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T4 and TSH levels

Im shedding lots of hair and went to my doctor and asked if I could have my thyroid levels checked. She first tested my TSH which came back at 8.01mlu/ml, she said this wasnt normal, so then tested my T4 levels and this came back at 5.42, she said this was normal? Please help me out.
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Avatar universal
Wow, it has been a long time.  Please give us the reference ranges for those T3 and T4 tests.  Are you sure those tests are for Totals, rather than Frees?
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Avatar universal
Wow looks like im going to a specialist....Had my results back today:
Serum T3 - 5.2
Serum T4 - 13.4
Serum TSH - 3.13

Still didnt take free t3 or t4, bunch of idiots, below are all of my TSH results Ive had taken.


TSH 8.01
TSH 5.42
TSH 3.13
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Avatar universal
TSH test results vary a lot since TSH is affected by so many variables.  Along with your hypo symptoms, both test results are also indicators of being hypothyroid.  

You need to be tested for Free T3 and Free T4; however, since their reference ranges are so broad, the results would most likely fall within the so-called "normal" range anyhow.   So somehow you need to either influence your current doctor to prescribe medication for you now, based on your symptoms and TSH tests, or you will have to find a good thyroid doctor that will treat you clinically by testing and adjusting FT3 and FT4 as necessary to relieve symptoms, without being constrained by resultant TSH levels.  Where in the UK are you located?
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Avatar universal
I rang the doctors back today and despite my doctor writing T4 on my blood sheet they havent taken it. They took TSH instead. So now Ive had 2 TSH's taken first was 8.01mlu/ml and the second was 5.42, Does this change show anything?  It frustrates me that they cant even do the job properly. I still have symptoms eyebrow loss and hair loss with cold hands. Can you tell me what to insist on the next time I get a blood test?
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649848 tn?1534633700
COMMUNITY LEADER
I agree with everything gimel has said, regarding testing, results, etc.  I would like to add, that I see you are in UK.  We often hear from patients in UK that many doctors, there, won't test for Free T3, due to National Health System, so this might be a problem for you; however, as gimel has stated, FT3 is the biologically active thyroid hormone and correlates best with symptoms, so do be persistent.
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Avatar universal
With those symptoms and the limited test results, I'd still feel very comfortable betting that you are hypo.  Hypothyroidism is somewhat hereditary also.  

Your medication needs will depend on the cause; however, most of the time hypothyroidism is not a temporary condition.  So you will likely have to get your meds started and adjusted until you are free of symptoms and then monitor FT3 and FT4 and TSH periodically to assure stability.  

There are a lot less of us males that have hypothyroidism, than there are females.  But there are a lot more of both that have hypothyroidism than is generally recognized, due to the "Immaculate TSH Belief" and the "tyranny of the reference ranges" for FT3 and FT4.  Because of these two errors, many patients with hypothyroidism are told their thyroid results are "normal" and that their symptoms must be due to something else.    That is the source of our Forum members.  LOL
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Avatar universal
Il find out and let you know asap wether its free or total. How sure would you be that ive got hypo? My other symptoms are cold hands and hair loss, I also have trouble sleeping, My mum has hypo aswell. Will I have to be on medication for life? Im going to book another appointment with my doctor. Do a lot of men have hypo?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Well I just consulted my crystal ball and I am pretty sure it is Total T4, since there is a frequently shown range for TT4 of 4.6 - 12.0.  In that case it would be consistent with being hypo, along with the TSH result.  Shedding of hair is a hypo symptom.  If you look through this list do you have any other hypo symptoms?

Just having a TT4 result within the so-called "normal" range does not mean that it is okay for you.  The ranges for all the thyroid hormone tests are far too broad.  The same holds for all the thyroid hormone test ranges.  

I think the first priority for you should be to get tested for the biologically active thyroid hormones, which are Free T3 and Free T4.  If the doctor resists, don't accept any excuses, just insist on it and don't take no for an answer.  FT3 is the most important because it largely regulates metabolism and many other body functions.  Studies have also shown that it correlated best with hypo symptoms, while FT4 and TSH did not correlate very well at all.  Since Hashimoto's is the most common cause of hypothyroidism, you should also be tested for the thyroid antibodies, TPO ab and TG ab.  

Most important is to make sure that you have a good thyroid doctor.  That does not always mean an Endo.  A good thyroid doctor is willing to treat a hypo patient clinically by testing and adjusting FT3 and FT4 levels as necessary to relieve symptoms, without being constrained by resultant TSH levels.  Symptom relief should be all important, not test results.  Test results are valuable mainly as indicators during diagnosis and then afterward to track FT3 and FT4 levels as meds are increased toward symptom relief.  

You can get some good insight into clinical treatment by reading this link, written by a good thyroid doctor.

http://hormonerestoration.com/files/ThyroidPMD.pdf



  
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Avatar universal
Gimel, I just rang my doctors up and they should find out tommorow wether it was a free or total test. Can you tell me anything from the numbers I have given in my other post or do you need to know wether its free or total.
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Avatar universal
Was that T4 a Total T4 or a Free T4 test?  
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