Please help me read my Lab results
imagine76960306
Posts: 11
I'm hoping the Thyroid Gurus can help me out 
Terri, you seem to have such a great understanding of how the thyroid functions; would you mind giving me your opinion on my latest blood test results?
I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism about 7 years ago. I have been taking 75 mcg of Levothyroxine for years now, which brought my TSH levels within normal range, but my symptoms have never gone away. Since I've been reading through the posts in this group I thought that I would ask for more tests and for my NP to treat my symptoms rather than just the TSH results.
On 05/16/2012 I was 2.68 for my TSH. I then asked to try 88 MCG to see if it would help improve my symptoms. I've been on it for about 5 weeks now and my TSH test results were .66 today. Definitely a lot lower.
I asked her to test my TSH, T4, T3, FT4, FT3, and Reverse T3 (?). I only see results for my TSH, T4, T3 and FT4 online now.
So, here they are:
TSH: .66
T4: 8.3
T3: 96
FT4: 1.1
Everything seems to be within normal range. Why do I still feel the same? I guess maybe I have a bit more energy lately, but then again I've started going to the gym 3-4 days a week. My hair still falls out a lot, split nails, really low sex drive (Sorry TMI), and I definitely have been living with brain fog for as long as I can remember! (never knew it was a symptom of Hypothyroidism!) Maybe it's all in my head?
Thanks for any input you can provide!
Terri, you seem to have such a great understanding of how the thyroid functions; would you mind giving me your opinion on my latest blood test results?I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism about 7 years ago. I have been taking 75 mcg of Levothyroxine for years now, which brought my TSH levels within normal range, but my symptoms have never gone away. Since I've been reading through the posts in this group I thought that I would ask for more tests and for my NP to treat my symptoms rather than just the TSH results.
On 05/16/2012 I was 2.68 for my TSH. I then asked to try 88 MCG to see if it would help improve my symptoms. I've been on it for about 5 weeks now and my TSH test results were .66 today. Definitely a lot lower.
I asked her to test my TSH, T4, T3, FT4, FT3, and Reverse T3 (?). I only see results for my TSH, T4, T3 and FT4 online now.
So, here they are:
TSH: .66
T4: 8.3
T3: 96
FT4: 1.1
Everything seems to be within normal range. Why do I still feel the same? I guess maybe I have a bit more energy lately, but then again I've started going to the gym 3-4 days a week. My hair still falls out a lot, split nails, really low sex drive (Sorry TMI), and I definitely have been living with brain fog for as long as I can remember! (never knew it was a symptom of Hypothyroidism!) Maybe it's all in my head?
Thanks for any input you can provide!
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I'm not as knowledgeable as Terri is on the subject, but when I mentioned to my doctor that I still felt crappy, she said she could switch up my meds from levo to a dessicated hormone (such as armour or nature-throid) and see if that worked better. I took levothyroxine for the first 2 years I was diagnosed, and although my TSH was low and my T4 was high, my free T3 was very low. She said if switching to Armour didn't work, she would try Nature-Throid. I eventually went from Armour to Nature-Throid (1 grain right now). I feel much better.
She had mentioned that if that still didn't work, she was going to run tests on my pituitary gland because that runs all of your hormones. Think of it as the motherboard of your endocrine system. I'm about to have my free T3 and T4 checked for my 1 year check up for being on Nature-Throid to see if everything is still functioning ok.
Good luck... hopefully Terri will have more information :flowerforyou:0 -
My doc added cytomel and that helped. Levo. is only T4 I think and there are other hormones. Some people find the natural hormone works better for them. It seems to be hunt and peck and try different meds until your doc and you get it right. Are you seeing an endocrinologist, if not you might want to find a good one.0
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Thanks everyone.
Kimimila86, Did your primary care prescribe the Armour/Natural Thyroid? I asked my Doctor's office if they would try Armour Thyroice and I was told that they didn't prescribe. It was outside of their comfort zone because it was so difficult to monitor the levels or something like that
Guess I'll have to check into getting an Endo. Thanks again everyone!
Brenda0 -
I'm confused as to your second results. .66 is pretty high (as in, pretty low, which means there's quite a bit more thyroid going on here). That is also an incredible jump for only 5 weeks (As I'm sure you've picked up on, and many know, thyroid hormones are incredibly slow changing, especially for hypo). At the same time, our T4 looks a little high (aka, low). If those are your recent results, and you don't feel better, it's possible your blood shows the new results, but your brain has not yet caught up (it's often talked about, but the brain chemistry with thyroid takes a bit longer to catch up to the new dosage. As in, you might feel better on the same dose and levels in 2 or 3 more months).
I see you said you've only been diagnosed with hypo, but have you ever been checked for anything else? Or had an ultrasound on your thyroid? Like I said, that is very unusual for TSH to change that quickly in a month's time (unless there is another factor at work here).
Edit: Oh! I just read that you haven't gotten an endo. GET THEE TO AN ENDO! Primary cares NEVER seem to understand thyroid, or even think to check what's causing the issues.0 -
Thanks again everyone. I finally got my Reverse T3 results: 23.1 I'm not sure if that is normal?
Reverse T3: 23.1
FT3: 2.8
TSH: 0.66
T4: 8.3
T3: 96
FT4: 1.10
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