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My thyroid levels are normal (I forgot to ask for exact measures, though, and I should have because there are different reference ranges). Hm. However, I'm anaemic, which would explain why I'm knackered (not why I've gained a stone, though, bleh).
The big surprise was my cholesterol: 6.9 nmol/L. I just converted that and it's 266 mg/dL!!! I've NEVER had a reading that high. Now, my diet has not been, shall we say, optimal of late but the last time the endocrinologist in the US did it it was 171. I don't remember the figure when my old GP here did a lipid profile but he said it was fine, so it certainly wasn't this high. My glucose was fine; I don't remember if they tested insulin. I'm curious now because I remember that something can skew your cholesterol... Hm. underactive thyroid causes high cholesterol. MUST ask for full results. Insulin resistance is high triglycerides.
Damn, I wish I could just see an endocrinologist here :/
I have to ring up and see the GP in person anyway because of the anaemia; they need to do more blood tests. I'll ask for my TSH and free T4 levels. Sometimes the TSH is normal, but the free T4 is low. Must also remember to check the levels and convert them. Why, oh why, does the US use non-SI?!
Of course now there's the issue of correcting my iron deficiency. The best method is really just to eat more red meat, accompanied by Vitamin C to increase absorption (but not calcium which blocks it) which of course would raise my bloody cholesterol (pardon the pun). I don't like liver, which is the best thing. I could eat tons of spinach, which I don't love and which isn't as good anyway (non-heme iron isn't absorbed as well as heme iron). I refuse to put blackstrap molasses in my food, it's bitter as hell. Otherwise it's iron tablets, which aren't quite as good as nutritional sources and make you constipated.
Or I could buy a cast iron skillet and cook everything in it. Mmm, the taste of a thousand meals, all in one.
Plus side: I have medical justification for splurging on steak and roast beef!
The big surprise was my cholesterol: 6.9 nmol/L. I just converted that and it's 266 mg/dL!!! I've NEVER had a reading that high. Now, my diet has not been, shall we say, optimal of late but the last time the endocrinologist in the US did it it was 171. I don't remember the figure when my old GP here did a lipid profile but he said it was fine, so it certainly wasn't this high. My glucose was fine; I don't remember if they tested insulin. I'm curious now because I remember that something can skew your cholesterol... Hm. underactive thyroid causes high cholesterol. MUST ask for full results. Insulin resistance is high triglycerides.
Damn, I wish I could just see an endocrinologist here :/
I have to ring up and see the GP in person anyway because of the anaemia; they need to do more blood tests. I'll ask for my TSH and free T4 levels. Sometimes the TSH is normal, but the free T4 is low. Must also remember to check the levels and convert them. Why, oh why, does the US use non-SI?!
Of course now there's the issue of correcting my iron deficiency. The best method is really just to eat more red meat, accompanied by Vitamin C to increase absorption (but not calcium which blocks it) which of course would raise my bloody cholesterol (pardon the pun). I don't like liver, which is the best thing. I could eat tons of spinach, which I don't love and which isn't as good anyway (non-heme iron isn't absorbed as well as heme iron). I refuse to put blackstrap molasses in my food, it's bitter as hell. Otherwise it's iron tablets, which aren't quite as good as nutritional sources and make you constipated.
Or I could buy a cast iron skillet and cook everything in it. Mmm, the taste of a thousand meals, all in one.
Plus side: I have medical justification for splurging on steak and roast beef!
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frustrated
ditzy