Have a Thyroid Question!!

[hipperticker]

Is the blood test for Hyperthyroid and Hypothyroid the same?

[TamraW]

I'm new at this, but this is how it was explained to me:

TSH - Values below 1 indicate hyper. Values above 2.5, 3.0 or 4.5 (depending on the endo, because they all differ) indicates hypo.

FT4- 0.8-1.8 is the range. Low numbers indicate hypo. High numbers indicate hyper.
FT3 230-420. Low indicates hypo. High indicates hyper.

Take care...
:) Tamra

[Barb135]

Not all labs use the same ranges and/or units for FT4 and FT3 either.  And not everyone with TSH below 1.0 is hyper.  MY TSH has been as low as 0.01 and I was still hypO.  My TSH is currently only 0.03 - yep, still a bit hypO.  

TSH is a pituitary hormone and is not a good indicator for thyroid levels, although that's what most doctors go by.  Always make sure to request the FT4 and FT3 tests as well, since they are the actual thyroid hormones and are most indicative of what's going on with the thyroid.  

[goolarra]

I just want to emphasize what Barb has already said.  Reference ranges are specific to the lab.  Therefore, you must get them from your printed lab report or call your doctor or lab and ask for the ranges along with your results.  Different labs also report in different units.  Throw in a few other countries, and the whole thing becomes a major mess.  

BTW, my FT3 is 2.5...glad I'm not using your range!

[goolarra]

I should have added the exception to all that.  Several years ago the AACE (clinical endos) recommended the TSH reference range be changed to 0.3-3.0.  However, many (most?) labs have refused to budge and still use the obsolete ranges.  However, we, on the forum, tend to use 0.3-3.0 regardless of what individual labs report.  TSH is, with only one exception I can recall, always reported in the same units, even in different countries.

[TamraW]

Thanks, Goolara, that's why I said I'm new at this.

My endo wasn't in to give my Hashi results this Wednesday. I spoke to the endo's nurse and she told me that my FT3 was a 262 and that the range was 230-420. Did she mean T3? I had asked my endo to test my FT3. So, once again, I still have no FT3 results?

:) Tamra