Help Understanding My Thyroid Test Results

[leeo267]

Hi,

I've been having hypo and some hyper symptoms for a while now but more recently the worse symptoms (fatigue and brain fog) have increased. My own GP was positive that I was Hyperthyroid last month but my TSH came back as only 0.68 (0.35-4.5) so no further tests were carried out.

I'm at the end of my tether with feeling like this so I ordered a home blood test from Blue Horizon Medicals. The doctor from the lab reported them all normal but, surely, if my TSH is on the lower end my FT3 and FT4 should be higher?

Results are;

TSH 0.49 (0.27-4.2)

FT4 14.5 (12.0-22.0)

FT3 4.1 (3.1-6.8)

TT4 95 (59-154)

Thyroglobulin Antibodies 16.3 NEGATIVE (0-115)

Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies 12.0 (0-34)

Can anybody shed some light on what's going on with me? Am I looking for the wrong things? And, could this be a pituitary or adrenal problem?

Thanks in advance

[jimh111]

Your previous post suggested you were hyperthyroid. These numbers suggest hypothyroid. Sometimes if you are hyperthyroid for some time the TSH can be down-regulated, it becomes too low for the fT3, fT4. So the TSH figure is not helpful. Possibly you were hyperthyroid for some time and are now hypo as your thyroid has deteriorated. Sometimes in autoimmune thyroid disease you can have flare ups, but your antibody counts are low.

I assume you are no longer taking propranalol as this will interfere with your thyroid hormones. I think you may need to see an endocrinologist as your case is a little complex. If your thyroid is flaring up they can use a technique called 'block and replace' to tide you over until your thyroid settles down to steady hypothyroidism. This involves giving you medication to block your thyroid action along with levothyroxine.

[leeo267 in reply to jimh111]

Thanks for your help, jimh. Yes, my GP thought I was hyper but my TSH result was normal. She prescribed me the propranolol while waiting for results but after taking it a few times I stopped because it was making me drowsier than what I already feel.

If I took these results to my GP would she refer me to see an endo? Even if they're all within range?

Don't know where to go from here really and I can't seem to find anyone with similar results while I've been searching forums.

[jimh111 in reply to leeo267]

I don't know if your GP would refer you, it would be worth a try. Where did you get the blood test results from, were they from a finger prick test or did you get a blood test taken?

[leeo267 in reply to jimh111]

It was a home finger prick test through Blue Horizon Medicals.

[jimh111 in reply to leeo267]

It's just my own opinion but I don't think you can rely on the accuracy of these tests, especially for fT3, fT4 which are in the blood in minute quantities. It really is stretching the science to the limits. I'd try an get a referral to an endocrinologist and then they can do a blood test.

[leeo267 in reply to jimh111]

I'm certainly going to try to get a referral. Thanks for your help.