thyroid | Know Pathology Know Healthcare https://knowpathology.com.au The engine room of healthcare explained Tue, 22 Aug 2023 09:14:46 +0000 en-AU hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.5 https://knowpathology.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/cropped-KPKH_Favicon-32x32.png thyroid | Know Pathology Know Healthcare https://knowpathology.com.au 32 32 “They’re the unsung heroes of healthcare” – how pathology saved Jason’s life (3 times) https://knowpathology.com.au/pathology-saved-jasons-life/ Fri, 28 Oct 2016 22:51:45 +0000 http://knowpathology.com.au/?p=1231 Hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid) affects around 5% of Australians. Jason Matthews, a father of two from the Sunshine Coast, is one of them.   “Last year I started to feel really tired and run down – and I’d been putting on some weight around my face. Initially I just put it down to getting older. … Continue reading “They’re the unsung heroes of healthcare” – how pathology saved Jason’s life (3 times)

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Hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid) affects around 5% of Australians. Jason Matthews, a father of two from the Sunshine Coast, is one of them.

 

“Last year I started to feel really tired and run down – and I’d been putting on some weight around my face. Initially I just put it down to getting older.

But it went on for months and eventually I knew I had to see a doctor. I’d get home from work and be passed out on the couch within fifteen minutes.”

Jason was sent for blood tests. He was nervous and immediately prepared himself for the worst.

His doctor’s diagnosis of Hypothyroidism was the last thing he expected; “I thought it was something only women suffered from.”

The thyroid gland secretes hormones to regulate your metabolism. Hypothyroidism means the thyroid gland is underactive and fails to secrete enough hormones into the bloodstream. This causes a person’s metabolism to slow down – hence Jason’s lack of energy and weight gain.

And although the condition is more prevalent amongst women – it is estimated to affect up to 10% of Australian women – it still affects men too. Jason points out, some men’s reluctance to visit the doctor can put them at higher risk of leaving the condition undiagnosed, and therefore untreated, for longer. “I think they think it’s not ‘macho’ to go to a doctor” he says.

Jason was prescribed medication and was instructed to have regular blood tests to monitor his thyroid function. Unfortunately this was just the beginning.

Jason had been diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome years earlier. His doctors now believe that this may have been the root cause of a diverticular upset that would put Jason in hospital just months after his hypothyroidism diagnosis.

“I thought I was coming down with the flu. It came on suddenly one night – I was shivering and had convulsions. I felt really cold so took a hot shower and went to bed. The next morning though I felt awful. I went back to the doctor, who assessed my symptoms and sent me for some urgent blood tests. The tests confirmed I’d developed sepsis from an infection and I was sent straight to hospital for treatment.”

Jason underwent numerous blood tests in hospital in order to find the correct antibiotics and monitor his health – as well as to diagnose and treat VRE (Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci) – a superbug that he caught as an inpatient.

2016 has been a healthier year for Jason but he’ll always be grateful for pathology services;

“A blood test saved my life on more than one occasion last year. We take it for granted that there are these people devoting their lives to treating us in pathology labs, but they don’t get enough credit. They’re really the unsung heroes of the healthcare system.”

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What the 6 most common pathology tests reveal about your health https://knowpathology.com.au/6-common-pathology-tests-reveal-health/ Fri, 01 Apr 2016 06:35:36 +0000 http://knowpathology.com.au/?p=2495 Table of Content Liver Function Tests Full Blood Examination Iron studies TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) Quantification Urinalysis INR (International Normalized Ratio) Learn About Your Tests Over 500 million pathology tests were ordered for Australians in the last 12 months, covering a vast array of diseases and conditions from cholesterol checks to cancer diagnoses. But what … Continue reading What the 6 most common pathology tests reveal about your health

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Table of Content

Over 500 million pathology tests were ordered for Australians in the last 12 months, covering a vast array of diseases and conditions from cholesterol checks to cancer diagnoses. But what are some of the most common pathology tests we’re having performed and what are they actually looking for?

Liver Function Tests

The Liver Function Tests (LFT) are a group of blood tests that measure some enzymes, proteins, and substances that are produced or excreted by the liver. The amounts of these substances in the blood can be affected by liver injury. When performed together, these tests give the doctor a snapshot of the health of the liver and can provide a starting place for any further diagnostic testing.

There are many diseases, infections and lifestyle factors that can cause damage to the liver and, given a significant amount of liver damage may be present before symptoms appear, pathology is key to early diagnosis and effective treatment.

 

Read about your pathology tests in plain-English: visit Lab Tests Online

 

Full Blood Examination

The full blood examination (FBE), also known as the Full Blood Count (FBC blood test) or Complete Blood Count (CBC), provides important information about the numbers and correct development of cells in the blood: red blood cells that carry oxygen, white blood cells that fight infection and platelets that help blood to clot.

Abnormalities in any of these can tell us a lot about a range of important conditions including some nutritional factors, medications and, occasionally, exposure to toxic substances. Abnormalities in the FBE blood test can be caused by anaemia, infections, some blood cancers such as leukaemias and some inherited conditions.

Iron studies

As the name suggests, an iron studies test is a pathology test performed if your doctor suspects that you have too little or too much iron in your system.

Iron is needed to help form adequate numbers of normal red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout the body. Low iron levels can lead to anaemia, in which the body does not have enough red blood cells leading to easy fatigue and lack of energy. Iron deficiency is a reflection of poor dietary intake, poor absorption or excessive loss of iron through bleeding, so it is vitally important to find the cause of iron deficiency as it may indicate important underlying diseases.

Too much iron in your blood – known as iron overload or haemochromatosis – increases the risk of a number of serious conditions including liver disease, heart failure, arthritis and diabetes. Iron overload is asymptomatic until tissue damage starts to occur; damage which can be prevented by early diagnosis.

The effects of too much or too little iron are readily treatable, especially if detected early, making pathology tests important in this condition.

TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) Quantification

As part of the Thyroid Function Test, this blood test is performed to screen, diagnose and monitor treatment for thyroid disorders such as hypothyroidism (not enough thyroid hormone) or hyperthyroidism (too much thyroid hormone). These disorders can occur spontaneously or as a result of tumours, pregnancy, infections and sometimes medications.

The test measures the amount of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) in your blood. TSH is produced by the pituitary gland and acts as a ‘messenger’, telling the thyroid gland to start making hormones. In patients with a thyroid or pituitary disease the messaging system gets unbalanced.

Thyroid hormones regulate a range of vital bodily functions including breathing, heart rate and body weight, temperature and general energy levels, so it is essential that they are produced at the correct levels.

Urinalysis

A urinalysis is a test performed on a sample of urine to look for some metabolic disorders (such as diabetes) and kidney disorders. A patient may be referred for urinalysis by their doctor in a range of scenarios. Common tests as part of urinalysis include testing for urine protein, for example during pregnancy, red cells for example with kidney disease, and also markers of infections of the urinary tract.

INR (International Normalized Ratio)

This pathology test is used to check how well the clot-preventing medication, warfarin, is working. People with heart conditions, such as an irregular heartbeat, or after replacement of a heart valve, may need to take this medication to prevent stroke. Other people may use warfarin to treat a current clot or reduce the risk of developing a clot in legs or lungs during periods of risk, such as surgery.

The test measures how long it takes  someone on warfarin to convert one protein (prothrombin) to another (thrombin) compared to someone not on this drug. This chemical reaction is vital to clot formation. Patients on warfarin need to have the test performed regularly to monitor the drug‘s effectiveness and to allow the patient’s doctor to adjust dosage levels accordingly. Levels are affected by diet, medications and changes in general health. High levels may produce no symptoms but increase the risk of spontaneous bleeding.

For further information check out our What is pathology? page or search for specific tests in the Lab Tests Online database.

 

LEARN ABOUT YOUR TESTS

Read about your pathology tests using the plain-English

easy to navigate Lab Tests Online database.

If you’ve been given one of the pictured cards by a healthcare professional, or if you’d just like to find out more about your pathology tests and how they help your doctor make a diagnosis, rule out possible diseases, monitor the effectiveness of treatment or even guide a surgical procedure, you can visit Lab Tests Online-Australasia.

 


logo-lto-wtThis award-winning, not-for-profit website has been developed to provide the accurate, unbiased and trustworthy information you need to understand your pathology tests.

The aim is that by getting to grips with the pathology of your condition you’ll be better equipped to have productive conversations with your doctors and health professionals and as a result able to make informed decisions about your health. There’s now a wealth of evidence to show that people who play an active part in their health care generally make better progress.

Information on Lab Tests Online-Au is written by some of Australia’s leading pathologists and scientists and is accredited by the international agency, the Health On The Net (HON) Foundation. The website is developed and managed by one of pathology’s peak bodies with support from the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA) and funding by the Commonwealth Department of Health.

Lab Tests Online-Au‘s new free app has been rated ‘must have’ by leading GP news magazine, Medical Observer, which stated: “Lab Tests Online-Au is so useful, you’ll wonder how you ever did without it in the past”. It can be downloaded from iTunes and PlayStore.

You can also follow Lab Tests Online-Au on Facebook (Lab Tests Online Australasia) or Twitter (@LabTestsAu)

Pathology provides the answers your doctors need.

Last reviewed 5th July 2016

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Pathology gave Diane answers when no one else could https://knowpathology.com.au/pathology-gave-diane-answers-when-no-one-else-could/ Thu, 28 Jan 2016 06:11:12 +0000 http://knowpathology.com.au/?p=1361 Diane from New South Wales was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis last year. “Last year, on the 16th May, I had a seizure at work. I’d had a terrible headache that morning so I left the office to visit my granddaughter and get some fresh air. When I returned to work I was feeling much better. … Continue reading Pathology gave Diane answers when no one else could

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Diane from New South Wales was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis last year.

“Last year, on the 16th May, I had a seizure at work. I’d had a terrible headache that morning so I left the office to visit my granddaughter and get some fresh air. When I returned to work I was feeling much better. But the next thing I remember is waking up two days later in hospital.”

Diane was found unconscious in a conference room by two colleagues. She was rushed to hospital and put into an induced coma for two days before being diagnosed with bacterial meningitis.

Diane was already familiar with the world of pathology. She had been diagnosed with an underactive thyroid two years prior to her meningitis diagnosis so she was used to going for regular tests to monitor her medication and hormone levels.

It was Diane’s sudden, life-threatening infection that really showed just how important pathology was to her well-being.

In the months prior to her seizure, Diane visited her GP three times with severe ear ache. He could see nothing wrong at the time but ultimately pathology saw what Diane’s GP alone, could not. Once in hospital a lumbar puncture (also known as a spinal tap) confirmed that Diane had contracted bacterial meningitis and this allowed her to receive the life-saving treatment she needed. Since then blood tests have monitored her anti-seizure medication and kept her well.

Unfortunately, that first hospital trip would not be Diane’s last. Just three days after returning to work, she was hit by a second seizure. Luckily her daughter came to find Diane and took her to the local hospital immediately. Diane was transferred by helicopter to Newcastle Hospital where she underwent surgery to fix three holes that were leaking fluid from her brain. Six months on and Diane is back at work and looking forward to a healthier future.

“When I look back I think the scariest part of the whole thing is that there were so many warning signs. I’d been unusually tired, had suffered a string of coughs and colds that I couldn’t shake, and friends had mentioned I didn’t seem myself. Without pathology there would have been no answers to what was wrong with me.

Now I keep a diary to keep track of how I’m feeling and if I’m concerned that something is wrong I don’t hesitate in visiting my doctor. I’ve learned the hard way that even if something seems like a minor problem, it could be a sign of something much more serious. I’d rather have a test for peace of mind than leave it up to fate.”

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