test results

[lax715]

My test results  with
Tsh level at 1.38 , T4 test at 5.10. and T3  is 54.16 My dr says it's in range and I do not need to worry . I feel bad all the time tired, my entire body ache in pain. He says I need to see a rhumatoligst, Please help me understand my test

[gimel]

If your doctor said that your tests were in range, then he must have the "Immaculate TSH Belief".  This is unfortunate because TSH is a pituitary hormone that is affected by so many variables that it is totally inadequate as a diagnostic for potential thyroid problems.  I could provide you links to scientific studies that show basically no difference in TSH levels among hyper, euthyroid, and hypo patient groups, except for some very extreme results from patients that were very hypo.  

So, at best TSH is an indicator, to be considered along with more important indicators, which are symptoms, and also the levels of the biologically active thyroid hormones, free T3 and free T4.  Free T3 is the most important test because FT3 largely regulates metabolism and many other body functions.  Also, scientific studies have shown that it correlates best with hypo symptoms, while TSH and FT4 did not correlate well at all.  

Your test results were for total T3 and total T4.  These tests are considered by many as somewhat obsolete and not very useful.  It would be far more revealing to test for free T3 and free T4.  The total test determines the total of that hormone in your body.  Most of that is bound up with protein molecules and thus rendered inactive.  Only the small portion that is not bound to protein, thus free, is biologically active.   For future testing you should insist that the doctor test for freeT3 and free T4, not the totals.

Your symptoms and the fact that even your total T3 is below range, and your total T4 is in the lower part of its range are all consistent with being hypothyroid.  You need 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.  Symptom relief should be all important, not test levels.  Many of our members report that symptom relief for them required that FT3 was adjusted into the upper part of its range and FT4 adjusted to at least the midpoint of its range.  If you doctor has a problem with treating you clinically, or with prescribing meds other than T4 only types, then you will need to find a good thyroid doctor that will do so.

I think you can get some good insight from this article, written by a good thyroid doctor.

http://www.hormonerestoration.com/Thyroid.html

[lax715]

Dear Sir,

lab report, the reference ranges for those test results are as below,

T3  70 TO 204  ng/dL   observed value   54.16
T4    3.2  to  12.6 ug/dL        "                   5.10

    THS          0.35 to 5.5   uIU/mL       "         1.38

HOPE YOU WILL FIND SAME IN ORDER FOR REQUIRED  REPLY  

REGARDS.

[gimel]

In order for us to give you the best answer, we need to know from your lab report, the reference ranges for those test results.