TSH, T3, T4.. Levels

[birkie]

Hi everyone ❤️

I'm on a hyperparathiyroidism site, diagnosed with it seeing endo 2nd June.. I was watching a parathyroid surgeon who was taking open questions on conditions, symptoms and blood work up.. One thing he mentioned when asked about Calcium and PTH levels was about range and just out of RANGE ie.... Say your level of calcium was 2.30 to 2. 35 for a lot of your life, then a sudden calcium of 2.59 to 2.60 would be over range for you.. Eventho the range is 2.10 to 2.60..(uk)..same for the parathyroid say your normal PTH was 2.40 to 2.55...range is.. 1.60.. 6.90..(uk) then a range of 6.00..6.90..would be over range for you, eventho your gp says your in range... This got me thinking about our TSH, T3, T4.... Could this apply? Say your normal TSH was between 0.50..to 2.00 range (uk).. 0.30..4.50...then like mine it suddenly started to decrease but didn't go below the golden nhs range but you felt awful as I did symptoms of hyper..no T3 or T4 done..) Same for hypo only TSH would go up... T4 would lower T3 would lower, it was interesting in that he did not actually go by in range or out of range he went by what their calcium or PTH were before they showed signs of hyperparathiyroidism, as I said so some one with a calcium of 2. 35 who now had symptoms of hyperparathyroidism now had a calcium of 2.57 he would still diagnose them as being over range.. Where if you were seen in your surgery your gp would say "your calcium is in range so your OK" just got me thinking.. Something I think GPS and endos should take in to consideration 🤷‍♀️

[tattybogle]

Yes they should . our own individual setpoints for TSH/fT4/3 levels the relationship between them do not vary very much at all over our life , so it's the change from OUR normal that is most informative... and in a lot of cases that result would still be within the reference range for 97.5% of the healthy population, but be very abnormal for us, and enough to explain our symptoms. The problem here is that hardly anybody has any idea what their own personal setpoint for TSH/fT4/fT3 is in health.... we only get tested when we already have a developing problem.

If TSH fT4/3 was run as part of normal health record processes at certain points through life it would be extremely useful to everyone.

[birkie in reply to tattybogle]

Hi tattybogle❤️...

Yes I agree its a pitty we all can't look back in to previous blood work to get a handle on how our TSH T3 and T4 were when well...i myself have had that privilege as I had a full hysterectomy in sep 2003 so full blood count was done along with hormone bloods, ( I may add I only found these after requesting my medical records both hospital and GPS) I also noticed in my records in 2004 I was diagnosed with hyperparathyroidism (primary) but my TSH, T3, T4 were in good range, as I see in my records, my PTH was very over range as was my calcium, I moved surgerys because I was getting no where with my previous one (still felt hyperparathyroidism symptoms) the new surgery sent me to Newcastle where I got a diagnosis of me/fibro/cfs... I had bloods done every year and I was never told my TSH was slowly decreasing, onset of hyperthyroidism (as I said I've found these in my records some are actually suppressed) gp did send me to an endo who wrote could be onset of hyperthyroidism? But next blood work came bk as normal ( according to my gp) when actually it was under range again no T3 or T4 done... (found in my records) so.... I went into thyroid storm and lost my thyroid in 2019..😤 In my honest opinion this was due to endo incompetence and gp incompetence going by nhs golden range rules instead of symptoms 😤😤😤😤

[Oatcake]

I once heard the range described as the side of a barn and our personal level as the barn door! A much smaller target which could be at any point along the side of the barn.😀

[tattybogle in reply to Oatcake]

lol

[birkie in reply to Oatcake]

Hi Oatcake❤️

Isn't it awful we're in 2021 and still some GPS and endo are still in the 1800s in their thinking.. It takes a gentleman like the one I mentioned to take the thyroid /parathyroid range and turn it on is head, he has had so many people come to him after they have been refused treatment because of in range thyroid /parathyroid hormones it's unbelievable, as he stated these GPS, endos... (and he did condem certain endos) keep their patient's unwell due to not seeing that eventho their bloods say in range that does not mean they are well, look at the patients symptoms do further tests, not just blood work, he his a forward thinking surgeon in my opinion 👍

[greygoose]

Are you talking about diagnosing? Or treating? Because they are two entirely different things. You cannot compare someone on exogenous hormone with someone whose thyroid is working normally.

[birkie in reply to greygoose]

This gentleman who is a thyroid surgeon was talking about getting diagnosed as he himself said, some GPS endos just look at blood work say everything is fine then just leave you.. Looking at the fact your thyroid /parathyroid levels are in range.. Both of these have happened in my case.. Both trying to get diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and hyperparathiyroidism, as I said he goes by symptoms and does not fixate on your thyroid /parathyroid blood levels.. In my case my gp told me my bloods were fine.. In fact I was in hyperthyroidism, same for parathyroid bloods (are OK ) when in fact I was in primary hyperparathiyroidism, waiting to see endo 2nd June... As I said we are all diffrent, so why do the medical fraternity label us under one umbrella for thyroid /parathyroid bloods.. 🤷‍♀️

[greygoose in reply to birkie]

Because it's easier for them and they don't care about their patients, that's all.