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Thyroid Question
My free T4 came back low and my TSH is low as well. Started out with extremely low F T4 and after increasing my Synthroid 2 times it went up but then my TSH started going down, so I was on 75 for 3 days and 50 for 4 days and then both went down. I can't see an endocrinologist until the end of March. He is that busy....Anyone else have this happen?
Pardon my ignorance if this is posted somewhere else. I posted yesterday a response, but am unable to find it. Weird..:( Anyway, I wanted to thank you for your excellent response and for taking the time to go into such detail. I will definitely check out that website, and if you were serious, I would love for you to look up a good thyroid doc in my area. That would be awesome! Thanks again for your help.
War Eagle Baby!!!!!!
War Eagle Baby!!!!!!
In the normal, unmedicated state, the TSH moves in opposite direction from FT4. That is because TSH is a pituitary hormone that is a messenger to the thyroid glands to produce thyroid hormone. When taking medication, the TSH will move downward to reflect the increase in blood levels of T4 and T3, unless the med effect is offset by a decrease in natural thyroid production as the TSH goes down. I don't know if this helps clarify, or confuse. LOL
At any rate it is important to know that TSH is totally inadequate as a diagnostic for thyroid. At best it is an indicator to be considered along with more important indicators such as symptoms, and also levels of free T3 and free T4. FT3 and FT4 are the small portions of total T3 and total T4 that are not bound to protein, and thus are denoted as "free". Only the free portion of thyroid hormone is biologically active. FT3 is the most important test because FT3 largely regulates metabolism and many other body functions. Studies have also shown that FT3 correlated best with hypo symptoms, while TSH and FT4 did not correlate very well at all.
To me, a good thyroid doctor will treat a patient clinically by testing and adjusting levels of FT3 and FT4 as necessary to relieve symptoms, without being constrained by resultant TSH levels. Symptom relief should be all important to you, not test results. You need to find a doctor that will treat you clinically, in this manner. You should be aware that most Endos seem to rigidly follow the "Immaculate TSH Belief" and don't want to treat clinically. For this reason they often leave patients suffering with lingering hypo symptoms. Even if they go beyond TSH and test for FT4, they tend to accept any result within the reference range as "normal" and don't want to go any further. Seldom do they seem to want to test for FT3, which I think is the most important.
So I really suggest that you look for a good thyroid doctor that will treat you clinically, as I describe above. Even though you may be an Auburn fan, I will be glad to help look for such a doctor, if you want, by using the Top Thyroid doctors site and making calls to doctors' offices to quiz their nurses.
For a bit of credibility for what I've said, I suggest that you read this link. It is a letter written by a good thyroid doctor. When the doctor consults with patients that live at a distance, the doctor sends this letter to the PCP of the patient to help guide treatment.
http://hormonerestoration.com/files/ThyroidPMD.pdf
Roll Tide!
At any rate it is important to know that TSH is totally inadequate as a diagnostic for thyroid. At best it is an indicator to be considered along with more important indicators such as symptoms, and also levels of free T3 and free T4. FT3 and FT4 are the small portions of total T3 and total T4 that are not bound to protein, and thus are denoted as "free". Only the free portion of thyroid hormone is biologically active. FT3 is the most important test because FT3 largely regulates metabolism and many other body functions. Studies have also shown that FT3 correlated best with hypo symptoms, while TSH and FT4 did not correlate very well at all.
To me, a good thyroid doctor will treat a patient clinically by testing and adjusting levels of FT3 and FT4 as necessary to relieve symptoms, without being constrained by resultant TSH levels. Symptom relief should be all important to you, not test results. You need to find a doctor that will treat you clinically, in this manner. You should be aware that most Endos seem to rigidly follow the "Immaculate TSH Belief" and don't want to treat clinically. For this reason they often leave patients suffering with lingering hypo symptoms. Even if they go beyond TSH and test for FT4, they tend to accept any result within the reference range as "normal" and don't want to go any further. Seldom do they seem to want to test for FT3, which I think is the most important.
So I really suggest that you look for a good thyroid doctor that will treat you clinically, as I describe above. Even though you may be an Auburn fan, I will be glad to help look for such a doctor, if you want, by using the Top Thyroid doctors site and making calls to doctors' offices to quiz their nurses.
For a bit of credibility for what I've said, I suggest that you read this link. It is a letter written by a good thyroid doctor. When the doctor consults with patients that live at a distance, the doctor sends this letter to the PCP of the patient to help guide treatment.
http://hormonerestoration.com/files/ThyroidPMD.pdf
Roll Tide!
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