Please help with my results

[Trying-To-Juggle]

Hi all. I’ve been feeling rubbish for several mi this now with what I assumed was hypo type symptoms. Carpal tunnel effects in my hands, aching particularly in the morning. Feeling tired. Foggy head and headaches and almost slurred speech. I’ve also had my gallbladder removed. So I’ve had some bloods done and the results are TSH 0.1. Free T4 12.9 and Free T3 6.1. What does this all mean?

[betty2480]

Hello, can you put ranges in so members can analyse? Thank you 😊

[canyouhearmeaya]

You need to post ranges, but based on typical ranges, your Free T3 looks high to me? (That would be right at the top of a typical UK range.)

However your TSH and FT4 are low...? Almost looks like blood work of someone who is taking T3. Are you take any kind of thyroid medication?

[Trying-To-Juggle]

Hi both. That’s all the info I have on my referral letter from my gp. I’m not in any medication.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Have you ever had head injury or trauma?

Or had massive blood loss or heamorage during pregnancy or during labour

Such a low TSH, with what appears to be low FT4 (difficult to be definite without ranges) suggests central hypothyroidism but it could just be Hashimoto's that's been caught swinging up and down

Have you had vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 tested? Add results and ranges if you have them. Or ask GP to test if not

Also TPO and TG thyroid antibodies to test for autoimmune thyroid disease also called Hashimoto's

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4, TT4, FT3 plus TPO and TG thyroid antibodies. Plus vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12.

Essential to test thyroid antibodies, FT3 and FT4, plus vitamins

Private tests are available. Thousands on here forced to do this as NHS often refuses to test FT3 or antibodies

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

Medichecks Thyroid plus ultra vitamin or Blue Horizon Thyroid plus eleven are the most popular choice. DIY finger prick test or option to pay extra for private blood draw. Both companies often have money off offers.

All thyroid tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and fasting. This gives highest TSH and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, GP will be unaware)

If antibodies are high this is Hashimoto's, (also known by medics here in UK more commonly as autoimmune thyroid disease).

About 90% of all hypothyroidism in Uk is due to Hashimoto's. Low vitamins are especially common with Hashimoto's. Food intolerances too, especially gluten. So it's important to get antibodies tested.

Link about thyroid blood tests

thyroiduk.org/tuk/testing/t...

Link about antibodies and Hashimoto's

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

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

List of hypothyroid symptoms

thyroiduk.org/tuk/about_the...

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Or had whiplash or car accident?

[Astridnova]

B12 deficiency could give all those symptoms and often goes with thyroid problems. The therapeutic levels are notoriously inadequate. You can get Vit B12 5000iu to dissolve sublingually (actually between cheek and gums) on line. Your thyroid measures seem to me to be in mid-range but they might not be right for you. My partner does okay with T4 up around 19.

[ShootingStars]

Hi Trying-To-Juggle, What are all your previous results, or was this the first one? When you say "referral letter", does this mean that your doctor is referring you to a specialist? Lab ranges and previous results would be most helpful, but your symptoms and current bloods without ranges provide a hint of info. This blood test is just one moment in time. As your your thyroid struggles, TSH can fluctuate. So will FT3 and FT4, but the movement will probably not be as much as with your TSH. This just might be one moment where your pituitary sent more TSH than previous times. Or, maybe it's less. TSH is not a thyroid hormone, like T3 and T4 are. This could be Hashimoto's talking, too, so need both TPOab and TGab antibodies tested.

My carpal tunnels and Hashi's story: About four years before I was diagnosed with Hashi's, I was in the middle of having all types of strange symptoms, and doctors couldn't determine what was wrong with me. I was certain that I had carpal tunnel syndrome. I saw a neurologist. I did a nerve conduction study and I got a cervical, thoracic and lumbar MRI. I did extensive blood tests. Everything was beautiful and normal. No CTS. Of course, no thyroid tests were done either. Over the following years, I had new strange symptoms and my "carpal tunnels" was transient. It would wax and wane. Four years later, I found out I had Hashimoto's. Once I started medication, my carpal tunnels improved. As my FT3 and FT4 neared the optimal part of the range, my carpal tunnels was completely gone and has not returned since.

[Trying-To-Juggle]

Thank you everyone for your comments. I’ve had two lots of bloods done. One in Dec and one in Feb. Both times the TSH was 0.1. I dont know any other info. Im seeing an Endo on Mo day so should have some answers.

I wonder whether I might have Hashimotos as it’s an Auto Immune disease. My mum has vitiligo and I have developed a type of eczema which I think is a symptom on an AI too...

[SilverAvocado]

For someone who is not on any thyroid hormone treatment, this is a very low TSH, and a high freeT3. The freeT4 looks like it may be low-ish.

A healthy person would have a TSH of about 1-1.5, and freeT4 and freeT3 in the middle of the range. We can't see the ranges, but to guess from common ones would be freeT4 about 12-22, and freeT3 about 3-6.8

Yours are a very unusual result, so it's hard to know what the cause is. I'd have two guesses, but they're both kind of opposites. One is that this is an early stage of hyperthyroidism - the thyroid making too much hormone. The freeT3 and TSH both suggest that, but I'd have thought you'd have a high freeT4, too. And with hyper thyroid the freeT3 is often massive.

Or it could be central hypothyroid, where the thyroid is healthy, but the pituitary is not producing enough TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone), which instructs the thyroid to make more hormone. The low TSH and low freeT4 would fit that. But the freeT3 seems pretty high. The body works hard to preserve freeT3 levels, but I don't think it usually raises them to the tip of the range.

I think you'll have to wait and see with more testing what the true answer is. It may be that your personal comfort levels are a bit unusual so the results don't quite match up, or the lab is using unusual ranges so some of these numbers don't mean what I'm thinking they mean.

[Trying-To-Juggle]

Thanks everyone. So I got a copy of my results today which can help explain things or not!

Free T3 6.1. Range 4.3-6.8.

FreeT4 12.9. Range 7.7-15.1.

Plasma TSH 0.01 Range 0.34-5.6

[Trying-To-Juggle]

Can anyone add anything further with my ranges above. I’ve gone down hill rapidly in the last few weeks. My mood is awful and I had what I assume was an anxiety attach at work. I’ve been signed off for a few weeks and can’t stop crying