Help interpreting results

[hollip]

Hi, could someone help me interpret my husband's thyroid results? We got a test done by Medichecks and his results showed free T4 low in the range at 13.5 (12.00-22.00), and free T3 just below mid range 4.81 (3.10-6.80). Is this indicative of hypothyroidism? He has many symptoms, which is why we tested.

[Marz]

Did you have the anti-bodies TPO & Tg tested ?

Also LOW levels of B12 - Folate - Ferritin - VitD can also present similarly to Low thyroid.

All need to be tested

Where was the TSH level ?

[hollip in reply to Marz]

Hi Marz, thank you for the reply. We haven't have the vitamins tested yet, we will get those done. The TSH was 1.71 (0.27-4.20) and the thyroid antibody results we got were Thyroglobulin Antibody 14.900 (0.00-115.00) and Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies 13.4 (0.00-34.00). Are those the correct antibody tests?

I read on the Stop the Thyroid Madness site that 'If you have low FT4 and a mid-range or slightly higher FT3, it usually means the T4 is converting like mad to give you the T3 you do have, which means hypo.' which made me think my husband might be hypo, but am not sure if I am understanding things correctly. Also you think that results like these could mean a vitamin deficiency rather than thyroid problems?

[Marz in reply to hollip]

You are right about the T3 - I too have read that somewhere It can happen before the thyroid falters ....

Anti-bodies are negative for Hashimotos - although again I have read here that people can have Hashimotos without the anti-bodies being raised. So confusing.

I would have the vitamins and minerals tested - and if low in range could be causing symptoms. What are his symptoms ?

b12deficiency.info/signs-an...

Scroll down in the above link to view the signs and symptoms of Low B12 - which as you can see are similar in some areas to low thyroid.

B12 results needs to be over 500 and near the top of the range - VitD needs to be 100++ and Ferritin and Folate are best mid-range ....

[hollip]

His symptoms are quite a bit of weight gain, and inability to loose it - he eats the same meals as myself because he works from home and I don't have trouble with my weight and actually sometimes eats less than me. Increasig exercise doesn't seem to make much difference at all. He is very tired, he really struggles with this and has been very reliant on caffeine but is trying to quit. He is colder than he used to be, and he struggles with depression. Also recent symptoms that are new are mild consitpation and muscle cramps, although his diet hasn't altered.

I will definitely look into the vitamins. I have B12 deficiency myself and have to have injections. He definitely has the fatigue like me, but he doesn't have the other symptoms I get like tinnitus, and tingling hands and feet. I also get reduced appetite and loose weight when my B12 really drops but perhaps his isn't low enough to cause that. Somone else has suggested testing Selenium too, as well as the others you mentioned.