I'm new here, would like results explained.

[Aleka]

My latest thyroid test results are TSH 0.87. What does that mean? Is it good, bad, normal.? If not good or normal what can I do to improve the numbers?

[shaws Administrator]

Welcome to our forum Aleka and when you give results we also need the ranges (these are figures in brackets after the results). From that one result, TSH of 0.87 would suggest that you don't have anything wrong with your thyroid gland but you'd need far more tested than the TSH i.e T4, T3, Free T4, Free T3 and thyroid antibodies.

I am assuming you are having symptoms and I'll give a link.

Blood tests should be the very earliest possible, fasting (you can drink water) and if you were taking thyroid hormone replacements you'd leave 24 hours gap approx between last dose and the test and take afterwards.

Antibodies are useful to know because if we have these it shows the thyroid gland is under attack and it is suggested that levothyroxine should begin. Many doctors, however, only look at and test the TSH and make their decision not to prescribe.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/diagno...

Always get a print-out with the ranges.

[Aleka in reply to shaws]

Thanks for your reply. This result was from yesterday and received it by phone this morning. February 2017 result on TSH was 0.836 . Thyroglobulin. Was13.9 in Feb. . Thyroglobulin Antibody < 1.0. T4 free 1.46. Also in Feb.

[shaws Administrator in reply to Aleka]

Aleka post your results in a new post and if you also include the ranges it would be helpful.

[humanbean]

You can't learn anything from just a TSH test unless it is high. I know doctors think they can learn lots from this test but they are wrong.

The test which correlates far better with symptoms and how well people feel is the Free T3 test, but sadly doctors rarely order this test and labs even more rarely actually carry out the test even if a doctor has ordered it.

The first thing to say is that test results should always be given with a reference range. Without the range a number could mean anything. So when asking doctors or receptionists for results please make sure to ask for the reference ranges too.

A full test result is usually presented something like this, where 0.27 - 4.2 is the reference range

TSH 0.87 (0.27 - 4.2) pmol/L

Your result of 0.87 is likely - but not guaranteed - to be euthyroid (i.e. completely normal). There are other possibilities but we'd need more info before we could say anything about those.

Another thing to consider is that non-optimal nutrient results will make people feel absolutely atrocious. So if you can ask for tests to be done on ferritin, iron, vitamin B12, vitamin D and folate you might find that they are low. If this is the case then getting them up to optimal will make you feel a lot better.

[Glynisrose]

TSH can become irrelevent when at low levels like this anything under 1 is classed as suppressed but do not worry most of us have suppressed TSH.

[Aleka]

Feb. 7,2017. Thyroid tests

Left Thyroidectomy with large mass performed in 2009

Thyroglobulin. Result. 13.9. ng/ml. Range 1.5-38.5

Thyroglobulin Antibody results <1.0 IU/ml Range 0.0-0.9

TSH 0.836 Units uIU/ml Range.0450-4.500

T4, free ( direct) Result 1.46 Units NG/dL Range 0.82-1.77

New test on April 10, 2017

TSH results 0.87

This is all I have.

Thanks

[Aleka]

It's my reply just above with all results