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Reading Labs for Hypothyroid
I have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism for 1 1/2 years now. The meds were making me have severe side effects including mental side effects so I have been off the meds about 12 months and trying to manage. I take Hemp Oil supplements 1000mg daily and vitamin D 2000mg. I have good and bad days. My last screening results were made available to me, but I don't know what any of it means. I don't understand the results at all. This is what they said
TSH 34.51
T4, Free 0.57
Can someone refer me to a reference point to understand these numbers?
Thanks for any help you can give.
TSH 34.51
T4, Free 0.57
Can someone refer me to a reference point to understand these numbers?
Thanks for any help you can give.
If by "specialist" you mean an endocrinologist. Don't put all your eggs in that basket! Many Endo's specialize in diabetes these days and know little more than a general practioner Dr related to Thyroid. so a great thyroid Dr can really come from anywhere. Many Endo's just like a Primary care physician believe in TSH only or if you are somewhere in the normal range that they will do nothing.
Normal ranges are sort of like an "average".
Yet if the average size of a shoe is say size 8. Would you be happy wearing your neighbors shoe? The point is that an average or reference range is similar. While a size 8 may fit someone perfectly, if it doesn't fit you what good if they give you a size 8 and tell you that your feet don't hurt, you've got a "normal" shoe size. just go on your merry way. Would you be satified with that answer? Heck no. And you should also not be satified if you feel terrible that you are normal simply because you are on the bottom part of the range. Many people do not feel well until they are 50% or more of the ranges. So if you are below 50% of the range, be VERY suspicious and be your own best advocate.
You seem to have a mind set against the idea that you may have a problem. So are you simply seeking an answer that you want so you can tell your boss and family "see I told you so". The fact is you very well could have an issue even though your tests are in the normal range.
If you are ill and medicine can make you better that is what needs to be done. A quality of life that is improved is worth any negative consequences and trouble it is to take a pill or two a day. Clearly your family and boss ARE seeing something wrong with your health. They don't do this to make it up out of thin air. And many hypo people start to get apathetic and it is often their family members that need to prompt them into seeking medical help to get them back healthy. Don't close your mind and deny yourself the ability to have a greatly improved quality of life.
Normal ranges are sort of like an "average".
Yet if the average size of a shoe is say size 8. Would you be happy wearing your neighbors shoe? The point is that an average or reference range is similar. While a size 8 may fit someone perfectly, if it doesn't fit you what good if they give you a size 8 and tell you that your feet don't hurt, you've got a "normal" shoe size. just go on your merry way. Would you be satified with that answer? Heck no. And you should also not be satified if you feel terrible that you are normal simply because you are on the bottom part of the range. Many people do not feel well until they are 50% or more of the ranges. So if you are below 50% of the range, be VERY suspicious and be your own best advocate.
You seem to have a mind set against the idea that you may have a problem. So are you simply seeking an answer that you want so you can tell your boss and family "see I told you so". The fact is you very well could have an issue even though your tests are in the normal range.
If you are ill and medicine can make you better that is what needs to be done. A quality of life that is improved is worth any negative consequences and trouble it is to take a pill or two a day. Clearly your family and boss ARE seeing something wrong with your health. They don't do this to make it up out of thin air. And many hypo people start to get apathetic and it is often their family members that need to prompt them into seeking medical help to get them back healthy. Don't close your mind and deny yourself the ability to have a greatly improved quality of life.
I would definitely ask the specialist for further tests and what all of your options are. I would also tell them how you felt on the meds previously, and see if they can figure out what's going on. Good luck!
If you are interested, I have names of some patient recommended thyroid doctors in your area.
No, I won't let my family practitioner deal with this anymore. I have set up an appointment with a specialist. I would prefer not to take meds at all. The cost and hassle are not what I need in my life. But to the demand of my children and my boss, I will be seeing the specialist and seeing what options are available to help me. Just wish there was a cure in foods.
I agree, just those two labs alone show major hypo symptoms. The way you felt could of been from either a dose that wasn't right for you, or even some of those could be from the meds themselves-no one medication treatment is a cure all for everyone. It's best to get more thyroid labs drawn, plus vitamin tests too, and perhaps bring up with your doctor how badly you felt on the medicene last time. You could be someone who needs a different medication regimen, or even just a different dosage of what you were on before.
Have you had any thyroid antibody tests done?
Have you had any thyroid antibody tests done?
A swollen thyroid gland IS a goiter.
ALL of your symptoms you list are consistent with being Hypo. EVERY one. So again I think you were likley not being tested for Free T4 anf Free T3 and raise your levels to a point that you fell well. Everyone feels good at different levels. However, the rule of thumb most people have found is that the so called "normal" ranges are FAR to broad. And as a result most people find that they need to be WELL up into the range in order to feel well. But many if not most Dr's will only treat TSH which is totally inadequate to worthless, and even if they use Free T4 and Free T3 they will only medicate until the person gets "somewhere" within the range and do NOTHING more. However this often is simply not high enough for the patitent to feel well.
The rule of thumb is BOTH of the following conditions.
1) Free T4 (FT4) to be in the MIDDDLE of the range (50% of the range) or even slightly higher
AND- that means in addition,
2) Free T3 (FT3) to be in the UPPER 1/3 of the range (66.7% of the range).
You said that you were being treated with Armour. I would be willing to bet my patycheck that you likely were only being tested or medicated using TSH. And with medication such as Armour with a T3 component in it the TSH often falls to near zero (suppressed). This is COMMON. Yet most Dr's panic and think that you have switched to Hyper. And they drastically reduce your medication. Then your TSH bounces up and they increase your medication, then the TSH suppresses and they cut you back again. Putting you on a roller coaster of hell! This is why TSH is totally inadequate to use to adjust your dosage levels.
As another note: Because Armour has a LOT more T3 in it than a human thyroid compared to T4. It is more common for people on Armour or other natural dessicated thyroid to have FT4 levels quite low with the FT3 levels pretty high. Some people do OK with this situation and feel fine. Other people may need to take a synthetic T4 medciation as well and bring the FT4 and FT3 levels more in balance as the rule of thumb above suggests.
If you don't believe Armour was your answer, you may consider going the more standard way of taking a pure T4 medication and see if your body converts the T4 into T3 that you need. Some people this works great as they slowly increase the dosage until you feel well. Other people still need to supplment and add in a synthetic T3 dosage. Every one is individual with what works for them.
As T4 is a "storage" hormone and cannot be used directly and instead must convert to T3 to ultimately be used by your body. It takes up to 6 weeks from starting the T4 medication until it stabilizes at a level. So going the T4 route is a slow process of get a dosage, stay on if for 6 weeks get tested and get a new dosage and wait 6 weeks and over and over as you work your way up until you find a dosage that eliminates your symptoms.
Fatigue seems to be a common symptom you have and is one of the most common symptoms of low thyroid. However as I pointed out all the additional tests of Vit D, Vit B-12, Iron and Ferritin also if you are low in any or all of them results in major fatigue as well. So they are worth checking out. Again you want to be WELL up into the ranges of those as well. Especially B-12. Which usually has a VERY wide range. And the USA range starts BELOW the point at which the ranges start in places like Japan. many people don't feel well until they are towards the very upper end of the range.
ALL of your symptoms you list are consistent with being Hypo. EVERY one. So again I think you were likley not being tested for Free T4 anf Free T3 and raise your levels to a point that you fell well. Everyone feels good at different levels. However, the rule of thumb most people have found is that the so called "normal" ranges are FAR to broad. And as a result most people find that they need to be WELL up into the range in order to feel well. But many if not most Dr's will only treat TSH which is totally inadequate to worthless, and even if they use Free T4 and Free T3 they will only medicate until the person gets "somewhere" within the range and do NOTHING more. However this often is simply not high enough for the patitent to feel well.
The rule of thumb is BOTH of the following conditions.
1) Free T4 (FT4) to be in the MIDDDLE of the range (50% of the range) or even slightly higher
AND- that means in addition,
2) Free T3 (FT3) to be in the UPPER 1/3 of the range (66.7% of the range).
You said that you were being treated with Armour. I would be willing to bet my patycheck that you likely were only being tested or medicated using TSH. And with medication such as Armour with a T3 component in it the TSH often falls to near zero (suppressed). This is COMMON. Yet most Dr's panic and think that you have switched to Hyper. And they drastically reduce your medication. Then your TSH bounces up and they increase your medication, then the TSH suppresses and they cut you back again. Putting you on a roller coaster of hell! This is why TSH is totally inadequate to use to adjust your dosage levels.
As another note: Because Armour has a LOT more T3 in it than a human thyroid compared to T4. It is more common for people on Armour or other natural dessicated thyroid to have FT4 levels quite low with the FT3 levels pretty high. Some people do OK with this situation and feel fine. Other people may need to take a synthetic T4 medciation as well and bring the FT4 and FT3 levels more in balance as the rule of thumb above suggests.
If you don't believe Armour was your answer, you may consider going the more standard way of taking a pure T4 medication and see if your body converts the T4 into T3 that you need. Some people this works great as they slowly increase the dosage until you feel well. Other people still need to supplment and add in a synthetic T3 dosage. Every one is individual with what works for them.
As T4 is a "storage" hormone and cannot be used directly and instead must convert to T3 to ultimately be used by your body. It takes up to 6 weeks from starting the T4 medication until it stabilizes at a level. So going the T4 route is a slow process of get a dosage, stay on if for 6 weeks get tested and get a new dosage and wait 6 weeks and over and over as you work your way up until you find a dosage that eliminates your symptoms.
Fatigue seems to be a common symptom you have and is one of the most common symptoms of low thyroid. However as I pointed out all the additional tests of Vit D, Vit B-12, Iron and Ferritin also if you are low in any or all of them results in major fatigue as well. So they are worth checking out. Again you want to be WELL up into the ranges of those as well. Especially B-12. Which usually has a VERY wide range. And the USA range starts BELOW the point at which the ranges start in places like Japan. many people don't feel well until they are towards the very upper end of the range.
Side Effects: Lethargic behavior, falling asleep under abnormal situations (like at restaurants), Mood swings, anxiety attacks, hair loss, decreased pulse rate, dizzy and fainting spells.
They changed my dosage on the Armour and other thyroid med several times and could not regulate anything. I am trying to get an appointment to see a specialist now that my insurance allows it, but I just was wondering what all these test results mean, I have no reference point. My thyroid gland is always swollen, but I have no guarders or nodules (2 ultrasounds done).
They changed my dosage on the Armour and other thyroid med several times and could not regulate anything. I am trying to get an appointment to see a specialist now that my insurance allows it, but I just was wondering what all these test results mean, I have no reference point. My thyroid gland is always swollen, but I have no guarders or nodules (2 ultrasounds done).
You are VERY hypothyroid! You need thyroid medication!
TSH is a screening test at best. But over 10 years ago the AACE recommended that anyone with a TSH over 3.0 to be considered Hypo and in need of medication. Your TSH is 34 which is WAY over 3!
You do not list the reference range of free T4. But the ranges we usually see are about 0.8 to 1.8. This means that you are BELOW normal range. Many people need to have their Free T4 (FT4) to be in the MIDDLE of the range which is about 2.3.
Free T4 hormone is one of the two hormones your Thyroid produces. It is a storage hormone and must be converted into Free T3 by your body (mostly in the liver). Your body's cells ONLY use Free T3 hormone.
Since you are so low, you don't have any T4 to be able to convert and be used by your body.
You need medication. If you go back to get tested you should DEMAND that you get your Free T3 tested as well as your Free T4.
You may also want to be tested for:
Vitamin D3
Vitamin B-12
iron
Ferritin
Hashimotos disease is the most common cause of low thyroid in the industrialized world. it is an autoimmune condition where your own immune system is attacking your thyroid gland and reducing its ability to produce thyroid hormone. There are two anti body tests that you need to test for to determine if you have Hashi's. They are TPOab and TGab. I would recommend you ask to have these tested. if one or the other or both of them are elevated above the reference range you have Hashi's.
Hashi's is no big deal really other than you will know that as time goes on, the thyroid will be able to produce less and less hormone, which means your medications dosage will have to keep up with that loss.
You never said what your "side effects" were. Please list them. But I suspect they very well may simply be symptoms of being Hypo or low thyroid and that you may not have been given enough medication. you may have been simply under medicated and you were suffering. This is not uncommon, especially when the Dr. only uses TSH which you are almost guranteed to continue to feel lile crap if the Dr is only using TSH.
TSH is a screening test at best. But over 10 years ago the AACE recommended that anyone with a TSH over 3.0 to be considered Hypo and in need of medication. Your TSH is 34 which is WAY over 3!
You do not list the reference range of free T4. But the ranges we usually see are about 0.8 to 1.8. This means that you are BELOW normal range. Many people need to have their Free T4 (FT4) to be in the MIDDLE of the range which is about 2.3.
Free T4 hormone is one of the two hormones your Thyroid produces. It is a storage hormone and must be converted into Free T3 by your body (mostly in the liver). Your body's cells ONLY use Free T3 hormone.
Since you are so low, you don't have any T4 to be able to convert and be used by your body.
You need medication. If you go back to get tested you should DEMAND that you get your Free T3 tested as well as your Free T4.
You may also want to be tested for:
Vitamin D3
Vitamin B-12
iron
Ferritin
Hashimotos disease is the most common cause of low thyroid in the industrialized world. it is an autoimmune condition where your own immune system is attacking your thyroid gland and reducing its ability to produce thyroid hormone. There are two anti body tests that you need to test for to determine if you have Hashi's. They are TPOab and TGab. I would recommend you ask to have these tested. if one or the other or both of them are elevated above the reference range you have Hashi's.
Hashi's is no big deal really other than you will know that as time goes on, the thyroid will be able to produce less and less hormone, which means your medications dosage will have to keep up with that loss.
You never said what your "side effects" were. Please list them. But I suspect they very well may simply be symptoms of being Hypo or low thyroid and that you may not have been given enough medication. you may have been simply under medicated and you were suffering. This is not uncommon, especially when the Dr. only uses TSH which you are almost guranteed to continue to feel lile crap if the Dr is only using TSH.
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