My wife has suffered with Hypothyroidism for decades so I'm well aware of the symptoms. I do have some of the symptoms and have had them for many years though not to the same degree, I had my thyroid function tested and my Doctors receptionist told me the test showed no abnormalities and they wouldn't entertain a follow up appointment.
Following a request for the results, this is what it showed
TSH 3.61 mui/L (0.35 - 5.00mui/L)
T4 serum free level 15.4 pmol/L (11.00 - 23.00pmol/L)
I am reading conflicting advice online about these results (sample extract below), can anyone shed any light on it please? Many thanks in advance
"Your first challenge: Don’t accept “normal” as a result for your thyroid test. At most labs, the reference range for the TSH test is from around .5 to 5.0. The problem is, many doctors deem any test result within that range as “normal.” But in my practice, I’ve found TSH levels less than 2.0 to reflect adequate thyroid function. But if all you hear is “your thyroid tests were normal” – without knowing the actual number – you won’t know that your TSH above 2.0 may be indicative of low-level hypothyroidism.
Your second challenge: The TSH test is not infallible, and it can miss situations where the actual levels of thyroid hormone are not sufficient. So make sure your doctor runs the Free T4 and Free T3 levels, and gives you not only the results, but the reference ranges. What I like to see is a Free T4 in the top half of the reference range, and a Free T3 at least at the midpoint of the reference range, if not higher."