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196896 tn?1189755821

Level guidelines

I lost my list of what my endo says my levels should be at. I went online to get another list and it seems like each website has a different idea of where they should be...so I started looking back at posts and I noticed the same thing......different doctors ,different numbers.

I was wondering just how far of range we ( us on the board ) are going by......

So what were you told your T3, T4 and TSH levels SHOULD be at???
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Avatar universal
The US does use metric system  which is a different version from other countries.

Example:  for TSH; my Lab uses mIU/ml ( milli international unit per milliliter),
US Government, UCLA Endo, and NACB uses mIU/l (milli international unit per liter), Quest Labs uses ulU/ml (micro international unit per milliliter)  and AACE uses IU/mL (international unit per milliliter). The list (code units) goes on.

Sometime all this stuff goes over my head and then my search stops.

I do Labs approx every 10 weeks. If my level(s) are out and before doing a dosage change, I wait for the next test in 10 weeks to see if it confirms the first test is out. If it does, then med. dose is changed.  I have waited three, 10 weeks test before dose change because my TSH is very slow to react. If I remember right, one time I waited a year because the TSH was slowly coming down with each test, however still not enough by years end, so ended up with reducing med. dose anyway. I recommend two interval test before any med. dose change incase there is a false interference by whatever means, which there is a lot out there.

P.S. Sometime I have to take several 10/20 min. cat naps throughout the day to rejuvenate. Hypers burn so much energy, it knocks them out. However I have to take them in a recliner (chair) sitting up because if I lay down in bed or on sofa, I'll sleep too long, then wake up literally sick!



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196896 tn?1189755821
I seem to have hit rock bottom in the last 2 days. energy? whats that? I am up to taking TWO naps a day and still cant think straight...hell...I'm lucky if I can even remember my name.

So sorry for the grumpy posts. Just getting REALLY REALLY desperate for understanding of whats going wrong with my body

Rhonda
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196896 tn?1189755821
What a eye opening post! Wow somebody has been doing her homework! LOL

I figured what type of thyroid problem would determine how drs treat people, graves, cancer, nodules...etc... But those of us that no longer have a thyroid should give the drs a better "handle" on what the levels should be.
....and It never crossed my mind that we in the good 'ol USA still go by standard measuremnts and not metric ( in general) so ok...that would make sense....


so....GravesLady...in your humble opinion...are you comfortable with the way your levels are checked? Or do you request repeats done to compare? Because after reading your post I feel a little bit better, but my tiny little brain is so foggy ( where did everyone gooooooo?) maybe I shouldnt.

Thank you , thank you for explaining that! That is more info then I have come across in.....gosh.......15 or 20 websites!
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Avatar universal
Its not the drug companies.  Each Lab has its own way of testing, probably with different types of machines to test and measure on. So what might seem a high or low range, really is not by that Labs method.

Normal test result values are expressed as a reference range, which is based on the average values in a healthy population; 95% of healthy people have values within this range. These values vary somewhat among laboratories, due to methodology and even geography. Blood tests and Blood testing methods and quality vary widely in different parts of the world and in different parts of many countries, due to characteristics in the population, both racial Blood differences and ethnic Blood characteristics, among other factors.

American Blood laboratories use a different version of the metric system than does most of the rest of the world, which uses the Systeme Internationale (SI). In some cases translation between the two systems is easy, but the difference between the two is most pronounced in the measurement of chemical concentration. The American system generally uses mass per unit volume, while SI uses moles per unit volume. Since mass per mole varies with the molecular weight of the substance being analyzed, conversion between American and SI units requires many different conversion factors.

A your physician can not always be sure whether or not the reported result of a particular test from a particular person is false or true, a person with an abnormal result may often need to be re-tested or undergo a different type of testing.

I have few been collecting  Lab levels of a few different countries, and states, etc., in the US, and still adding as I come accross them.  

Now, another matter is the reference range of, AACE, US Government, and National Academy of Clinical Biochemistry (NACB), THS  guidelines. And we consider what is meant by "TARGET" and OPTIMAL (most favorable degree) therapeutic target for the L-T4 replacement dose for primary hypothyroidism, which is NOT the same as DIAGNOSE range.
Then, what type of thyroid issues each of us has must be considered into the equation of diagnose, treatment and levels. Example, thyroid cancer and nodules TSH might be kept at suppressed level, where hypos, hypers, Hashi and Graves', etc., at a different levels.

Hope explains some what - I am always searching for explanations and enlightenment.







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196896 tn?1189755821
zaksmom-  Im my humble opinion...this whole confusion about level ranges is a good point to bring up during thyca awareness month. Think about it...dont we have other standards and guidlines for diabtetes, blood pressure,,white counts....etc?????..... Hubby and I were talking about it and we decided it was a con that the drug companies are doing....having each dr or lab go by a different number.....sell more drugs.....

my 5 yo feels great with his shoes on, so he zips here and there at school...comes home takes the shoes off and he limps bad and said it hurts.....other then super gluing his rear end to a chair I dont have a clue .........

No I STILL have problems with my temp. Its been staying around 99.6. I have given up hope of ever figuring out whats going on.

I am SO troubled by the so called normal range for the T3.....here I was more worried about my TSH being 28.8 that I never stopped to really noticed  or care that my T3 is only 1.7.

My one free gripe of the day....here goes.......thyroid problems suck!
Helpful - 0
206064 tn?1194611683
Hi there, were you able to talk to any dr. yet about your levels?  just wondering so we can all compare what the "normal" range is.

I hope you are well today.  I feel bad that you were upset in the previous posts -- don't leave us!!  

smile :)
betsy
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211563 tn?1189994510
I apologize.  I didn't mean to upset you.  I think that in general, no matter WHAT the range is, the target is to have the TSH relatively low in the range (even lower for cancer patients) and relatively high Free Ts.  

If you were asking for various ranges, I didn't realize that from your initial question.  From the two labs I've gone to, here are the ranges:
Lab One:
TSH: .4 - 4.0
Total T3: 70 - 180
Free T3: (didn't have it tested, so not sure)
Free T4: .6 - 1.6
Total T4: 6.1- 11.8

Lab Two:
TSH: .4 - 5.5
Total T3: 60 - 181
Free T3: 230 - 420
Free T4: .8 - 1.8
Total T4: (didn't have it tested, so not sure)

Then... my dr. actually says that HER range for TSH is .5 - 1.0 even for non-cancer b/c women generally feel better in that range.

Hope that helps, and my apologies again for ruffling any feathers.
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149081 tn?1242397832
   Sorry about my post- I was upset with GL & commented in  your post- I do apologize for thatand please know It had absolutely nothing to do with you.


        teresa
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Avatar universal
Amen, its really confusing!!!  The people on this ms board probably has a better idea they have been through it all! I agree something isn't right with all the different info. on the ranges.  How is your boys doing?  I hope you are feeling better!!
Helpful - 0
206064 tn?1194611683
Well.. Here's what my dr. goes by...
TSH - .35 - 5.5 (considered normal range -- I seriously disagree with that --5.5 seems high)
Free T4 - .8 - 1.8 (normal range).

I'm not sure about the T3.  Those above are the only ones other than antibodies that my dr. ran -- only free T4.  

I agree with you 100% -- it is way way too confusing when every dr., every site, etc. all say a different thing.  How can they medicate effectively if they all don't have the same guidelines???  It doesn't do a bit of good to search on the internet (as I have) - every site you find says something different --- and they're different than what the dr. told me.  

I know I probably didn't help you one little bit, but I just want to add my 2 cents to say that I'm just as confused as you are!   I hope that you find your answers though!  Have you been able to get your temperature under control yet?  How's the swelling?

betsy
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196896 tn?1189755821
Shaerich- I know that depending on what doctor, what lab, and what medication you are on depends on what "guidline" you follow. BUT there is a LOT of people, new people who come to this board with nothing more then a bunch of weird numbers that has done nothing but confuse them already more then they were...and they come HERE and ask US what those numbers mean and what SHOULD the numbers be.....so if each one of us has a different guideline...and offer a different opinion..then what good are any of us doing for the newcomers? I was curious to know how WIDE a range all of us are following for our levels. I find it  VERY up setting that I can go to 3 different doctors, have 3 different labs drawn, checked by 3 different labs...and be told 3 different numbers resulting in those 3 different drs telling me 3 different amounts of drugs to take!! Something isnt right about that...dont you think??

Scarlet- I have no idea what your post means....sarcassium or just plain being mean.......I ALSO do not have a thyroid and I DID try asking an expert..but my endo is on vacation this week...next time if you dont like a question..then dont answer it

Helpful - 0
211563 tn?1189994510
Dart frog,
The specific values really depend on the lab you use.  In general from what I gather here, TSH should be low in the range and is often targeted to be around 1 (or even lower for cancer suppression).  Then, FT3 and FT4 should be at the high end of the range.

Sorry, that's probably not very helpful... but that's the general understanding I have.  I never realized how important the ranges were.  I just got my 3rd set of labs back from a different lab and wow... what a difference in ranges!
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Avatar universal
Scarlet, you are just too kind for words.
Helpful - 0
149081 tn?1242397832
Since I'm not a doctor and am only a thyroid patient I wouldn't know-

    perhaps you should ask an expert---- I'm sure she'll have an answer for you soon.



sorry-
                signed,

                         A woman without a thyroid

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