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What do blood test results mean?
I have had a node on thyroid for 10 years, no big deal. Now I have 3 and a lot of symptoms my gp did blood work. free thyroxine index 1.9 t3 uptake 21 thyroxine (t4) 9.1 tsh 1.510 He put me on 50 mcg of levothyroxine. since beginning the Levo I have had multiple problems with digestion and bloating and horrible restless leg syndrome. I have always had GERD but it got worse. It seems they just throw more meds at me. I am going next week for blood work to check numbers after 3 months on meds. I do not know if there is a better med. I now have enlarged lymph glands in my stomach also, new after starting meds. Any suggestions?
GERD is in itself a Hypo symptom. My wife and many others when they got the proper treatment of thyroid medication the GERD went away or was significantly reduced.
It is not at all uncommon to initially feel worse after starting of thyroid medication. YOur body being Hypo had to do some "emergency" make shift things to do what it could to make your body perform. Typically this means things with adrenal gland production etc. So your body was used to putting in those "extra" efforts and production of hormones etc. But now that you added in the Thyroid, it has to "readjust" to this situation. And this readjustment takes some time. And during this time it is common to feel a little worse rather than better.
I know that is not what you want to hear. But too many people stop taking the proper medication because they do not break through this initial period of feeling bad. The problem is then they never feel well.
The tests ordered are mostly out of date and obsolete tests of little value. You must DEMAND that BOT the Free T4 and Free T3 tests be done. It looks like you had Total T4, Free T4 and T3 uptake done. Only the Free T4 test is of primary value. ANd it shows that you are low in the range.
The rule of thumb is to have your FT4 to be in the Middle of the range (50% of the range). Your test shows 1.6 which is only 16.2% of the range. FAR below 50% of the range.
Even though the T3 uptake test is of limited value, even it shows it being low. typically this would be consistent with low Free T3 levels.
TSH is a screening tool at best and Dr's will test this no matter what. Unfortunately too many Dr's ONLY look at TSH. ANd unfortunately for you your result would be what many Dr's would consider " just about perfect".
50 mcg of Levo is a typicall starting dose. Some tolerate this easily, others it is too much. If you are really having a hard time with starting, you can cut it in half and take half a dose for a week or so and then try to take the full dose.
Reminder it is best to take levo on an empty stomach for at least an hour. And to make sure not to take supplments, especially any calcium (even milk or yogurt etc) within about 4 hours. As the thyroid will bind with the calcium and not be absorbed.
I take my T4 medication before bed. I just try to make sure not to have snacks or eat before bed. This has the added benefit to "force" me to not eat that snack watching my favorite TV program later in the evening. Which is something we shouldn't do anyhow. As it puts on weight!! LOL
T4 medication like Levo takes about six WEEKS (6 Wks) to ramp up and stabilize in the blood. So getting blood tested any sooner than 4 to 6 weeks is not very useful.
Have you had other vitamins checked? It is not uncommon for people who are hypo to also be low in one or more of the following:
Vitamin D3
Vitamin B-12
Iron
Ferritin
If you have not been tested for these, you may want to ask your DR to see if they can be added to your next blood test along with FREE T4 and FREE T3!!!
It is not at all uncommon to initially feel worse after starting of thyroid medication. YOur body being Hypo had to do some "emergency" make shift things to do what it could to make your body perform. Typically this means things with adrenal gland production etc. So your body was used to putting in those "extra" efforts and production of hormones etc. But now that you added in the Thyroid, it has to "readjust" to this situation. And this readjustment takes some time. And during this time it is common to feel a little worse rather than better.
I know that is not what you want to hear. But too many people stop taking the proper medication because they do not break through this initial period of feeling bad. The problem is then they never feel well.
The tests ordered are mostly out of date and obsolete tests of little value. You must DEMAND that BOT the Free T4 and Free T3 tests be done. It looks like you had Total T4, Free T4 and T3 uptake done. Only the Free T4 test is of primary value. ANd it shows that you are low in the range.
The rule of thumb is to have your FT4 to be in the Middle of the range (50% of the range). Your test shows 1.6 which is only 16.2% of the range. FAR below 50% of the range.
Even though the T3 uptake test is of limited value, even it shows it being low. typically this would be consistent with low Free T3 levels.
TSH is a screening tool at best and Dr's will test this no matter what. Unfortunately too many Dr's ONLY look at TSH. ANd unfortunately for you your result would be what many Dr's would consider " just about perfect".
50 mcg of Levo is a typicall starting dose. Some tolerate this easily, others it is too much. If you are really having a hard time with starting, you can cut it in half and take half a dose for a week or so and then try to take the full dose.
Reminder it is best to take levo on an empty stomach for at least an hour. And to make sure not to take supplments, especially any calcium (even milk or yogurt etc) within about 4 hours. As the thyroid will bind with the calcium and not be absorbed.
I take my T4 medication before bed. I just try to make sure not to have snacks or eat before bed. This has the added benefit to "force" me to not eat that snack watching my favorite TV program later in the evening. Which is something we shouldn't do anyhow. As it puts on weight!! LOL
T4 medication like Levo takes about six WEEKS (6 Wks) to ramp up and stabilize in the blood. So getting blood tested any sooner than 4 to 6 weeks is not very useful.
Have you had other vitamins checked? It is not uncommon for people who are hypo to also be low in one or more of the following:
Vitamin D3
Vitamin B-12
Iron
Ferritin
If you have not been tested for these, you may want to ask your DR to see if they can be added to your next blood test along with FREE T4 and FREE T3!!!
Hi,
Please give the reference range for each result. We also need these to make sense of the results.
Please give the reference range for each result. We also need these to make sense of the results.
1 Comments
TSH 0.978 uIU/mL 0.450 - 4.500 01
Thyroxine (T4) 9.1 ug/dL 4.5 - 12.0 01
T3 Uptake 20 Low % 24 - 39 01
Free Thyroxine Index 1.8 1.2 - 4.9
Thyroxine (T4) 9.1 ug/dL 4.5 - 12.0 01
T3 Uptake 20 Low % 24 - 39 01
Free Thyroxine Index 1.8 1.2 - 4.9
Sorry can't figure out how to edit. Those were results for 2013. The ones I meant to post are free thyroxine index 1.8 t3 uptake 20 thyroxine (t4) 9.1 tsh 0.978
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