Understanding thyroid levels

This, http://thyroid.about.com/od/gettestedanddiagnosed/a/normaltshlevel.htm, is on normal TSH levels. Between .5 and 5.0 are considered normal. Even if you use the .3 to 3.0, your last number would be normal as well.

For the T4 level, http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/aha/aha_thyroxin_crs.htm. This might help you to understand it. I've not done any research on this as I've not had it tested. Looks like your number is on the high side, but maybe normal.

This does a comparison of the two levels and what it could mean, http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/t4/test.html

Really, it sounds like it is all a little subjective or like they just don't know what to think. Why did you have your levels checked? Was it through your regular doctor? Maybe an endocrinologist might help better.

Hi Kelynn...I am also a thyroid patient. in 2002 I was diagnosed with hashimoto's hypothyroidism after bloodwork showed a TSH level of 27.6. your fluctuating numbers, although technically in the normal range could be a sign that your thyroid is not functioning properly, that is, it may be that your thyroid is not using the stimulating hormones T4 and free T3 the way it is supposed to and may be indicative that you may develop thyroid disease. it's great that you're on top of it. in any case, a doctor probably can't prescribe meds until the numbers go up above either 3.5 or 5 depending on what guideline he/she goes by. There is tons of info out there I have been learning about this forever and there are supplements and foods that can stimulate your thyroid and help it to function better. (not that I am suggesting supplements) but I have found that in addition to medical advice it is always best to do some research on my own. good luck this can be a frustrating thing but at least it hasn't gotten too out of control.

Just curious if headaches can be related to thyroid problems? I have noticed that I have had a lot more headaches lately that I normally do.

Not sure about the thyroid causing headaches, but my little girl was born without a thyroid and has been on synthetic hormones since she was only a few weeks old. She is only six years old and has suffered with headaches most of her life. I have found the responses on here interesting. Even though we deal with the hormone levels on a regular basis, it is always nice to get a better understanding.

I am also hypoT, Hashimoto's - it runs in my family, 3 of 4 sisters have it as well as at least one niece. I pretty much diagnosed myself in 2003 when I couldn't figure out why I felt so awful all the time. One day I looked in the mirror and barely recognized myself, that's when I knew what I was looking at. I went to my GP and asked them to test me for hypoT. She looked at me like she didn't appreciate my telling her how to do her job. They called back 3 days later and said I needed to see an endocrinologist to be properly treated for this disease. Duh. I've had numerous medication adjustments over the years because the nature of Hashimoto's is that we produce antibodies that attack and kill off our thyroid gland over time, not all at once. Some months it happens faster, others slower, so my thyroid might be pumping out some hormone of its own or none at all, so the fluctuations in my tests are reflective of that. Along with this disorder came all of the usual symptoms, dry skin, losing the outter third of my eyebrows, extremely dry skin, feeling like I was moving through thick mud every day, exhaustion, weight gain, loss of appetite, heavy periods, headaches, etc. I would say all of my symptoms have been relieved with proper medication dosage except it hasn't done a thing for the weight problem. My endocrinologist told me that hypoT patients need to work almost twice as hard as a person with a normal metabolic burn to burn the same amount of calories. She suggested 90 minutes of VIGOROUS exercise a day, 7 days a week, and not to let my caloric intake go below 1200 especially if I'm exercising. That was overwhelming to say the least. Basically my furnace isn't burning unless I turn it on. So, here I am on this site hoping that my eating habits are at least under control, and then integrating the exercise into the plan. Being in mid 40's and a woman is going to deal me a blow anyway, and to compete with the thyroid issue at the same time - well, there's no time like the present to tackle this, right?