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what are normal lab test T4 results
My DR feels I may have an over active thyroid. I had tests TSH, 3rd generation , T3 - total and T4 thyroxine, total..Does anyone know what normal results are?
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Sallysmart -- you must have been trying to post to the expert forum, which only takes so many questions/day. This forum is never close to new questions.
Liya8 --- I don't understand why a doctor told you to only take T3 med. There are quite a few of us on this forum who take T3 meds, but most of us take T4 med with it. 50 mcg/day of T3 med is an awful lot.
I do agree that adjusting your FT3 could do a lot toward helping to alleviate some of your pain; however, I'd be very leery of going to that much per day of only T3.
Do you have a copy of your latest lab report? If so, would you please post the tests run, results and reference ranges.
Liya8 --- I don't understand why a doctor told you to only take T3 med. There are quite a few of us on this forum who take T3 meds, but most of us take T4 med with it. 50 mcg/day of T3 med is an awful lot.
I do agree that adjusting your FT3 could do a lot toward helping to alleviate some of your pain; however, I'd be very leery of going to that much per day of only T3.
Do you have a copy of your latest lab report? If so, would you please post the tests run, results and reference ranges.
Ok glad we have this thread moving now, lots of great info here, I am starting to understand more now, it is confusing, not like watching blood sugar cos that is a more commom practice I guess, but this needs to be as well sepcially since I believe diabetes is possibly caused by untreated thyroid issues in some people.
Thanks for all of the replies.
And sorry I had to infiltrate someone elses thread to get it but I tried to ask the same and after I get it all written up I get a message that the forum is full of questions, try back later. Glad someone else managed to ask it.
Thanks for all of the replies.
And sorry I had to infiltrate someone elses thread to get it but I tried to ask the same and after I get it all written up I get a message that the forum is full of questions, try back later. Glad someone else managed to ask it.
Thanks sooooo much for posting the article on hormonerestoration.
Within that found another post indicating that T3 may be better than T4 meds when having myxedema coma because T3 crosses more rapidly and more completely from serum to CFS. Not sure what it means but the jist seems to indicate that we would do better on T3 supplementation than T4. I spoke to Dr Louw contributor to the site of Mary Shomon and he also told me that I may do better to wean myself off gradually from T4 and onto T3 only as this will help with all the fybromialgia pains. I am reducing my 100mcg of T4 - L-Thyroxin to 75mcg and taking 25 mcg of T3 Cynomel a Cytomel brand. I am to gradually increase the cynomel to 50mcg but each day need to do a basal chart, blood pressure check and also keep record of my resting pulse rate. Once I reach 37 degrees celcius on my basal level need to tweek my T3 supplement down by 10 % to get to the right level of supplementation for my body.
Would love to find out if anyone has exerpience with this.
The neck pain I am getting seems to tighten my neck muscle and this causes a slight head tremor. Since the T3 find that it is getting less as the muscle relaxes more. I up my T3 meds every week by 5 mcg until I reach the level that is OK for me. Dr Louw and info found on the site you recommended both indicate that T4 often takes toooooo long to convert to T3 and even when it does if often is not enough or some may reverse T3 problems.
Within that found another post indicating that T3 may be better than T4 meds when having myxedema coma because T3 crosses more rapidly and more completely from serum to CFS. Not sure what it means but the jist seems to indicate that we would do better on T3 supplementation than T4. I spoke to Dr Louw contributor to the site of Mary Shomon and he also told me that I may do better to wean myself off gradually from T4 and onto T3 only as this will help with all the fybromialgia pains. I am reducing my 100mcg of T4 - L-Thyroxin to 75mcg and taking 25 mcg of T3 Cynomel a Cytomel brand. I am to gradually increase the cynomel to 50mcg but each day need to do a basal chart, blood pressure check and also keep record of my resting pulse rate. Once I reach 37 degrees celcius on my basal level need to tweek my T3 supplement down by 10 % to get to the right level of supplementation for my body.
Would love to find out if anyone has exerpience with this.
The neck pain I am getting seems to tighten my neck muscle and this causes a slight head tremor. Since the T3 find that it is getting less as the muscle relaxes more. I up my T3 meds every week by 5 mcg until I reach the level that is OK for me. Dr Louw and info found on the site you recommended both indicate that T4 often takes toooooo long to convert to T3 and even when it does if often is not enough or some may reverse T3 problems.
I'm not trying to be evasive here, but what is "normal" for you is whatever levels of the biologically active thyroid hormones, FT3 and FT4, it takes for you to be relieved of symptoms. Since FT3 and FT4 are frequently expressed in different measurement units, you have to be sure and look at the reference ranges from the specific lab that ran the test. When you find where your results fall within the range, then you can use that info along with symptoms to decide if you are normal. Just being within the low end of their ranges does not assure you will be normal and symptom free.
Many Forum members report that that they need for FT3 to be in the upper part of its range and FT4 to be at least at midpoint. Everyone is different. People require different levels of FT3 and FT4 to be symptom free and feel well. As a starting point, we usually recommend that patients make sure to get tested for FT 3 and FT4. Then we like to look at the results along with reference ranges to see where the results fall within the ranges. Then we like to know about symptoms. If symptoms are still present, then that is an indication that more medication is necessary. I prefer to think of the reference ranges as guidelines within which to adjust FT3 and FT4 until symptoms are relieved.
As far as TSH, it is a pituitary hormone that is a poor indicator of thyroid status. Over 8 years ago the AACE recommended that the reference range should be revised down to .3 - 3.0. Even now most labs and doctors still cling to the old range of .5 - 5.0. Which one would you call normal?
I think you can get a lot of good insight by reading this article.
http://www.hormonerestoration.com/Thyroid.html
Many Forum members report that that they need for FT3 to be in the upper part of its range and FT4 to be at least at midpoint. Everyone is different. People require different levels of FT3 and FT4 to be symptom free and feel well. As a starting point, we usually recommend that patients make sure to get tested for FT 3 and FT4. Then we like to look at the results along with reference ranges to see where the results fall within the ranges. Then we like to know about symptoms. If symptoms are still present, then that is an indication that more medication is necessary. I prefer to think of the reference ranges as guidelines within which to adjust FT3 and FT4 until symptoms are relieved.
As far as TSH, it is a pituitary hormone that is a poor indicator of thyroid status. Over 8 years ago the AACE recommended that the reference range should be revised down to .3 - 3.0. Even now most labs and doctors still cling to the old range of .5 - 5.0. Which one would you call normal?
I think you can get a lot of good insight by reading this article.
http://www.hormonerestoration.com/Thyroid.html
ok Thanks, that helps some. I have never asked for results copy, kinda figure the docs know what they are doing, but recently I am hearing that they are being told what was good is being found not to be good anymore and they should act on it sooner with meds. I asked here because I did ask on my own thread too and didnt seem to get an answer yet. I am still not sure what the numbers should look like, Eg, will they be a 7.5 or a 304? for example), I have seen the numbers for cholesterol and do know what they mean, seems those numbers are not such a secret to the non medical people. Sorry to ask here but seems all the docs I seen in my life time are too busy to explain unless it is about blood sugars or cholesterol. I also hope this helps MishMakelt since she was the one who asked here first. Thanks for your help.
Whenever you have tests done, you should always get a copy of the lab report. The doctor is required to provide a copy upon your request. It's a good idea to take the copy and write on there how you were feeling at the time and what meds you were taking. These are invaluable as records for future reference.
If you have a copy of a lab report, then you will see that there are reference ranges listed for each test. These are considered as "normal" be most doctors. If you fall within the ranges, then you will typically be told you are "normal". This is not always the case, because the reference ranges are far too broad to assure feeling well for everyone.
Symptoms are most important, followed by the levels of the actual, biologically active thyroid hormones, free T3 and freeT4. FT3 is most important because it is four times as active as FT4, plus Ft3 has been shown to correlate best with hypo symptoms. Total T4 and total T3 are somewhat obsolete tests that don't really tell what you want to know.
If you will post your test results and reference ranges, then members will be glad to help interpret.
If you have a copy of a lab report, then you will see that there are reference ranges listed for each test. These are considered as "normal" be most doctors. If you fall within the ranges, then you will typically be told you are "normal". This is not always the case, because the reference ranges are far too broad to assure feeling well for everyone.
Symptoms are most important, followed by the levels of the actual, biologically active thyroid hormones, free T3 and freeT4. FT3 is most important because it is four times as active as FT4, plus Ft3 has been shown to correlate best with hypo symptoms. Total T4 and total T3 are somewhat obsolete tests that don't really tell what you want to know.
If you will post your test results and reference ranges, then members will be glad to help interpret.
Gee, I was hoping someone would answer this cos I would like to know as well. I asked it too and never got an answer. Maybe by psoting here it will bring it to the top and someone will see it again, heres hoping,,,,,
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