Recent Lab Work - Most Tests Low

[stilltired07]

Hi everyone. I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease a couple years ago and in May of this year I was diagnosed with autoimmune adrenal insufficiency. I recently saw my Endocrinologist due to feeling weak and tired. He sent me for a whole wack of blood work to make sure my adrenal insufficiency was under controls and to check my thyroid/pituitary glands or any other cause for the way I feel. Here they are below. My endocrinologist told me everything looks great and he didn't think there was anything else wrong. He increased my Florinef medication and said maybe that will help. I have highlighted some lines that are low or are on the low end. My concerns are:

- TSH is normal but why are free`s on the low end. I have two autoimmune diseases, so I always worry about Thyroid issues.

- How can LH be low and FSH be borderline low, yet he says it is great, why bother checking then. I am a 25 year old male, I`d think my LH FSH would be higher.

- My RBC and WBC are both low which worries me. Again how is this normal?

Anyways, I know nobody here is a doctor, but I just wondered if anybody else experienced results like these. Thanks a lot!

Thyroid

-------

TSH - 1.4 (range 0.35 - 5.00)

Free T4 - 15 (range 12 - 22) <-- LOWISH

Free T3 - 3.7 (range 2.6 - 5.7) <-- LOWISH

Thyroid Antibodies - all came back negative (ones for hashi, graves)

Hormone - Adrenal/Pituitary

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LH - 1 (range 2 - 10) <-- LOW

FSH - 3 (range 2 - 12) <-- LOWISH

Cortisol - 238 (range 80 - 600)

Prolactin - 6 (range < 18)

Free Test: Pending...not complete yet

Hematology

------------

Hemoglobin: 120 (range 140 - 170) <-- LOW

Hematocrit: 0.36 (range 0.39 - 0.49) <-- LOW

RBC: 3.99 (range 4.30 - 5.70) <-- LOW

MCV: 89 (range 80-97)

MCH: 30 (range 27-32)

MCHC: 342 (range 320 - 360)

RDW: 12 (range 11.5 - 15)

WBC: 3.8 (4.2 - 11.0) <-- LOW

Platelets: 170 (range 150 -400) <-- LOWISH

MPV: 9 (7 - 11)

ABS Neutrophils: 2.09 (range 1.80 - 7.00)

ABS LYmphocytes: 0.99 (range 1.00 - 4.00) <-- LOW

ABS Monocytes: 0.42 (range 0.00 - 0.80)

ABS Eosinophils: 0.27 (range 0.00 - 0.40)

ABS BAsophils: 0.04 (range 0.00 - 0.20)

Chemistry

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Fasting Glucose: 3.9 (range 3.6 - 6.0) <-- LOWISH

Calcium: 2.31 (range 2.20 - 2.65) <-- LOWISH

Sodium: 136 (range 135 - 145) <-- LOWISH

Potasium: 4.5 (range 3.3 - 5.1)

Alkaline Phosphatase: 40 (range 40 -120) <-- LOWISH

B12: 148 (range 150 - 900) <-- LOW

Ferritin: 45 (range 16 - 300)

[ravenwoodglass]

I am not a medical professional but it does look like you are anemic. Your B12 is also low so you may want to supplement the B12 with some gluten-free sublinguals and prehaps do a multi with iron for a bit and then get the iron levels rechecked as you don't want the iron to get to high. It also might be a good idea to take copies of your labs and get a second opinion from your GP or another endocrinologist to find out for sure what you should be supplementing. Hopefully someone who is more knowledgeable about the thyroid will chime in on those results.

[stilltired07]

Thanks for the response Ravenwood.

I have been supplementing with B12 for the last couple years, with no luck unfortunately. I'm going to do what you said and bring my lab results to my GP, to get her opinion. Thanks for the help, I appreciate it!

[ravenwoodglass]

Thanks for the response Ravenwood.

I have been supplementing with B12 for the last couple years, with no luck unfortunately. I'm going to do what you said and bring my lab results to my GP, to get her opinion. Thanks for the help, I appreciate it!

If the B12 isn't sublingual then your body wouldn't be able to absorb it. Glad to hear you are going to follow up with your GP.

[Gemini]

All of your test results are normal for someone with Celiac Disease. Anemia may take awhile to resolve and low white cell counts are perfectly normal for someone with autoimmune diseases. It's only a problem if you are sick a lot.

I have had low white cell counts for most of my adult life and I am 52 years old. I have 4 autoimmune diseases, including Celiac. White cell counts have never risen into the normal range but I am NEVER sick any more so don't give it a second thought.

I also have Hashi's thyroid disease and it's not uncommon to have a normal TSH and lower than optimal T3 and T4. You may see these rise as you heal but if not and you are symptomatic (fatigue especially), it might be prudent to supplement with thyroid hormone down the road.

[stilltired07]

All of your test results are normal for someone with Celiac Disease. Anemia may take awhile to resolve and low white cell counts are perfectly normal for someone with autoimmune diseases. It's only a problem if you are sick a lot.

I have had low white cell counts for most of my adult life and I am 52 years old. I have 4 autoimmune diseases, including Celiac. White cell counts have never risen into the normal range but I am NEVER sick any more so don't give it a second thought.

I also have Hashi's thyroid disease and it's not uncommon to have a normal TSH and lower than optimal T3 and T4. You may see these rise as you heal but if not and you are symptomatic (fatigue especially), it might be prudent to supplement with thyroid hormone down the road.

Thanks to both of you!

Raven: I have been taking a double dose of B12 pills, but just regular ones. My Gastro said they were good enough, great advice lol Thanks for the help!

Gemini: Thanks for letting me know about the blood work. My doctor called me yesterday afternoon and let me know my Absolute Reticulocytes(red cells from bone marrow) were at 7 (range 25 - 85) and that it was concerning since my red cells were low. Who knows there, but Celiac has caused weird stuff with my before. She is trying to find me a hematologist now with little luck as most only take people diagnosed with Cancer.

My WBC has been around 2.5 - 5.0 since I was diagnosed, so I am used to it sitting low and I'm glad to know it is normal. I have Addison's Disease as well, so Thyroid was always a concern of mine. Fatigue has been my worst symtpom, but my ENdo always blames Addison's or Celiac. My low end Free T3/T4 do no concern him because my antibodies were negative. I'm worried it is a bad sign as over the last two years my Free's were always at top end of range. No point is worrying if my Endo isn't worried, so I'll just keep an eye on it.

Thanks again!!!

[stilltired07]

Hi all.

My doctor just called me with the Free Testosterone results:

LH: 1 (range 1-9)

FSH: 3 (range 2 - 12)

Free Testosterone: 3 (range 50 - 200)

Looks like that explains why I am so tired. He has sent me a script for Androgel or something like that. He never said what would of caused this, does anybody have experience with this? He did say it was the lowest he has ever seen for man my age (so nice haha). Oh well, I hope this helps me feel better. Does anybody know if this is common with Celiac or Addison's, or should I have my pituitary checked out. Anyways, thanks to everyone for their help!

[frieze]

Low Testosterone Causes

Low testosterone levels occur due to many reasons; major low testosterone causes are following:

Obesity

Testicle injury

Infectious diseases

Excess of blood iron

Inflammatory diseases

Natural process of aging

Chemo/radiation treatment

Performance boosting drugs

Pain or hormonal medication

[Skylark]

Hi all.

My doctor just called me with the Free Testosterone results:

LH: 1 (range 1-9)

FSH: 3 (range 2 - 12)

Free Testosterone: 3 (range 50 - 200)

Looks like that explains why I am so tired. He has sent me a script for Androgel or something like that. He never said what would of caused this, does anybody have experience with this? He did say it was the lowest he has ever seen for man my age (so nice haha). Oh well, I hope this helps me feel better. Does anybody know if this is common with Celiac or Addison's, or should I have my pituitary checked out. Anyways, thanks to everyone for their help!

Are you on Lipitor, Crestor, or any other cholesterol-lowering drug?

[stilltired07]

Thanks for the list, I called back the doctor and ask his assistant if she could talk to him for me. I'll probably get an answer of what can cause this next week. I just found out my insurance wont cover any Testosterone Therapy and it's $200 a month. He gave me a years worth, but I'm assuming I wont need to take it that long.

No, I am not on any medication like that. All I take is Cortisone and Florinef for my Addison's.

Thanks a lot.

[frieze]

Thanks for the list, I called back the doctor and ask his assistant if she could talk to him for me. I'll probably get an answer of what can cause this next week. I just found out my insurance wont cover any Testosterone Therapy and it's $200 a month. He gave me a years worth, but I'm assuming I wont need to take it that long.

No, I am not on any medication like that. All I take is Cortisone and Florinef for my Addison's.

The cortisone may well be you issue, it is a hormone med.