of all grains, google "whole30", "Marks Daily Apple", "Robb Wolf The Paleo Solution". You will find a wealth of information (and so many success stories of people regaining health by cutting out wheat and other grains). There are immune protocol exclusions (all the info you need to do this safely). In a month, (or as in my case, a few days!), you will have an answer- either grains are making you ill (not necessarily the gluten, could be other thing in the grains), or it's not... You have nothing to lose by giving it a wee try for a month. Word of warning tho' - you may initially feel quite unwell (flu like), for maybe 3 or 4 days. This is literally withdrawal symptoms.

If you feel no better grain free (I'd be very surprised!), then at least you know for sure that gluten/wheat and other grains are not making you unwell... And surely that's valuable information too !?

If you look at my post on Sun 12-Oct-14 22:00:16 - I listed my possible thyroid symptoms & why Hashimotos might not work

If I drop grains - I go down to meat potatoes & root veg only which will be quite hard

I have been excluding soya (cos my brother said to) & that does seem to work on my tummy a bit

With respect OP you are actually showing classic symptoms and test results indicating Hashimoto's.

If you have not had your antibodies tested, you should get them done. Honestly.

It's not just me saying this. Various other posters, no doubt more knowledgeable than me, are saying the same

The list on Wiki is different to the list on NHS - I've put my symptoms in bold

fatigue
weight gain,
pale or puffy face,
feeling cold
joint and muscle pain
constipation,
dry and thinning hair,
heavy menstrual flow or irregular periods (this was true pre baby but not any more)
depression,
a slowed heart rate,
problems getting pregnant and maintaining pregnancy (3 early miscarriages - one was ectopic)

But I don't tick them all I'm losing weight, I'm the opposite of constipated & my hair is generally thought to be amazing - but I'm not sure if it's enough