Test results-help interpreting please!

[Jenbot78]

Hello, I recently got the Thyroid Plus test from Medichecks. Results were as follows:

TSH: 6.3

Free Thyroxine: 13.7

Total Thyroxine (T4): 68.7

Free T3: 3.05

Thyroglobulin Antibody: 57.7

Thyroid peroxidase antibodies: >600

So I have a few questions, if anyone could help what would be great.

i) Will my TSH stabilise after stopping breastfeeding? I had a baby seven months ago. Post partum my TSH went to 0.05 and I was experiencing hyper symptoms so GP reduced Levothyroxine from 125mg to 100mg. The above TSH result reflects my drop in medication. I have since increased it back to 125. Have been pretty stable on 125 for the past three years prior to being pregnant.

ii) In the simplest terms, what is free T3 and T4? Have never got to grips with what these mean.

iii) The >sign before antithyroid antibody results, does this mean that they are higher than this? The last time I had this test was over a year ago when they were >1500. So it is positive that they are reduced, if indeed this is what that means.

iv) I gave up gluten when I had the last test, does anyone think that this is likely to have reduced antibodies? Any thoughts about whether further lifestyle changes (healing gut, finding root cause and food sensitivities) might help? I have an appointment booked in with a functional medicine practitioner (will report back on how that goes to the community...)

Any help with the above questions will be very gratefully received.

[Clutter]

Jenbot78,

T4 and T3 are thyroid hormones. T4 is a sort of pro-hormone or storage hormone which converts throughout the day and night to T3. Free T4 and Free T3 are the measured T4 and T3 unbound to proteins.

TSH rises when FT4 and FT3 are low and TSH drops when FT4 and FT3 are high in range.

You were undermedicated on 100mcg for TSH to rise to 6.3. You should have a repeat thyroid test 6-8 weeks after raising it to 125mcg. TSH will stabilise when you are optimally dosed. It isn't affected by breastfeeding. TSH 0.05 didn't mean you were overmedicated unless FT4 and/or FT3 were over range. If you feel overmedicated on 125mcg in a couple of months try 100mcg/125mcg alternate days.

> means 'more than'. Thyroid peroxidase antibodies may be lower because of your gluten-free diet or maybe because you've not had a Hashimoto's flare up recently.

chriskresser.com/the-gluten...

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

[Kipsy]

Jenbot78 Clutter has given a brilliant reply but I just wanted to add that your functional medical practitioner will be able to give fantastic advice on gut healing if he/she works on a similar basis to the functional nutritionist I saw. I did find it a big commitment, both financially and in terms of taking what seemed like hundreds of (not always pleasant) tablets and tinctures and also in terms of having to adopt a grain free (not just gluten free) diet.

However, nearly six months on, it feels like I’ve healed a lot of my gut issues (SIBO, parasite, candida, a complete lack of good bacteria etc etc) and I’m hoping that I can maintain this. A recent Medichecks test showed good conversion of T4 to T3 and I am hoping that I will therefore not need to go down the route of self-sourcing T3 which, as you know, is a genuinely frightening problem faced by many on this forum.

What saddens me though is that this kind of functional practitioner help is only open to those who can afford to pay for it and that, for the vast majority, this is simply not an option. I hope that future generations will not suffer needlessly in the way that is happening today.

[Jenbot78]

Thanks for your reply Kipsy, I am looking forward to seeing how she can help. Did you find that your antibody numbers decreased as a result of your lifestyle changes?