Tuesday, March 24, 2009

More blood work

Well the thirteen tubes of blood that I donated to the lab a month ago didn't yield any answers but did yield a few more symptoms. First the thyroid enzyme test who's norm is a result in the single digits came back with my level being in the 1800's. Yep a tad high I would say. The doctor has ordered it redone and five or six other thyroid tests to accompany it.From what I understand this is a classic autoimmune symptom, but other than the Rheumatoid arthritis, which does not attack the thyroid, all of my tests have come back negative....Sigh !Anyway in addition to this my vitamin D count is off the bottom of the charts low, which is also an autoimmune sign not caused by RA, so you tell me . Anyway I went for this additional blood work today only to find out that after three unsuccessful tries to draw blood, the supervisor found a vein and all we needed was two vials of blood so we would have been set, except that due to my anemia, the vein only produced 1/2 of one vial. Praise God that the supervisor was able to do two more sticks which produced a bit more blood each so we were just short of the two vials, but we are sending them to the lab anyway hoping that it will be enough.But the good news is that the enzymes produced from the RA are down significantly so the medicine that I am taking ( the one with minimal side effects)is working.Oh if only I came with a manual !