Low TSH, T3 & 4

[hoalarg]

Hello, I wondered if someone could help me. My partner has a TSH of 0.7 and the below figures (see photo). She has low t3 and t4. To antibodies look normal. Symptoms are low body temperatures, reynaulds, constipation, infertility. Her vitamin D is low too even though she supplements. Is this a pituitary issue as her TSH is so low but t3 and 4 are also? It can't be hyperthyroidism can it? Thanks for your time.

[greygoose]

Strange labs. Why did they do the total T4? It's of absolutely no use, and you can't conclude anything from it. The Free T3 is very low, yes, but without knowing what the Free T4 is, you can't say if it's a pituitary problem or a conversion problem. Is your partner on any form of thyroid hormone replacement?

[hoalarg in reply to greygoose]

No she's not taking any thyroid hormone. It looks like we should get a thyroid panel done that includes FT4.

[greygoose in reply to hoalarg]

Absolutely. I can't understand why the lab did the TT4. I didn't think that was done anymore in the UK.

And it would be a good idea to get the Thyroglobulin antibodies tested, too. The TPO ab are negative, but the TgAB could be positive.

[hoalarg in reply to greygoose]

Thank you. We'll get that done and repost.

[jgelliss in reply to greygoose]

Contrary to your belief Total T4 is the better testing then FT4 . However FT3 is the better testing for T3 .

[greygoose in reply to jgelliss]

Sorry, but that is not the general view. Can you substantiate your claim? In what way is it better?

[greygoose]

Yes, but they don't usually do totally useless tests like the Total T4.

[greygoose]

Yes, I realise you're a novice. But, one doesn't like giving too much information, because one never knows exactly how much the other person knows, and if they already know what you've just told them, they can get very prickly! Me included! lol

It's not the T4 that is useless, it's the TT4 test that is useless. The TT4 test - Total T4 - measures all the T4 in the blood - that is to say, the T4 that is useful for the body, called the Free T4, and the T4 which can't be used by the body, called Bound T4, because it is bound to a protein. But, it doesn't tell us how much of each. And, what we want to know is how much T4 is available for the body to use. Which is why we should always get the FT4 tested. Same for T3. There are two tests : FT3 and TT3, and we always want the FT3 done.

[jgelliss]

With PLEASURE greygoose . I can tell you from my very own experience when my FT3/FT4 where in normal reference rang I did not feel well even though my TSH was also in normal reference rang . I had panic attacks , high blood pressure When they checked my Total T4 and I was way below mid rang. My T4 was raised and that's when I started to feel like myself . Please do not say that Total T4 is useless . That's very misleading . In fact Total T4 is more of a barometer for well being for me and some others as well . It might just be the missing link to well being .