test results back ? about meds.

[nanettesw]

I got my test results back today and my tsh was 0.236 ref range .5 - 4.7 and my FT4 was .8 ref range .7 - 1.8 have not received my FT3 results yet.

I expected them to be different. I thought they would come back hypo.

I was diagnosed with graves about 3 months ago but am not taking any meds due to the fact that my t3 t4 #'s are in range. But I feel like crap. Only thing is I am having symptoms of hypo and hyper.

I am cold all the time, have had my period for the last 7 weeks and still going, soooo tired, horrible acne, constant mild neck and head pain, palpitations and muscle weakness and a slight tremor.

Should I be taking medication, and if so which # should I be trying to raise? t4 or tsh

[Barb135]

TSH is a pituitary hormone and is not a good indicator of thyroid status. Your FT4 indicates that you are hypo, and without an FT3, it's really difficult to say for sure; however, you will want to target the FT3, since, as gimel said, many members find that they don't get symptom relief until FT3 is adjusted properly.

My own TSH runs at < 0.01, and I'm certainly not hyper.  I do agree that you should be checked for Hashimoto's antibodies (both TPOab and TGab).  You should also have a thyroid ultrasound to check for nodules.  It's not uncommon for nodules to leak hormone independently of the thyroid, causing you to swing back and forth.  

[huscopp]

You might want to look into something called central hypothyroidism. Apparently it is pretty rare, but it's something worth looking at. I'm not sure how Graves would impact your FT4, but your FT4 is toward the hypo level. From what I've heard, if you have a low TSH (which is hypER territory) and low FT4 (which is hypO territory), you could have central hypothyroid. Also, have you had your antibodies for Hashimoto's tested? You can actually have both Graves and Hashimoto's and swing back and forth between hyper and hypo.

[gimel]

Just because your test results were within the so-called "normal" range does not mean they are adequate for you to feel good.  Frequently we hear from members that hypo symptom relief for them required that FT3 was adjusted into the upper part of its range and FT4 adjusted to at least midpoint of its range.  How about posting your thyroid test results and let members comment further.