What Test Do I Ask My Doc To Run

[cahill]

Hi Everyone,

I am fairly new to these forums so I hope this is the proper place to post this.

I have a couple of questions but first a little background.

I was diagnosed with celiacs in Oct 2009. I have been gluten/wheat free since.I recently went totally grain/soy free.

I was recently diagnosed with osteoporosis in my spine.

I have hypothyroidism and take Synthyroid daily.

I have DH so I am trying to balance my iodine intake so my DH and hypothyroidism are both manageable.

My doc wants to put me on meditation for my osteoporosis,,and I am considering that.

My doc would be the first to say that she has not worked with a diagnosed celiac patient before, so this is all new for her too.

I am due for blood work,thyroid ,cholesterol and vitamin levels.

So to my questions;

What should I make sure she is checking??

Is there a blood test to determine iodine levels?

Is there specific thyroid testing I need her to do ?

I will have her check my vitamin B,D and magnesium and I will insist she give me a copy of the results this time.

Thanks for your help

[cassP]

sounds like you're on the right track ...

i just got dx with Hypothyroid too.. just started on synthroid.. at my follow up- i am going to ask for a Hashimoto's antibody test (as should u)... it shows wheter or not your Hypothyroid is an autoimmune disease... which may or may not affect your treatment. ??

im also going to ask my doc to consider if i might need T3. i THINK we're being prescribed T4- and logically our thyroid should convert the T4 to T3.. but i may not be doing it well...

idk, im really new to learning about it all.

good luck

[Mari]

The usual treatment for osteoporosis in Fosamax or related meds. It doesn't help and makes some Celiacs qite ill. What's recommended is Vit D3 and Calcium.

[Skylark]

You need to have B12, D, iron, and calcium checked. Vitamin D deficiency is pretty much epidemic in older adults, and it's not limited to people with celiac. As Mari said, try some calcium, vitamin D (My Dr. said 2000 IU), and weight-bearing exercise like walking regularly before you accept an osteoporosis drug. They have some troublesome side effects that you can look up on the FDA website or talk to your doctor about.