What should my tsh be?

[jenniferk86]

What should my tsh be around if my free t4 is .8 (.8-1.8)? Anyone have a free t 4 like mine? Could you post your tsh? Also anyone think that a free t4 like mine is normal or ok?

[FTB4]

A low TSH would indicate (Just a rule of thumb) that your thyroid is secreting to much hormone (Hyper), a high TSH would indicate your thyroid is not secreting enough hormone (hypo) so either high or low would indicate some sort of thyroid problem, how he could state it is unrelated to your thyroid is crazy. Good thyroid MD's treat by Free T3 and Free T4 Levels, If you have these results and the ranges given, post them here to give members a better picture of where you are at. If your ranges are far from normal it would be time to find a different MD that is more familiar with thyroid. Good Luck FTB4

[jenniferk86]

I completely understand that, however I feel as though I might have to educate my doc that the relationship  between my free t4 levels and tsh is not normal. He thinks my symptoms are unrelated to my thyroid because my tsh is low. I want him to test for pituitary issues but want to be able to tell him that usually the tsh should be much higher like near ________., when my free t4 is this. Therefore maybe its pituitary related and thats why my tsh is so low compared to my free t4.

[gimel]

My advice would be to stop being concerned about TSH.  TSH is a pituitary hormone that is affected by so many variables that it is a very poor diagnostic.  TSH causes no symptoms directly.  FT3 and FT4 are much more important tests, but the only thing that really matters is symptom relief.  Whatever level of FT3 and FT4 required to relieve symptoms is what you need. Test results for FT3 and FT4 are best used as markers of progress toward symptom relief.  Those levels vary from patient to patient.  As such there really is no "normal" levels, just the levels that work for you to relieve symptoms.  For example my TSH has been about .05 for over 25 years while taking a full daily replacement dosage of T4 meds.  I still had lingering hypo symptoms until learning about the importance of FT3 here on the Forum and getting my meds changed to include a source of T3.  Now I feel best ever.