T3/T4 versus FT3/FT4?

[smilas]

Good morning

I'm wondering whether T3/T4 OR FT3/FT4 are more important a gauge on working out thyroid functioning?

Below are my most recent results:

My 2 last test results are as follows...was wondering if anyone has any feedback on how things are looking? TSH, T3 and T4 have improved, FT3 pretty much the same, FT4 also shows improvement..blood results were taken in January and then again in March detailed below. Figures in brackets are reference ranges and same for both sets of results. Any advice would be much appreciated

January 2018

T3: 39 (60-200)

T4: 1.1 (4.5-12)

TSH: 131.64 (0.3-5.5)

Ft3: 1.66 (1.7-4.2)

Ft4: 0.46 (0.7-1.8)

March 2018

T3: 61

T4: 2.69

TSH: 54.70

Ft3: 1.69

Ft4: 0.59

Thank you kindly

[jimh111]

The free hormone levels are tbe ones to use. However, I wouldn't worry about the technicalities of the blood tests if I were in your position. You have low thyroid hormone levels which are harmful to your health and will cause cognitive difficulties which may impair your judgement. Your TSH is high, it can vary from blood test to blood test. In time your numbers, particularly TSH, might look better as your body adjusts to a hypothyroid state. This is false comfort, the longer you remain hypothyroid the more difficult it will be to recover. You should see your GP and get adequate treament as soon as possible. if you are under 60 with no cardiac problems your GP can start you on 100 mcg levothyroxine. Looking at blood test results will not make you better.

[smilas in reply to jimh111]

Thank you for your input- isn't the fact that thyroid levels have improved and tsh has decreased since January a good sign though that things are improving?

[jimh111 in reply to smilas]

No! TSH is probably 'better' because your poor pituitary is getting fed up with working flat out to try and get your thyroid going. Your fT4 has improved a touch but in hypothyroidism (which is usually an autoimmune condition) the thyroid behaves erratically until it finally packs in, occasionally releasing extra hormone.

You are very lucky that your TSH went very high in response to low thyroid hormone levels, in some patients TSH never goes high and these patients are much more difficult to treat successfully. Also, you feel reasonably well in spite of low hormone levels, again you are in a group that tends to do very well when treated. You are much more fortunate than most of the patients on this forum. You should start hormone treatment now before you join the 'club' and your treatment becomes problematic.

[smilas in reply to jimh111]

Thank you again for your input. It's so confusing...I haven't taken any meds since I was diagnosed as I've been trying to treat naturally and was under the impression that seeing as the lives are improving I'm managing to do that. My results also seem to be just fractionally below recommended reference ranges, so that also led me to believe things are ok...

[shaws Administrator in reply to smilas]

If we are hypothyroid we cannot not take thyroid hormone replacements as our metabolism cannot function without T3. T3 is the only active thyroid hormone. Levothyroxine is T4 and converts to T3, but we need an optimum dose which is gradually increased by 25mcg every six weeks until TSH is 1 or lower.

The only 'natural' way we can replace thyroid hormones is by a 'natural dessicated thyroid hormone' which contains all of the hormones a healthy gland (made from pigs' thyroid glands' would do but it is now no longer prescribed by the NHS but you can source your own privately. It has been in use since 1892 and before that we just died.

T3 is the Active thyroid hormone which is needed in our millions of T3 receptor cells.

The aim is a TSH of 1 or lower and a FT4 and FT3 towards the top part of the range. Yours are too low:-

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

The brain and heart need the most T3.

[jimh111 in reply to smilas]

BOTH your fT3 and fT4 are below the lower limits. If one is low and the other high we are sometimes OK. Tissues can get T3 directly from the blood or by converting T4 to T3. They can't get sufficient hormone if both are low. This is why your TSH is so high. You need thyroid hormone supplementation. Sorry to be blunt but it would be unfair and dishonest to pretend there is any other option.