Help with reading lab results?? Anyone....anyone...? :)

[PurrJones]

Vit D = 36

Free T3 = 2.39 {1.71 - 3.71}

Free T4 = 12.5 {9.0 - 19.0}

TSH - 2.35 {0.35 - 4.94}

Thyroid Peroxidase Ab - 86.9

Thanks in advance!

[Hashi_since_age9-1988]

In my opinion your FT4 is a bit low and your TSH a bit high.

[PurrJones in reply to Hashi_since_age9-1988]

Hey there! Thanks for comment. I really have to get more informed about how this all works, Hashi. I knew my TSH would be high but I'm not even sure what that means in regard to treatment etc.

STTM says our D should be on the higher side....

And if my FT4 is low, what does that mean?? *confused*

[merissa in reply to PurrJones]

Yes your TSH is a bit high, and the vitamin D is low, I was prescribled vitamin D at 35. We need to find the route cause of hashi and be able to un pick the immune system as a whole and correcting Hashi with medication may not be the answer, if smptoms continue. As you now Hashi is a Automune D, where the body attacks its self and the attack needs stopping, therfore we need to correct the immune sytem and the underlying cause, such low vitamin D, iron/ ferratin/ b12 among other cofactors. I think low FT4 means lows thyroid?

hope this helps you are on the right track, you will probably find you are intolerant to some foods, hence your adrenals will also be out of whack, whats interesting is when one is out such as the thyroid, then others will be to. as they are all interlinked.

hope this makes sence

kindest

merissa x

[PurrJones in reply to merissa]

Hey Merissa,

I've just spent some time reading the STTM interpret your labs chapter. I'm not very much the wiser....but a little!

Um..yeah, you're right, I'm trying to figure out what can be causing my auto-immune reaction, since I've been aware of my food allergies for 16 years..but only got the Hypothyroid/Hashi's diagnosis last year. I think in my case it was heavy metal overload.

The above lab results are my blood without ANY meds. I had been on T4only previous to them, but went off them. They did not make me feel good!

My GP also did an adrenal test but it was a blood test and not the recommended 4x saliva test, so I'm not sure it even counts for anything. It does look like high cortisol to me.

Thanks for the Vit D advice. I've bought some and shall begin taking!

All the best to you & your healing!

P.Jones x

[merissa in reply to PurrJones]

Hyah again, thanks, my 24r urine cortisol test was normal however I had been advised to order the saliva test, as i wanted to see variations and hey ho it did so my levels during the day except morning was a little l and the rest was high all day.

Just like to add, that taking vitamin D3 alone can have a knock on affect on your calcium and Magnesium( i no it sucks) get organic with the three in.

Finally, apparently a healthy level for patients to feel well is a level under 2.

Merissaxx keep going your on the right track.

[PurrJones in reply to merissa]

Hey Marissa,

Nothing beats the saliva test, methinks! I had one done last year and it was normal in the morning, but high, high, high after, like you...

I had no clue back then, of the thyroid-adrenal connection and nobody to instruct me.

I'm STILL a beginner!

Thanks for the Vit D advice and the banter. We learn something new everyday.

xx

[Hashi_since_age9-1988 in reply to PurrJones]

T4 is the level of thyroxine in your blood. if its low it means you need to take more. When your body is low on thyroid hormone it produces TSH to tell the thyroid to produce more so when that is raised it also suggests that you need to increase how much hormone you take. The normal ranges are too wide for optimum health. for me anything above 2 (for TSH) seems to be too high. And when taking 10ug of T3 as weel as thyroxine my T4 would be at least 15 and if only on thyroxine it would be higher eg 19 or more (to compensate for the lack of T3).

[PinkNinja]

Hi. If your T4 and T3 (thyroid hormone produced by the thyroid gland) are on the low side, your hypothalamus (in the brain) tells your pituitary gland to produce more TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) which in turn tells your thyroid gland to work harder. Therefore if your TSH is on the high side, it means your body wants more thyroid hormone because your thyroid hasn't produced enough. Low T4 and T3 results confirm this.

TSH isn't a very good way to diagnose hypothyroidism on its own (or at all in some cases) but it is good that you have got T4 and T3 tested too as these are the actual thyroid hormones (T4 is thyroxine, T3 is the active thyroid hormone).

I'm afraid my knowledge of antibodies isn't so hot

To me it looks like you might be borderline hypothyroid. If you are having symptoms then you would possibly benefit from treatment, although it would be good to check that they are not symptoms of anything else.

As has already been said, your vitamin D is low and could be causing, or contributing to, many of your symptoms. I felt much better once my vitamin D was above 60, but that is still insufficient. I am waiting to have another test to see if my level is ok yet.

I don't know if I have been at all helpful, but if you have any other questions please do ask.

Carolyn x

[PurrJones in reply to PinkNinja]

CarolynB,

Thanks you so much!!!

I've only just logged-in and saw your post.

I'm grateful that you gave your time and wrote this post.

I have begun Vit D and Fish Oils and Iron supplements.

I've just begun Westhroid and I'm not getting the awful 'gluten type' symptoms I got with Armour....so that's something!

All my best,

Purr Jones x