Can you help me read my results?

[LovetheSouth]

Hi there!

Can someone tell me how I'm doing currently? I am brand new to hypothyroidism. I just got my latest lab results and want to know what this all means for me. What are the optimal levels I should be at? As you can see, my TSH went down from November, but my T4 Free went up. What should it be doing? I have been on 75mcg of Synthroid since November.

[Hennerton]

You will need to post the reference ranges, as these results mean nothing without them. Labs use different ranges and it sounds as though these are USA results, are they? When you have them, post under a new thread and members will reply.

[silverfox7]

Welcome to the forum. Glad you have found us. Your results show you are going in the right direction with TSH reducing and FT4 increasing butcas explained above we need to see the ranges to advise further.

Just to explain a little more the TSH is a messenger so this is simplified to explain a little about its roll in keeping you well. So when we are low in medication the pituitary in our brain sends the messenger to the thyroid to release some more so the higher the TSH is the more desperate it is to get more thyroxine released. So in your last results it is still screaming but not as much as earlier because the need is still there but not as urgent as before because your FT4 reading has increased a little so you probably need more medication to feel well.

It's not the best scenario to say what should happen next because we don't know your ranges but I'm assuming your doctor hasn't commented. Some doctors think that if you are in range you are fine but it's where in the range that is so important. So as already suggested get the ranges and start another post and I'm sure then we can help you more.

This forum is administered by Thyroid Uk and they have lots of info on their site. Well worth a look as there are other things to take on board that can help you as well. So anything you don't understand on there we can help you with then ask. You will see our ranges are very different to yours but you are aiming to get your frees in the top third of the range and most feel better when TSH is at 1 or even below.

[SilverAvocado]

Are the November and January results on exactly the same dose? It's a bit surprising they are so different.

The first question to look into that is whether both tests were taken in ideal conditions:

1) Were you on the same dose for 6 weeks at the time of the test?

2) Were they both taken at the same time of day, ideally first thing in the morning before you've eaten or taken any medication?

3) Did you leave a 24 hour gap between taking Synthroid and having the test? Usually this would be taking your morning dose the day before, and then delaying your dose on the day of the test until after your blood draw. If you take your usual dose at night it requires a bit of fudging.

As others have mentioned, we can't interpret the tests without the ranges, which should be in brackets after your results.

Was it your 2017 result that prompted a doctor to prescribe Synthroid? The TSH looks like it's pretty close to ideal for an unmedicated person (usually once medicated we like it a bit lower than a healthy thyroid).

[Catania1]

Next time have them test Free T3 and Reverse T3 at the same time (you’ll have to ask, as most doctors won’t do it on their own, unfortunately). With this added info you will know if you’re actually converting the T4 (Synthroid is a T4 only medication) into the active T3 hormone (the one that your body needs to feel better!). If your body is under stress, it could be converting that T4 to Reverse T3 instead of active T3, which is why many patients still feel hypothyroid on T4 only medications....so those 2 extra data points are helpful to know. If this is the case, your doctor can add Cytomel (T3) or switch you to a Natural Desiccated Thyroid product (which contain both T4 & T3). Hope that helps! See the website for “Stop the Thyroid Madness” for more info.