Aa
Help with lab results
Can someone please help interpret my latest lab results. I am very symptomatic right now, and my doctor tells me I am just fine. My TSH has increased from .8 last year, and I think that is a concern alone, plus the free t3 and free t4, with all the symptoms. I really am frustrated with him insisting I'm normal, when I think my free t3 is low from what I'm seeing from others.
TSH - 1.32 (.45 - 4.5)
free t3 - 2.9 (2.0 - 4.8)
free t4 - 1.4 (.8 - 1.7)
I'm feeling like I need an increase in my Synthroid (100 mcg) or addition of T3. He doesn't agree. I will be looking for a new doctor, but would like some advice on these labs before I start looking. Thank you!!
TSH - 1.32 (.45 - 4.5)
free t3 - 2.9 (2.0 - 4.8)
free t4 - 1.4 (.8 - 1.7)
I'm feeling like I need an increase in my Synthroid (100 mcg) or addition of T3. He doesn't agree. I will be looking for a new doctor, but would like some advice on these labs before I start looking. Thank you!!
What you need most is a good thyroid doctor. A good thyroid doctor will treat a hypo patient clinically by testing and adjusting Free T3 and Free T4 as necessary to relieve symptoms, without being constrained by resultant TSH levels. You can get some good insight into clinical treatment from this letter written by a good thyroid doctor for patients that he sometimes consults with after initial tests and evaluation. The letter is then sent to the participating doctor of the patient to help guide treatment. In the letter, please note the statement, "the ultimate criterion for dose adjustment must always be the clinical response of the patient."
http://hormonerestoration.com/files/ThyroidPMD.pdf
Since hypo patients are frequently too low in the ranges for Vitamin D, B12 and ferritin, I also suggest that you should test for those as well.
http://hormonerestoration.com/files/ThyroidPMD.pdf
Since hypo patients are frequently too low in the ranges for Vitamin D, B12 and ferritin, I also suggest that you should test for those as well.
In my opinion and I'm not a Dr.
With your FT4 levels plenty high, raising them higher won't do much good.
Conversion problem needs T3. Your body needs freeT3.
So you either have to figure out what is causing the problem with the conversion and solve that. Or you need more T3.
Just my opinion.
With your FT4 levels plenty high, raising them higher won't do much good.
Conversion problem needs T3. Your body needs freeT3.
So you either have to figure out what is causing the problem with the conversion and solve that. Or you need more T3.
Just my opinion.
Thank you SO much for your help on this. Yes, I have kept a record of test results and how I was feeling at each level. It's frustrating because I know that I CAN feel pretty good, and I want to get back to that.
One question I do have - in your opinion, would upping the T4 dosage make a difference at this point, or do you think adding T3 is probably the answer because of the conversion problem I seem to be having?
One question I do have - in your opinion, would upping the T4 dosage make a difference at this point, or do you think adding T3 is probably the answer because of the conversion problem I seem to be having?
Your Dr is in my opinion WRONG.
I hope you kept a running journal of your blood tests, your medication levels and your symptoms.
You may want to be tested for Hashi's. While you seemed to have been in a stable primary hypothyroid situation. It now CLEARLY appears that something new has occured.
Hashi's is the #1 reason for being Hypo. And is an auto-immune condition where your immune system attacks your thyroid. As a result your thyroid produces less and less hormone over time. Therefore you need to get more and more of that hormone replaced by medicine.
The two tests to get to determine Hashi's are: TPOab an TGab. These are the antibodies that attack the thryoid. They are essentiall a positive or negative (pass/fail) test. In that if one or the other or both of them are elevated, it is conclusive for Hashi's.
If you were to test positive for Hashi's, you have a good argument to make that this perfectly explains what your experiencing with your symptoms. And therefore have a reasonable chance to get an increased dosage of Thyroid medicine.
Also if you have a history of your blood test results and you feeling fine at those levels for years. And now you show a drop in those levels and feel like crap. Again you have a strong argument to ask for a dosage increase to get you back to where you KNOW you've felt fine in the past.
I can just not recommend more highly the CRITICAL importance of keeping a record of test results, medication dosages and symptoms at each of those test dates. It is worth its weight in Gold if not completely priceless. Especially if you change Dr's or move or whatever.
YOU are your own best clinical medical scientific trial. How you feel and what your blood labs show is directly related to the most important person....YOU. Since we are all different and unique and feel well at different levels YOUR history is what is important. It is your ammunition to use to fight for your health! Do not underestimate its importance!
I hope you kept a running journal of your blood tests, your medication levels and your symptoms.
You may want to be tested for Hashi's. While you seemed to have been in a stable primary hypothyroid situation. It now CLEARLY appears that something new has occured.
Hashi's is the #1 reason for being Hypo. And is an auto-immune condition where your immune system attacks your thyroid. As a result your thyroid produces less and less hormone over time. Therefore you need to get more and more of that hormone replaced by medicine.
The two tests to get to determine Hashi's are: TPOab an TGab. These are the antibodies that attack the thryoid. They are essentiall a positive or negative (pass/fail) test. In that if one or the other or both of them are elevated, it is conclusive for Hashi's.
If you were to test positive for Hashi's, you have a good argument to make that this perfectly explains what your experiencing with your symptoms. And therefore have a reasonable chance to get an increased dosage of Thyroid medicine.
Also if you have a history of your blood test results and you feeling fine at those levels for years. And now you show a drop in those levels and feel like crap. Again you have a strong argument to ask for a dosage increase to get you back to where you KNOW you've felt fine in the past.
I can just not recommend more highly the CRITICAL importance of keeping a record of test results, medication dosages and symptoms at each of those test dates. It is worth its weight in Gold if not completely priceless. Especially if you change Dr's or move or whatever.
YOU are your own best clinical medical scientific trial. How you feel and what your blood labs show is directly related to the most important person....YOU. Since we are all different and unique and feel well at different levels YOUR history is what is important. It is your ammunition to use to fight for your health! Do not underestimate its importance!
Thank you. I've been on 100mcg for about 6 years. It seemed to be working up until this last year. For about 6 months now I have weight gain, despite no change in diet and exercise - and I had been losing weight prior to that, fatigue, irritability, dry skin, hair loss, memory problems, depression...the list goes on. This is a new doctor to me because I moved, and he tells me my thyroid is fine.
Rule of thumb is FT4 at 50% AND FT3 at upper 1/3 which is 66.7%
Your FT4 is above 50% but your FT3 as noted above is below 50% let alone 67%. So you have a conversion problem. You need a source of T3 in my opinion.
I would also recommend a lowering of the T4 med when adding the T3. Rule of thumb when not wanting to change the ft4 level is to lower the T4 dosage a out 25 mcg for each 5 mcg of T3 added.
Talk to your dr. But at cellular level your body only uses Free T3. So you are symptomatic because your cells are starved of the actual T3 being so low in the range.
Your FT4 is above 50% but your FT3 as noted above is below 50% let alone 67%. So you have a conversion problem. You need a source of T3 in my opinion.
I would also recommend a lowering of the T4 med when adding the T3. Rule of thumb when not wanting to change the ft4 level is to lower the T4 dosage a out 25 mcg for each 5 mcg of T3 added.
Talk to your dr. But at cellular level your body only uses Free T3. So you are symptomatic because your cells are starved of the actual T3 being so low in the range.
Hi danarae11
What are your symptoms and how long have you been on 100mcg T4? The 50% mark of T3 is 3.4 so you are low. Maybe a little t3 would do the trick. The TSH is useless btw.
What are your symptoms and how long have you been on 100mcg T4? The 50% mark of T3 is 3.4 so you are low. Maybe a little t3 would do the trick. The TSH is useless btw.
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Thyroid Disorders Community
We tapped the CDC for information on what you need to know about radiation exposure
Endocrinologist Mark Lupo, MD, answers 10 questions about thyroid disorders and how to treat them
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
