Help me understand

[Pauper]

Can someone help me understand these results my T3 and T4 seem normal but TSH is so high

[SlowDragon Administrator]

How much levothyroxine are you taking

Looking at previous posts…..perhaps nothing?

Your results show you are very hypothyroid

FT4: 9.2 pmol/l (Range 9 - 19)

Ft4 is only 2.00% through range

FT3: 3.6 pmol/l (Range 2.4 - 6)

Ft3 better at 33.33% through range

Your extremely high TSH is trying valiantly to drum up some Ft3 despite virtually zero levels of Ft4

Likely very low vitamin D, folate, B12 and ferritin too unless you are testing and supplementing to maintain

[Lalatoot]

Pauper your ft4 and ft3 results are far from normal and the high TSH reflects this. Your thyroid is being super stimulated to try to get it to produce more thyroid hormones.

When the body is short of thyroid hormones, the thyroid prioritises output of T3 to keep basic bodily functions working. This is why your ft3 is 33.3% through its range but ft4 is a woeful 2.0% through its range.

Your results are showing a lack of thyroid hormones and you need to review what you are taking and how you can increase your ft4 level and lower TSH.

[pennyannie]

Hello Pauper :

Your TSH is out of range and very high and if it had a voice it would be shouting to go back into it's designated range -

Your T3 and T4 are in range but at the bottom of their designated ranges - and we generally feel best when these two vital hormones are up in the top quadrants of their ranges.

The way this is achieved is for you to be prescribed some T4 thyroid hormone replacement - Levothyroxine - and slowly you build up this dose of T4 with blood tests every 6 - 8 weeks with small increments of 25 mcg T4 i necessary, to relieve the symptoms of hypothyroidism.

As you progress over a period of a couple of months, your T3 and T4 should increase through the ranges and your TSH stop shouting and fall back down into range.

When fully well without any debilitating symptoms you TSH will likely be under 2 and down towards the bottom of it's range while your T3 and T4 readings will be towards the top of their ranges.

These readings suggest that your suffering with hypothyroidism and your thyroid struggling to function and your health and well being severely compromised and you must be feeling awful -

Why were these blood test run and have you seen a doctor yet regarding these thyroid results ?

[Lalatoot in reply to pennyannie]

From previous posts, Pauper was on low dose of levo original then came off it in preference for homeopathic treatment 2 years ago.

[pennyannie in reply to Lalatoot]

Ah - ok - i didn't look back far enough !!

Thank you :

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

Your high prolactin is also likely due to severe hypothyroidism.

In severe hypothyroidism, the pituitary (which makes both TSH and Prolactin), often enlarges. And output of both TSH and Prolactin rises. That is what seems to have happened.

High prolactin alone has significant effects. The quote below refers to high prolactin when someone has a pituitary tumour - because that is a more likely cause. But the symptoms are the same however it is caused:

High levels of prolactin in the blood can cause various symptoms, such as headaches. The signs and symptoms differ slightly between men, women and children.

Women may have:

Irregular periods or no periods. This symptom is present in 9 out of 10 pre-menopausal women with prolactinoma.

Reduced fertility.

Reduced sex drive.

Milk leaking from the breasts (known as galactorrhoea). This symptom is present in 8 out of 10 women. The milk may leak out by itself, or may only show when the breast is squeezed. (Note: leakage of milk from the breasts is normal towards the end of pregnancy, with recent childbirth, if breast-feeding and for some time after finishing breast-feeding.)

Increased growth of hair on the face or body.

Men may have:

Reduced fertility.

Difficulty having an erection (erectile dysfunction).

Reduced sex drive (libido).

Breast enlargement (called gynaecomastia).

Very rarely, leakage of milk from the breasts.

Children and teenagers may have:

Reduced growth.

Delayed puberty.

Prolactinomas which are large may press on the brain or nearby nerves (the nearest nerves are the optic nerves which go to the eye). Some prolactinomas can get bigger during pregnancy. Larger prolactinomas may cause symptoms such as:

Headache.

Eye symptoms - you may get reduced vision or double vision. The early changes can easily go unnoticed, because they affect the peripheral vision - that is, the edges of your vision to the extreme left and right. This means that you may see less of what is around you, but can still see well if you focus on something directly.

If you have headaches or double/reduced vision, see a doctor urgently - you may need to have treatment promptly to relieve the pressure on the optic nerves.

Rarely, the prolactinoma may press on the rest of the pituitary gland, stopping it from producing other hormones. This can cause symptoms such as tiredness, fainting, low blood pressure, low blood sugar or collapse. Also (rarely) there may be a leakage of the fluid that surrounds the brain and pituitary gland, felt as watery fluid leaking through the nose. These symptoms need urgent treatment.

patient.info/hormones/prola...

You need thyroid hormone. I can see no other possible answer.

[McPammy]

Severe hypothyroidism!!! You need replacement medication = levothyroxine to lift your T4 level adequately. Then recheck to see if you’re converting enough T4 to the most important hormone T3. I doubt any herbal remedies will help. You need medical help and urgently I’d say. How are you feeling and functioning??

[Pauper]

To be honest I feel great I'm 47 years old my bodyfat is at its lowest 11% I have 6 month old son so fertility seems to be ok and hasn't affected my libido in anyway I weigh 70kg and am 5foot 11 inches

I am very active the symptoms just don't seem to match

However I do feel my vision is deteriorated not sure if its age related or due to my condition