What Blood Tests Do I Need From My Pcp

[mushroom]

Help!!

Despite all the wonderful support and help I have received on this marvelous forum, I am still feeling a bit like I am wandering alone in the desert looking for the next watering hole.

I have been gluten-free for four months now; swore off scotch because it seemed to be making me itch and giving me a red itchy rash; it was either that or all the tuna and sardines I had been eating so swore off those too. Have recently totally deleted soy, dairy and corn. Still the rash, hives and itching continue though not at the same levels as before quitting scotch. However, worryingly, my limb stiffness and weakness are increasing--quads, hips, upper arms and shoulders and neck, swollen wrist joints, and a growing rheumatoid-like problem in my hands. It is so bad that I have nightmares about getting stuck on a public john and not being able to get off it!! I can't take any DMARDS or NSAIDS, so I am just gutting it out, but find myself becoming progressively disabled (and depressed). I am just not my normal positive self. I never had the rash, itching or hives before I went gluten-free.

So I am going to see my PCP in two days time; I have discussed with her previously what I have been doing and she seems interested and sympathetic, although was not involved in diagnosis since I gave up talking to docs about celiac-type problems long before I started seeing her. Got tired of being labeled a whacko.

I am sure I have multiple nutritional deficiencies due to long-term malabsorption (20 years), but I need help from you guys in telling her what to test for. There are the obvious ones like Vits. A, B, D, calcium, magnesium (I know my potassium is OK because I have regular electrolyte testing, and I do take it) but should I do T3 and T4 (I have read somewhere that people have very strong opinions on thyroid testing--seem to recall a previous test where I was low normal). What else should I ask for to cover all my bases? I tried the sublingual B12 and got a red lumpy rash on my face for my efforts which slowly subsided but has left some scarring.

All help gratefully appreciated!

[mushroom]

Okay, I just thought of two more--iron and ferritin, perhaps calcium.

[mushroom]

So what we ended up doing was CRP, liver function, CBC, arthritis panel, iron studies, free T3 and T4, thyroid antibodies, TSH, calcium, magnesium and maybe something else I forgot!