Aa
need help w labs please??
I've posted on here recently.. didn't know if I should start a new thread or not... feeling horrible... can someone try to explain these numbers to me? Ft3-3.1 range 2.0-2.4) Ft4-0.97 range (0.79-0.29). TSH- 5.5 she said my upper range is 4
58
Help me
58
Help me
ALL of your symptoms are consistent with low thyroid.
Only the weight LOSS is unusual for Hypo (low) thyroid. Although a few people this is the case. Most often it is the exact opposite as low thyroid slows metabolism so it ususally packs on the weight.
Again check and repost your blood lab results exactly as it is written on your lab report. Something seems messed up with the reference ranges that are listed above in your original post.
Only the weight LOSS is unusual for Hypo (low) thyroid. Although a few people this is the case. Most often it is the exact opposite as low thyroid slows metabolism so it ususally packs on the weight.
Again check and repost your blood lab results exactly as it is written on your lab report. Something seems messed up with the reference ranges that are listed above in your original post.
How do I feel? Horrible.. emotional mood swings like the flip of a switch.. tired.. bald spots all over head... some fear of being around people... yet anxiety by myself. Lost about 50 lbs since Dec.. noise sensitive.. foggy.. no concentration.. memory problems... no libido... just miserable and tired of being sick. Does that help any?
TSH is a pituitary hormone that tells your thyroid gland to produce more or less thyroid horones. So a High TSH means that the pituitary is asking your thyroid gland to produce more thyroid. Which means that your thyroid level is low.
YOur thyroid gland produces primarily two hormones. T4 and T3. But by far most of it is T4.
T4 hormone is a storage hormone. That is it remains in your blood at the ready for when your body needs thyroid hormone. In which case the T4 will be converted (mostly in the liver) into T3 hormone.
Both T4 and T3 hormone can remain in two states. One is and a good portion of each becomes attached or stuck to a protein molecule. When either of them become attached to a protein molecule the hormone becomes inert. That is useless and can't be used.
The term "free T4 and Free T3" is a measurement of the hormones that remain free and isolated from the protein molecule. Meaning that is a measure actual amount of hormone that can be used by the body. So ONLY the Free T4 hormone can be converted into T3. And ONLY the Free T3 hormone can be used by your body's cells. This is why it is so vitally important to be tested for the "free" hormones and not "total" which measures the total hormone which includes BOTH free and useless attached protein hormones.
Now as for your results as best I can tell.
Your TSH I think you said was 5.5. And the range was topped out at 4. Which means your TSH is high. The AAEA has recommended a top end of TSH to be 3 and anything higher would indicate you are low thyroid! So you have a result that would be far over the top of the range indicating low thyroid condition from this test.
Your FT4 was 0.97 with a range of (0.79 to ??) something is wrong with your top range number. Normally we see something like (0.8 to 1.8)
But bottom line your test shows you to be within the range. HOWEVER you are towards the low end of the scale. Many people will need not feel well with a Free T4 below 50%. So it APPEARS this test also would indicate a low thyroid level.
Your FT3 which is the ONLY hormone your body ultimately uses at the cellular level. Your FT3 level was 3.1 with a range of (2 to 2.4) Again something seems very odd about this range. This is far to narrow. Most will go to over 3 at the top end. So make sure you don't have a typo on this.
Other important information is how you are feeling? What symptoms are you having? All people feel different at differet levels.
But the "normal" ranges are improperly created. Most people need to be well up into the range in order to feel well. Floating at the bottom of the range will make most people feel crappy. In fact the better rule of thumb target to shoot for is BOTH of the following.
Free T4 to be in the MIDDLE of the range (50% of the range) if not slightly higher.
AND- That means in addition
Free T3 to be in the UPPER 1/3 (66.7% of the range).
TSH is a screening test at best. If a Dr only wants to use TSH and adjust medication based only on TSH it is a HUGE indication to find a new Dr ASAP. Using TSH only will almost certainly keep you feeling like crap.
ALWAYS demand like you have to get Free T4 and Free T3 tests EVERY time!
Hope this helps!
YOur thyroid gland produces primarily two hormones. T4 and T3. But by far most of it is T4.
T4 hormone is a storage hormone. That is it remains in your blood at the ready for when your body needs thyroid hormone. In which case the T4 will be converted (mostly in the liver) into T3 hormone.
Both T4 and T3 hormone can remain in two states. One is and a good portion of each becomes attached or stuck to a protein molecule. When either of them become attached to a protein molecule the hormone becomes inert. That is useless and can't be used.
The term "free T4 and Free T3" is a measurement of the hormones that remain free and isolated from the protein molecule. Meaning that is a measure actual amount of hormone that can be used by the body. So ONLY the Free T4 hormone can be converted into T3. And ONLY the Free T3 hormone can be used by your body's cells. This is why it is so vitally important to be tested for the "free" hormones and not "total" which measures the total hormone which includes BOTH free and useless attached protein hormones.
Now as for your results as best I can tell.
Your TSH I think you said was 5.5. And the range was topped out at 4. Which means your TSH is high. The AAEA has recommended a top end of TSH to be 3 and anything higher would indicate you are low thyroid! So you have a result that would be far over the top of the range indicating low thyroid condition from this test.
Your FT4 was 0.97 with a range of (0.79 to ??) something is wrong with your top range number. Normally we see something like (0.8 to 1.8)
But bottom line your test shows you to be within the range. HOWEVER you are towards the low end of the scale. Many people will need not feel well with a Free T4 below 50%. So it APPEARS this test also would indicate a low thyroid level.
Your FT3 which is the ONLY hormone your body ultimately uses at the cellular level. Your FT3 level was 3.1 with a range of (2 to 2.4) Again something seems very odd about this range. This is far to narrow. Most will go to over 3 at the top end. So make sure you don't have a typo on this.
Other important information is how you are feeling? What symptoms are you having? All people feel different at differet levels.
But the "normal" ranges are improperly created. Most people need to be well up into the range in order to feel well. Floating at the bottom of the range will make most people feel crappy. In fact the better rule of thumb target to shoot for is BOTH of the following.
Free T4 to be in the MIDDLE of the range (50% of the range) if not slightly higher.
AND- That means in addition
Free T3 to be in the UPPER 1/3 (66.7% of the range).
TSH is a screening test at best. If a Dr only wants to use TSH and adjust medication based only on TSH it is a HUGE indication to find a new Dr ASAP. Using TSH only will almost certainly keep you feeling like crap.
ALWAYS demand like you have to get Free T4 and Free T3 tests EVERY time!
Hope this helps!
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