I queried it as well Gerry because DB said GP told him before the blood test she was going to request test of his thyroid. So apparently she told him at the surgery yesterday there is nothing wrong with his thyroid. I did ask where the results are and he said he thinks she didn't give him that sheet. I've got to contact the GP because the report says he is to have an MSU, I asked did she give you the paperwork to go get a urine test & he said no. So I will email her querying the MSU follow up and where are the TSH or T4 results.
There is a footnote at the end of each page which says tests completed. TSH is mentioned as completed on each of the 5 areas of testing i.e SE - PSA; SE - renal function; SE - HDL & CHOL; SE - liver function; SE GL- glucose fasting
I knew I should have gone with him...

If there was testing for the thyroid, hopefully you can get the paperwork with the results. I would think if he called, he/you would be able to pick up complete copies of the results from the GP.

Pam, there is also a SMA12 or SMA14 test which covers a variety of areas. It will show if there is a problem or normal in these areas. Just wondering if something like this was done for DB. I believe one of the areas is ...hormones..which could include the thyroid hormones. If this is the case, then it could have shown "normal" so no further testing was done.


Gerry

Pamela, I agree with you about "muscle supplements". They have one certain consequence - your bank balance will decrease. Unless DB has some underlying medical problem their main effect is that he will produce very expensive urine.

I think that Gerry has made a good point about thyroid function - TSH, T3 and T4 are all worked checking out. You could also suggest that DB gets his GP to arrange for tests of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) as well - basically TRH "tells" the pituitary gland to make TSH.

If anything of concern emerges from these measurements then usually highly-effective treatments are available.

Struggle again this morning. DB alarm went off & for the first time ever, he slept thru it, I hit snooze, got up & began my routine which now includes getting his breakfast. DB remained asleep, snooze was going off when I came back in. I turned the light on & woke him up, he presented with deep red rimmed eyes, that blinking look when light is too bright, totally disorientated & clammy. I told him everything is done so eat your breakfast relax & try & gather your wits.

Maybe he has chronic fatigue? There is definitley something going on. So today along with emailing for the MSU detail, I'm going to ask if DB can be referred to a sleep clinic, his sleep is severely disrupted, punctuated by cycling motions, step climbing, kicking, hitting out & often fearful verbal utterances. I believe they call it night terrors. Many an occasion I've been kicked or accidentally hit. This restless sleep never happened when he was drinking.

There is a saying within canine handlers that the emotions of the handler go down the lead to the dog. DD3 has been not himself the last few days. We kept DD3 inside for a bit when he got home from work last night & made an extra fuss of him. This morning I bought him in for cuddles & attention before leaving for work. DD3 seemed alot happier when he went off for work this morning. I wish extra cuddles & attention could do it for DB.

Pam, it would have been nice if you were able to know whether they actually did the TSH testing which often can show normal while adding the T3-T4 testing can actually indicate whether or not the T4 in his system is converting to T3 which it should do. Doing both would have been a good indicator. If both of these have not been done, then maybe asking the doctor that both be tested giving a better indicator of thyroid disease. As I mentioned, having only the TSH can often show normal when it really needs further testing to confirm this.

As previously mentioned, I have been dealing with thyroid disease for 18 or 19 years; first being diagnosed hyperthyroid; then after a couple of years with lab work done every 5 months, eventually indicated I became Hypothyroid. I have been on Synthroid daily for the past 15 years or so. From what you describe, DB would actually most likely fit in the Hypothyroid. The thyroid is so complex but the thyroid hormones really affects so much of the body functions.

Hope you and DB and get to the bottom of this. It appears this is not the normal behavior for DB. Of course, abstaining from the alcohol can also set of a series causing the thyroid to be affected as in my case; when I quite smoking the 2 1/2 pack a day cigarettes help to set of my thyroid disease which obviously had been dormant until then.


Gerry

431 days, GP appointment on the 15th. DB is hanging in there.

You probably already know this, but if you go for more blood tests, make sure they are at the same lab. Results can differ for many reasons between labs.

I felt really bad the first 12 months of sobriety. Lots of things were wrong with me. I had a series of blood tests (every 3 months on average) done, learned about the important results, and kept a spreadsheet with those results.

One result is a snapshot, when you have 3 or more it's easier to see trends, and possible solutions a doc might not directly think of. Example: my uric acid levels were really high after 9 months. Doc would have thought it might be a result of drinking still, but as I was sober, and saw it going up, I ended up thinking about sugar (well, fructose...) consumption. Discussed that with the GP, she agreed, I took action (diet), and felt a lot better. That's not "anti-science" or negative towards docs: sometimes we need to be our own detective, piece information together, and discuss that with the GP.

Mind you, I'm not advocating "wild googling of ailments", but I know you wouldn't do that anyway. Just supporting your idea that you ideally want to be on top of this information, and discuss possible problems that you may see from those panels.

Pamela, I don't have much to add here beyond saying that I agree 100% with the thoughts that Gerry and Wide-O have offered you.

444 days. We went to a restaurant attached to the casino last night, $75 a head with friends of ours disabled sons 30th birthday. We had a lovely evening and got home about 12ish. DB quite chuffed we had such a good time while sober. Saw the GP earlier this week, he has to have blood tests for RRV & BMFV along with an arterial flow test. Seems a little better within himself though so that's a good sign.

Pamela, that is great to read :).