what do the numbers mean?

[Katilea]

My Dr's have NEVER in my life explained the blood tests to me. I've no idea what the ranges are and when you phone they will only say whether your levels are ok or you need to higher or lower medication. They will only test for T4.

I want to have private blood tests done also for Reverse T3, and TSH too as I think its not converting as I'm on 300mcg Levothyroxine daily so shouldnt have the symptoms I do if it was working effectively.

I'm looking for a simple explanation of what the numbers for T4 and T3 mean? How I know from the numbers that its not converting? whether this would make my TSH numbers high or low etc. I always confused as to whether my TSH would be high or low if the tablets weren't working (brain fog is a huge issue for me along with chronic fatigue and muscle pain) I barely have the energy to get through the day,

If I get a private blood test done what kind of numbers should be I looking at to prove I'm making Reverse T3 or my body just ins't converting enough of the T4 to T3?

Thanks

Kati

[Angel_of_the_North]

Are you in the UK?

[Katilea in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

yes

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to Katilea]

Then you are entitled to see your results by law. It's part of the NHS constitution and the Data Protection Act, so don't let them fob you off. GP practices are also supposed to have enabled results online by now, too.

[greygoose]

TSH and rT3 are two of the least helpful thyroid tests. You don't need an expensive rT3 test to know if you're converting or not. You just look at the FT4 and the FT3. If the FT4 is up the top of the range, and your FT3 below mid-range, then you are not converting well, and your rT3 will be high. On the other hand, the TSH could be just about anywhere in such a case. It really is a very bad indicator of thyroid status, and irrelevant unless it goes high.

But that doesn't mean that the levo isn't working, it means that you are not working correctly. If the FT4 is high - which it should be on your dose - then you are absorbing it. If it is low, then there is an absorption problem.

But, it really would be easier to explain results when you've actually got them. Then we can tell you what is going wrong, and why.

What you need from a private test is :

TSH

FT4

FT3

TPO and Tg antibodies, if you haven't already had them tested a couple of times

vit D

vit B12

folate

ferritin

But, you know, you don't have to just sit back and accept 'ok' or 'not ok' from a doctor's receptionist, you can ask for a print-out of your results with all the details. It is your legal right to have one, in the UK.

[Katilea]

thanks what is FT3 and FT4?