Result interpretation help needed please :-)

[Orla9298]

Can anyone translate these results for me at all please? My sister is 30 and has been suspicious of having an underactive thyroid for a couple of years - small amount of weight gain, very dry skin, and tired. Plus me and my mum both have underactive too, both pretty bad. She went to her uk GP last year who reluctantly tested and said the results were normal.

She just moved to Italy and had a full health check and included thyroid - the TSH is in units I'm used to seeing but the T4 isn't so I can't quite interpret it. I can see her TSH is raised and T4 low but can't work out how "bad" she is.

TSH: 4.0 miU/L (0.3-3.6)

FT4: 0.74 ng/dl (0.7-1.7)

FT3: 2.3 pg/ml (2.2-4.2)

Seeing her TSH high and T4 low made me tell her to get the uk results too from last year that were "normal" and back then her TSH was 5 and T4 12 which isn't really normal.

Can anyone advise whether she needs to start treatment maybe? She has been trying for a baby for a while too and I know it's better for TSH to be below 2.5, or closer to 1 even for that. I am starting my 3rd round of ivf due to my thyroid so I want to help her avoid that.

Thank you to anyone who can offer their wisdom!

[Justiina]

If she is symptomatic as you say, she should ask for treatment especially when trying to get pregnant. Not only to get pregnant but for sake of the baby.

Her TSH is high enough for some to feel half dead. Ft4 and ft3 are on low end the range. Her previous test results indicate hypothyroidism , you and your mom being hypo too should be alarming enough to get treatment. It's highly unlikely she is not hypo with family history and test results like that.

[silverfox7]

It's also prompted me to ask about your own readings as you are having IVF and I wondered if you need a bit of a tweak as well. What are your readings like? Please post them with the ranges as you may benefit from a dose rethink.

[Orla9298 in reply to silverfox7]

My results are fine as I check them regularly and my fertility doc is happy with them. TSH is around 1.5 and T4 around 19 taking doses of 150 and 175 on alternate days, which we have now changed to a pattern of 150,175,175 to very slightly increase my dose.

I'm gluten free and also supplement everything needed and all of my other vitmamins etc are in range. X

[silverfox7]

In range isn't always enough. Have a look at SeasideSusie's posts as they are really good for vits especially vitamin D