Thyroid test results

[WhereisLola2024]

Hi there

Im wondering if anyone can give some thoughts. A close friend of mine has asked me to post this on her behalf as she lives in the USA.

She had some thyroid blood tests done recently and below are the results -they are in American measurements so I am unsure how to translate them.

She was told by her doctor that she was borderline and didn't need treatment. She is symptomatic and has a family history of both hypothyroid (her mother and grandmother) and hyperthyroid (her aunt).

Her results are:

TSH - 0.64 (Normal range described as 0.55 - 4.78 uIU/mL)

Free T4 - 0.99 (Normal range described as 0.89 - 1.76 ng/dL)

Any help and opinions much appreciated

Thank you!

[DippyDame]

FT4 is 11.49% through the reference range which is abysmally low!

We aim to have both FT4 and FT3 roughly approaching 75% through the ref range.

It is not a "normal" range, that misnomer is misleading and suggests any result within it is acceptable....it is not!

Each individual must find the exact point within the range where symptoms resolve and they feel well

Your friends result does not achieve this...see above.

Free T4 - 0.99 (Normal range described as 0.89 - 1.76 ng/dL)

Her results are not borderline! She is hypothyroid and with her symptoms, labs and family history should be treated with replacement thyroid hormone levothyroxine,which, if the dose is correct and T4 to T3 conversion is robust, will produce the T3 required

Medics often overlook symptoms suggesting instead and wrongly, syndromes like fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue etc. Symptoms are vital to diagnosis!

Has she optimised Vit D, vit B12, folate and ferritin essential to support thyroid function

Has she had thyroid antibodies TPO and Tg tested to check for thyroid autoimmune disease/ Hashimotos?⁸

Her TSH is low considering her low FT4 so I'm wondering if her FT3 is high which may be keeping her TSH at that level.

If her FT3 is relatively high then her thyroid is struggling/ failing....in that case the thyroid ramps up T3 production to allow the body to function for as long as possible but it will eventually fail.

Her doctor may be looking at the TSH value and consider it fine ..while failing to compare it with her very low FT4

For accurate evaluation we need TSH, FT4 and FT3

For good health every cell in the body must be flooded with T3 by way of an adequate and constant dose

It may benefit your friend to join this amazing forum!

Wishing her good luck.

[WhereisLola2024 in reply to DippyDame]

Thank you for your in-depth response - really appreciated. I will try and get her T3 result from her.

[helvella Administrator]

I hope you realise we have quite a number of members of the forum not in the UK - several in the USA? There is no technical or policy reason she cannot join for herself.

Conversations which go through someone else - while sometimes unavoidable - are sometimes very slow and awkward.

Also, if she were to join later, all this earlier part of her story, posts, replies, etc., will be separate from future conversations under her own name/pseudonym.

Would help to tell us the symptoms, approximate age, any other relevant information.

[WhereisLola2024 in reply to helvella]

Thanks - I did advise her to post herself but she was worried it would contribute to her health anxiety. I didn't want to push the issue so I offered to post myself as i've had some really great experiences on here myself before. I have suggested it again since receiving your response.

The symptoms I am aware of are fatigue, dizziness, fast heart rate, dry skin, though I am sure there are more. She is 32.

She has had extensive tests done to check her heart and breathing and has been given a diagnosis of POTS, but she and her primary doctor are unconvinced - plus this doesn't explain many of her ongoing symptoms.

I will try and get her T3 and other results from her also.

Many thanks

[helvella Administrator in reply to WhereisLola2024]

Thanks - I just wanted to make things work as work as possible. Certainly wouldn't wish to increase anxiety, etc.

[greygoose]

Her TSH is low, but what time of day was the blood draw for this test? TSH levels vary throughout the day.