Thyroid Test Results

[amisK]

I have been experiencing hair loss, fatigue, and an inability to lose weight despite exercise and healthy diet.  My Mom and sister both have hypothyroidism.  I recently had some bloodwork done to see if I was as well.  My results were as follows... T3 Uptake:  24, T4 5.80, T7 1.39, Thyroid Horm Bind Rati .70, and TSH 0.925. Although my TSH is in "normal" range, do the other values indicate anything. According to the lab report, my T3 uptake is low, as well as my T7 and Thyroid Hormone Bind Rati.  My doctor said the TSH was the best indicator and that we should just retest in a few months.  Is that information correct, or do the other values indicate that there is something going on?  Thanks for any replies.

[Mark Lupo, M.D.]

T3U and the binding ratio are essentially the same thing -- a low reading suggests hypothyroidism but may more likely be a normal variant or due to estrogen therapy.  The single best test remains the TSH.  Would consider a TSH, FT4 FT3 and antibodies to further eval with the next round of tests.

[juliaaidan]

Oh my. I just posted almost the same problem. It should be interesting to find out what another doctor says. My doctor just says that I eat too much and don't get enough exercise. I live on 1500 calories a day and I go to the gym 4-5 days a week for 1 1/2 - 2 hrs at a time. He says that I am tired because I have 3 children. I told him that I was like this before I had children. Did you ever take birth control pills? I took them for 2 1/2 years and gained 75 lbs. As soon as I stopped taking them I stopped gaining weight but I have been trying to lose the weight for the last 11 years.  Sorry to bother you but I thought it was interesting to find someone with the same problem. Thanks for your time.

[amisK]

Thanks for your reply...and yes, I have been on birth control on and off for the past 15 years...but haven't been for the last year or so....still no weight loss.  I too have 3 kids, but I feel I am more tired than usual. And when I wash my hair, I can pull small handfuls out.  I can definitely see that it is thin in spots.  I think something is going on, just not sure what.  Thanks again for your reply.

[NURSELPN]

Do You take a multivitamin? You might also ask the Dr. to check your B-12 level.           Good Luck, Jean

[texastwin827]

The doctor gave you the correct tests to ask for, but they are the "expensive" tests so insurance co's prefer you not have them.  Your Free levels are the only hormone available to you on a cellular level. (Note: T7 aka Free T4 INDEX is a calculated test, based on your T3 uptake and Total T4 numbers.)  Your Total T4 is below midrange...I feel bad when mine drops into the 7's.  T3 Uptake is not a hormone measurement..it is the amount of hormone that is bound...and if you are young (or on HRT replacement) it and the Total T4 can be effected by estrogen.  The antibodies testing will tell you if you have Graves (hyper) or Hashimotos Disease (hypothryoid).  You can often have hypo symptoms long before the TSH reflects the damage the Hashimotos antibodies are doing to your thyroid.  While there are a large number in my immediate family who have thyroid problems, only my twin sister has Hashimotos.  There are 4 children in our family who have thyroid disease, my youngest of which had a Subtotal thyroidectomy when she was 17.  Do as the Dr suggested...get a Free T3, Free T4 and antibodies testing.  My labs look "normal" until you check my Free levels.  My Free T3 is almost non existant, even when the Free T4 is in the upper lab range.  Also, check your glucose and insulin.  If you are making plenty of insulin but your glucose is 100 or above, you could be experiencing insulin resistance and that contributes to being unable to lose weight easily.  Hope this helps.

[texastwin827]

You said "My doctor just says that I eat too much and don't get enough exercise. I live on 1500 calories a day and I go to the gym 4-5 days a week for 1 1/2 - 2 hrs at a time"

Most likely, if you are working out 4 to 5 days a week for 1 1/2 to 2 hrs, you are burning more calories than you are taking in.  My daughter that I mentioned in my post to amisK, that had her thyroid removed when she was 17, was doing just as you are...only, 7 days a week but she couldn't lose the last 10 lbs.  She finally got a trainer involved and discovered she was burning more calories than she was taking in (she was eating 1200 cal per day)...her body thought she was starving to death so it slowed her metabolism down.  Try adding 200 cal per day with your exercise and if that doesn't do it, try adding another 200.  (She now eats 1900 cal a day and her workout takes her down by about 600-700...and is losing the last 10 lbs)  Also, if you are on thyroid meds DO NOT let any trainer talk you into taking supplements such as Hydroxycut, etc!  None of them work well with (or for) people who don't have healthy thyroids.  My daughter lost ground with Hydroxycut when she was 19, then did the same thing again, this year, just before her wedding, with something called Redline (I think)...even though mom warned her not to...and it made her gain back some of her weight.  Also, do the same tests the Dr recommended to amisK.  You may be under-medicated or have antibodies.