What’s is a within the normal range for thyroid
Good Morning, I do hope you are all as well as can be.
Had Covid was really poorly, still feel really tired and unwell most days! Had thyroid bloods test done they are saying they are normal, is there a normal?
Was diagnosed in 2015 with Graves, not on any meds or seeing anyone.
You just might find the article below (and the full paper which you can access) interesting and/or useful.
The normal range: it is not normal and it is not a range
1. Martin Brunel Whyte
2. Philip Kelly
Abstract
The NHS ‘Choose Wisely’ campaign places greater emphasis on the clinician-patient dialogue. Patients are often in receipt of their laboratory data and want to know whether they are normal. But what is meant by normal? Comparator data, to a measured value, are colloquially known as the ‘normal range’. It is often assumed that a result outside this limit signals disease and a result within health. However, this range is correctly termed the ‘reference interval’. The clinical risk from a measured value is continuous, not binary. The reference interval provides a point of reference against which to interpret an individual’s results—rather than defining normality itself. This article discusses the theory of normality—and describes that it is relative and situational. The concept of normality being not an absolute state influenced the development of the reference interval. We conclude with suggestions to optimise the use and interpretation of the reference interval, thereby facilitating greater patient understanding.
For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested.
Also EXTREMELY important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12
Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially with autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto’s or Ord’s thyroiditis) or with Graves’ disease
What vitamin supplements are you currently taking?
Previous posts show very low vitamin levels
Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and before eating or drinking anything other than water .
This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)
Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or all relevant vitamins
List of private testing options
thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...
Medichecks Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins
medichecks.com/products/adv...
Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes antibodies, cortisol and vitamins by DIY fingerprick test
bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...
Thriva Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins By DIY fingerpick test
Link about thyroid blood tests
Also different ranges in other countries, and different ranges changed by the medical profession at different times. 2011 I was diagnosed, my daughter diagnosed on different ranges 2015.
Hello Seaside54 :
I can't seem to find any details of the medical evidence needed for a diagnosis of Graves Disease.
Did you have positive and over range TSI or TR ab antibodies, unique to Graves, at some point in time ?
Were you ever put on anti thyroid medication - Carbimazole for instance ?
Graves Disease can wax and wane, throughout one's life, as it's an auto immune disease, and generally we only get a diagnosis when Graves attacks the thyroid as the symptoms expressed generally severe enough need medical intervention.
Yes was on carbimazole and beta blockers.
Situations with high FT3, but normal within-range FT4 and TSH
How can I have so many hypo symptoms when my TSH, T4 and T3 are all within 'normal' range!
Your T3 is in normal range!!
Thyroid tests 'in normal range' what next?
Not really, no. 'Normal' is different for everybody - we're all individual with individual needs. When a doctor says 'normal', it just means 'within range', which is pretty meaningles because the ranges are so wide.
So, what you need to do is ask at reception for a print-out of your results - and ranges. If you are in the UK, it is your legal right to have one, but don't ask your doctor, they don't like you knowing because you might argue! lol
Also, ask if your surgery provides results on-line - some do, some don't.
Then, post results and ranges on here, and we'll tell you what they mean. How you feel is also important. But, if you're just getting over COVID, it's difficult to know what is that and what is thyroid, so blood tests are essential.
These are what were done in August by my GP.
Well, I would say they're sub-normal. That FT4 is very low. But, your GP is only looking at it being somewhere in the range, as I said. He doesn't have enough knowledge of thyroid to know that it is too low and that your FT3 will be even lower. Plus your TSH is below 1, so for him, it's got to be good.
I'm afraid you're up against doctor-ignorance, here, and I don't really know what you can do about it, except either wait for labs to get worse, or keep nagging at your doctor until he takes some notice just to get rid of you!