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Help Interpreting Lab Results?

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Thyroid Disorders
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Posted 8/26/2016 9:36 PM (GMT -6)
Hi everybody! I posted recently, but thought that I could reach more people with a new post regarding my specific lab results.


I've had a lot of the classic hyperthyroidism symptoms - fatigue, weight loss (about 40 lbs and still losing), hair loss, ect, My doctor assumed my results would be very conclusive, but they weren't. Because of my family history of Graves', I was referred to an endocrinologist who I will see in a few months.

My results are as followed:

TSH: 0.707 [0.360-3.7]

FT3: 98 [60-181]

T4: 1.55 [0.76-1.46]

My doctor said that my T4 wasn't elevated enough to cause the symptoms I'm experiencing. Thoughts?

Thank you in advance!
Posted 8/26/2016 9:57 PM (GMT -6)
Hi meganec17,

As you can see, your TSH is way low in the range, low enough to make you hypERthyroid, this is supported by your high Free T4, and I think that your Free T4 is high enough to make you symptomatically hyperthyroid.

By the way, your doctor ordered Total T3 which is considered obsolete and of little use, you need to be tested for Free T3, which measures the amount of T3 available in your blood and not attached to protein and hence the name free.

Also your symptoms are typical for hyper, I think that in the time you are waiting for the Endo - which is good that you have been referred to one - you need to get tested for Free T3 and the autoimmune antibodies which can cause hyper, there are three of them, TGab and antiTPOab for Hashimoto's which can cause both hypo and hyper, there is also the TSI which is the cause for Graves.

A thyroid and neck ultra sound would be great also to see whether you have nodules on your neck or your thyroid gland.

Best of luck,
Posted 8/27/2016 2:50 PM (GMT -6)
hypoHasimoto: Thank you for the information! My PCP spoke to the endocrinologist in the network (my PCP is associated with a local hospital so they have many specialists in the same network). My PCP was going to send me for a ultrasound, but the endocrinologist preferred me see them first for follow up. My PCP does not want to run anymore tests/do any more lab tests until I see the endocrinologist. Thanks again :)
Posted 8/27/2016 9:35 PM (GMT -6)
Hi meganec17,

Then ask the Endo to perform the tests you need to do; TSH, Free T4 and Free T3 in addition to the antibodies and the Ultra Sound.

Best of luck meganec17,
Posted 8/29/2016 10:05 AM (GMT -6)
Hello again! I just wanted to quickly provide an update! I called the endocrinologist's office today to reschedule my appointment in the future. As I was on the phone, there was a cancellation. I have an appointment today. I will let you know how it goes. Thanks for being there!
Posted 8/29/2016 2:59 PM (GMT -6)
Appointment went well, the doctor was a nice guy. He did a full head-to-toe exam because apparently my symptoms were vague and non-conclusive. Apparently I have slow eye movements (eye bulge?) and a hand tremor (may be because I'm nervous). He doesn't think I fit any of the typical symptoms for a thyroid condition and my numbers were not off. He is running the follow tests:
TSH, Free T4, Total T3, Thyroid Stimulating Ig, TSH Receptor AB, Cortisol Stimulation, Basic Metabolic Panel, DHEA Sulfate, Testosterone Bioavailability, and HCG-Total.
He said that it could be a million things. Also suggested maybe seeing a mental health doctor.
Posted 8/29/2016 10:15 PM (GMT -6)
Hi meganec17,

You should ask for FREE T3 instead of TOTAL T3, TOTAL T3 measures the amount of all the T3 available in you blood, more than 99% of it is attached to proteins and thus are unavailable to the cells, the FREE T3 measures the amount which is not attached to protein and thus available to the cells of the body.

It is strange that there are doctors nowadays who test for the TOTAL T3, it is considered obsolete and of little use, have you showed him the results above? the elevated Free T4 and the low TSH?

Best of luck,
Posted 8/30/2016 9:42 AM (GMT -6)
Hi, thanks for the response. I honestly did not even think to ask for that, I figured he would know exactly what to ask for.

And yes - the endocrinologist is under the same umbrella as my primary care, so they have all the test results, as well as all my medical history. He still said that was not a typical presentation. Had the labs drawn this morning, so hopefully I'll have the results soon.
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