Who understands results?

Helcatt · 11-27-2007, 02:18 PM

Got my bloods back yesterday and gp says all normal so stay on 100mcg of thyroxine

FSH 2.3
LH 4.4
T4 13.9
TSH 1.63

I struggle to get my head around what the correct ranges are and I know it also depends on how they interact.

I feel like crap, always tired, the bags under my eyes are horrendous (thought that would improve when I quit my job, but no such luck) and I always feel cold and am struggling to lose weight - again

Doc thinks all is ok!

Er...Obviously not!

What do you think about these results, are they ok and I am worryin over nothing? Thanks

Hx

lovemychris · 11-27-2007, 03:23 PM

Hi there....

Your results look good (and your TSH level is wonderful). I know what you mean about being tired all the time...hypothyroidism isn't called "couch potato syndrome" for nothing.

You could try adding vitamin B12 to your diet to see if that will help any. Also, I've read from a lot of people that they felt better when they switched from levothyroxine to Armour (an increase in energy and decrease in weight). Just a thought (though, I hate to even suggest it since your TSH level is ideal). Best wishes.

lovemychris · 11-27-2007, 03:24 PM

Oh, and your LH/FSH levels are indicative of PCOS...have you already been diagnosed and are you being treated for that (Metformin perhaps)?

masked_rose86 · 11-27-2007, 04:29 PM

Hi! I got my results today too and wondered if I could get some advice because I'm feeling overwhelmed trying to interpret it:

FSH: 6.0
LH: 6.0
Progesterone: 0.3 (wow! I think this might be REALLY low)
Estrogen: 6.7
Total T4: 7.5mcg/dL
FT4: 1.3 ng/dL
TSH: 1.80 mclU/mL
Total T3: 111 ng/dL
Reverse T3: 198 pg/mL
T3/RT3 ratio: 5.6
Testosterone: 30.7 ng/dL
Free Testosterone: 0.92 pg/mL

I also had hyperinsulinemia (it was about double the amount of insulin I should have after a glucose load...) so I've been started on 500mg Met but I'm almost done with the 30 days and I have an appt tomorrow. I REALLY hope the dose is increased since this seems like a really really small dose (therapuetic is 1500mg/day I think).

lovemychris · 11-27-2007, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by masked_rose86

Hi! I got my results today too and wondered if I could get some advice because I'm feeling overwhelmed trying to interpret it:

FSH: 6.0
LH: 6.0
Progesterone: 0.3 (wow! I think this might be REALLY low)
Estrogen: 6.7
Total T4: 7.5mcg/dL
FT4: 1.3 ng/dL
TSH: 1.80 mclU/mL
Total T3: 111 ng/dL
Reverse T3: 198 pg/mL
T3/RT3 ratio: 5.6
Testosterone: 30.7 ng/dL
Free Testosterone: 0.92 pg/mL

I also had hyperinsulinemia (it was about double the amount of insulin I should have after a glucose load...) so I've been started on 500mg Met but I'm almost done with the 30 days and I have an appt tomorrow. I REALLY hope the dose is increased since this seems like a really really small dose (therapuetic is 1500mg/day I think).

The only thing I can really help with are the thyroid levels (which look just fine). You may want to post this in the 'What's On Your Mind' forum and there's also a sticky there about understanding lab results. Best wishes.

Helcatt · 11-27-2007, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lovemychris

Oh, and your LH/FSH levels are indicative of PCOS...have you already been diagnosed and are you being treated for that (Metformin perhaps)?

Thanks for looking at that for me. Maybe i will just take a bit longer before the exhaustion from work works its

Nothing has been discussed around treatment yet, HSG next tuesday so hopefully that wont throw anything else into the mix that we are not aware of and they can decide where we go from there.

HX

ErikaG · 11-28-2007, 03:15 PM

You might want to ask about your T4 numbers...I just pulled the lab results that I have in my own files and the top end of the range for T4 in a non-pregnant woman is listed as 12.0-and this is from a lab that uses old values for TSH. It looks like your TSH is normal, but your T4 looks high, and that can indicate things to be further investigated-I'm having a real brain-absent moment and forgetting what it could indicate, but it's worth a conversation with an endocrinologist.

Good luck.

lovemychris · 11-28-2007, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ErikaG

You might want to ask about your T4 numbers...I just pulled the lab results that I have in my own files and the top end of the range for T4 in a non-pregnant woman is listed as 12.0-and this is from a lab that uses old values for TSH. It looks like your TSH is normal, but your T4 looks high, and that can indicate things to be further investigated-I'm having a real brain-absent moment and forgetting what it could indicate, but it's worth a conversation with an endocrinologist.

Good luck.

If her T4 is high, that would be indicative of hyperthyroidism. Anything over 12.5 is usually considered out of range, but this is borderline, so I'm not sure it warrants treatment (especially since TSH looks good and she has symptoms of being hypo, not hyper). But yeah, a doctor could answer those questions better.

ErikaG · 11-28-2007, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lovemychris

If her T4 is high, that would be indicative of hyperthyroidism. Anything over 12.5 is usually considered out of range, but this is borderline, so I'm not sure it warrants treatment (especially since TSH looks good and she symptoms of being hypo, not hyper). But yeah, a doctor could answer those questions better.

Yeah, typically high T4 would indicate hyper, but with normal TSH, what about Hashimoto's or Graves ? (I'm seriously out of it today and can't remember which one to look at first-I know there's the whole swinging back and forth between hypo and hyper with one of them, and I wonder if that's a possibility here.)

Kryptonit · 11-28-2007, 05:20 PM

I think if you look at some of the threads here you will find help in interpret you're tests.
My endocrinologist usually takes more tests then that. It can be something else that fails you. B12 or iron. That's quite normal for us girls and you get really tired.

Some think that can help against fatigue is Arctic root and Siberian ginseng. It really helps me.

lovemychris · 11-28-2007, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ErikaG

Yeah, typically high T4 would indicate hyper, but with normal TSH, what about Hashimoto's or Graves ? (I'm seriously out of it today and can't remember which one to look at first-I know there's the whole swinging back and forth between hypo and hyper with one of them, and I wonder if that's a possibility here.)

Hashimoto's will cause a pt to swing. She could have subclinical hyperthyroidism (highly doubtful), but her doctor needs to run more tests to find out. The T4 level is not at all alarming.

emilyinTN · 12-09-2007, 11:44 PM

I do not understand all of them, but I can tell you that your TSH (thyroid) is great!! I wish mine was

Helcatt · 12-17-2007, 09:01 PM

Thanks for looking at that

Though you did loose me in the possibilities of what the results could mean

Hx

lovemychris · 12-20-2007, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Helcatt

Thanks for looking at that

Though you did loose me in the possibilities of what the results could mean

Hx

Sorry...it's all pretty confusing, I know. Bottom line is that you are just fine. It won't hurt to have your levels looked at again in a year or so (or sooner if you notice major changes in the way you feel).

Helcatt · 12-21-2007, 08:32 PM

I should be tested annually from now on

I did this lot a few months late and only really kicked my backside into gear because I was still feeling so crap even after giving up my job

I saw a homeopath on tuesday and she is going to work on my energy levels, so watch this space

Hx