Question regarding thyroid levels

Feel free to discuss any topic of general interest, so long as nothing you post here is likely to be interpreted as insulting, and/or inflammatory, nor clearly designed to provoke any individual or group. Please be considerate of others feelings, and they will be considerate of yours.

Moderators: Rosie, Stanz, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh

Post Reply
JenniferS
Gentoo Penguin
Gentoo Penguin
Posts: 270
Joined: Wed Oct 31, 2012 6:24 pm

Question regarding thyroid levels

Post by JenniferS »

I received blood work for my thyroid. I think they're normal, but figured y'all would know more about these results.

TSH 0.16
T33 314
T43 1.4

Thanks!
JenniferS
Gentoo Penguin
Gentoo Penguin
Posts: 270
Joined: Wed Oct 31, 2012 6:24 pm

Post by JenniferS »

I'm not sure if this is significant, but in 2012, my TSH was 3.38. I don't know if there's different ways to test TSH, and if that would account for the change. Or if maybe it's normal for this to fluctuate.
Pat
Rockhopper Penguin
Rockhopper Penguin
Posts: 1068
Joined: Fri Nov 17, 2006 2:41 pm
Location: Texas

Post by Pat »

Can you post the ranges listed from the lab. Some labs differ in their ranges. Are these Free T3 and Free T4?

Pat
JenniferS
Gentoo Penguin
Gentoo Penguin
Posts: 270
Joined: Wed Oct 31, 2012 6:24 pm

Post by JenniferS »

Thanks for responding, Pat!

I don't have the ranges for the most recent ones--the 0.16, 314, and 1.4--as I was told over the phone.

For the other results, all they did was the TSH, and that gave me 3.380 with the range being 0.400 to 5.00

So, based on your question, and I correct to assume that perhaps the discrepancy of the two is due to different types of tests and ranges?
User avatar
tex
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 35066
Joined: Tue May 24, 2005 9:00 am
Location: Central Texas

Post by tex »

OK,

I'm confused. Your T3 cannot be 314 (that's about a thousand times too high — it would imply that you were taking megadoses of triiodothyronine), and if that were true, then your TSH result should be essentially 0 (zero).

If your T3 result were 3.14, then that result would be in the normal range. But a TSH of 0.16 is way too low, and indicates either hyperthyroidism, or overdosing on thyroid hormone supplements. 1.4 is in the normal range for Free T4

Free T3 and Free T4 should always be tested (not Total T3 and Total T4), because Total T3 and T4 results are very poor indicators of actual thyroid status. Unfortunately, most doctors who don't understand thyroid issues, order regular T3 and T4 tests (which actually measure Total T3 and Total T4). Free T3 and Free T4 results show how much of those hormones are actually available to be used by the body, and that's why they are the most important parameters, by far.

Tex
:cowboy:

It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
JenniferS
Gentoo Penguin
Gentoo Penguin
Posts: 270
Joined: Wed Oct 31, 2012 6:24 pm

Post by JenniferS »

Thanks, Tex,

She may have misspoken. It was actually my gyno that took the test, which I found slightly odd, and I never heard back, so figured there wasn't a problem. But now my rheumatologist is asking if I'd had my thyroid tested, so I tracked down the results, and curious, asked what they were. I don't take any thyroid meds.

If your TSH is low, should your other numbers be affected?

I know 0 about thyroid stuff.
User avatar
tex
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 35066
Joined: Tue May 24, 2005 9:00 am
Location: Central Texas

Post by tex »

Jennifer,

Incidentally, the lab your doctor is using is still basing their test analysis on outdated ranges. Way back in 2003, the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists decided to lower the recommended normal range for TSH test analysis to 0.2–3.0. One would think that after 11 years, the lab (and your doctor) would have updated their working knowledge. :roll:

What the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists Said...

Tex
:cowboy:

It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
JenniferS
Gentoo Penguin
Gentoo Penguin
Posts: 270
Joined: Wed Oct 31, 2012 6:24 pm

Post by JenniferS »

Thanks, Tex. :)

No wonder these things are so confusing!
User avatar
tex
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 35066
Joined: Tue May 24, 2005 9:00 am
Location: Central Texas

Post by tex »

Jennifer wrote:If your TSH is low, should your other numbers be affected?
Maybe, but not necessarily.

But after reading your posts, I still don't know whether your TSH result was low or high. Was it 0.16, or 3.38, or something else? :shrug:

Tex
:cowboy:

It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
JenniferS
Gentoo Penguin
Gentoo Penguin
Posts: 270
Joined: Wed Oct 31, 2012 6:24 pm

Post by JenniferS »

The 3.38 was in 2012. The 0.16 was maybe six months ago. I don't understand why these numbers are so different or if the different doctors used different labs. I maybe should've asked for all my results, but they charge per page to have the actual copies, I believe. I'll chat with my rheumatologist about this and see what he says (he didn't order the labs. These are from previous. He might want to do his own testing).
User avatar
tex
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 35066
Joined: Tue May 24, 2005 9:00 am
Location: Central Texas

Post by tex »

OK, that's kinda what I gathered. The test probably should be redone. Occasionally, test results can be erratic, for no obvious reason, so no prudent doctor is likely to make drastic treatment changes based on a single thyroid test.

Tex
:cowboy:

It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
JenniferS
Gentoo Penguin
Gentoo Penguin
Posts: 270
Joined: Wed Oct 31, 2012 6:24 pm

Post by JenniferS »

Thanks, Tex. :)
JenniferS
Gentoo Penguin
Gentoo Penguin
Posts: 270
Joined: Wed Oct 31, 2012 6:24 pm

Post by JenniferS »

One more question, Tex,

Would taking endocort cause TSH level? I'm not taking endocort now, but when the test was done I'd been on the full dose for almost 2 years.
User avatar
tex
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 35066
Joined: Tue May 24, 2005 9:00 am
Location: Central Texas

Post by tex »

Yes, corticosteroids will definitely suppress TSH.
A small subset of medications including glucocorticoids, dopamine agonists, somatostatin analogs and rexinoids affect thyroid function through suppression of TSH in the thyrotrope or hypothalamus.
DRUGS THAT SUPPRESS TSH OR CAUSE CENTRAL HYPOTHYROIDISM

That means that if someone has hypothyroidism (which is normally associated with an elevated TSH result), and they are taking a corticosteroid, it will skew the test results enough that the results will appear normal (that is, the TSH result will be normal). And if a person has normal thyroid function, the test results would be skewed to appear that the patient is hyperthyroid (low TSH).

Tex
:cowboy:

It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Post Reply

Return to “Main Message Board”