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02-15-2012, 05:39 PM
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#1 | | Newbie (female)
Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Alaska,USA
Posts: 6
| What do my tests mean?
I have been suffering with modest weight gain for the past 2 years. I am active and December-January (8 weeks) I was working out 5 days per week with intense kick boxing, sprints, and resistence training. This always worked in the past and I could drop those extra 10 pounds in no time (my normal weight is around 125 - now 138 and can't get into my jeans). This time I gained weight which is fine if I was loosing inches but I didn't. I have Sjogren's Syndrome so I am often fatigued, get brain fog, have Raynaud's, and suffer from dry mouth, eyes, neuralgia, and occasional vasculitis. Lately though I have been experiencing extreme fatigue, more so than at other times, my brain fog is worse, I have difficulty sleeping, and I just feel worn out; I don't have any energy to exercise.
I went to see the Dr. and had her run some Thyroid tests because I had a pituitary adenoma 20 years ago. She wouldn't run an antibody test because I didn't have a history of Thyroid disease. Here are my results:
TSH 1.91 (L=0.40 - H= 5.50)
Free T3 2.8 (L=2.3 - H=4.2)
Free T4 .78 (L=.77 - H=1.61)
Can anyone tell me what this means exactly? Is this a hypothyroid problem or hypopituitary? I am going to bet that my GP will tell me that all my tests are normal. The healthcare here is very, and I mean very, limited. We only have 2 GPs and they don't deal with problems like Sjogren's, and I am guessing they don't deal with Hashimoto's, so I want to be able to advise my doctor when they call to give me these results. By the way, I went and picked up my results today, the doctor hasn't called me about them yet.
Last edited by Plaintired; 02-15-2012 at 05:42 PM.
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02-15-2012, 10:48 PM
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#2 | | Senior Veteran (female)
Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Finland
Posts: 3,354
| Re: What do my tests mean?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Plaintired  TSH 1.91 (L=0.40 - H= 5.50)
Free T3 2.8 (L=2.3 - H=4.2)
Free T4 .78 (L=.77 - H=1.61)
Can anyone tell me what this means exactly? Is this a hypothyroid problem or hypopituitary? | Your freeT levels definitely look hypothyroid. Your TSH is slightly higher than what the average healthy person would have so that would look "regular hypoT" - but I've seen a higher TSH with a person with secondary hypoT so I wouldn't rule that out without checking pituitary function first. I think you should have those antibodies checked too.
Last edited by FinnMaid; 02-16-2012 at 12:29 AM.
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Plaintired (02-16-2012)
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02-15-2012, 11:39 PM
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#3 | | Newbie (female)
Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Alaska,USA
Posts: 6
| Re: What do my tests mean?
Thank you. I get so confused with all of the tests and what means what!  |
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02-16-2012, 03:22 AM
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#4 | | Senior Veteran (female)
Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Europe
Posts: 1,189
| Re: What do my tests mean?
Welcome to the board, although I'm sorry for the reason you're here. I get so confused with all of the tests and what means what! (hugs)
I'll do my best to explain some.
TSH = thyroid stimulating hormone, produced by the pituitary gland. If will rise if there is not sufficient thyroid hormone for the bodies need (HypoT); it will decrease (suppressed if there is too much thyroid hormone for the bodies need (hyperT).
Yet TSH can be influenced by several factors so that alone does not give the complete thyroidpicture.
FT4 and FT3 (F stands for Free) are the actual thyroid levels.
in hypoT those will be low; in hyperT those will be high (over range). 
Last edited by lisa789; 02-16-2012 at 03:23 AM.
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02-16-2012, 08:02 AM
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#5 | | Newbie (female)
Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Alaska,USA
Posts: 6
| Re: What do my tests mean?
Quote:
Originally Posted by lisa789 Welcome to the board, although I'm sorry for the reason you're here. I get so confused with all of the tests and what means what! (hugs)
I'll do my best to explain some.
TSH = thyroid stimulating hormone, produced by the pituitary gland. If will rise if there is not sufficient thyroid hormone for the bodies need (HypoT); it will decrease (suppressed if there is too much thyroid hormone for the bodies need (hyperT).
Yet TSH can be influenced by several factors so that alone does not give the complete thyroidpicture.
FT4 and FT3 (F stands for Free) are the actual thyroid levels.
in hypoT those will be low; in hyperT those will be high (over range). | Thank you. I understand what the hormones are and how they work. I am looking at my test results and everything is in range so does this mean I don't have hypothyroid or hypopituitary? Do Dr.s actually pay attention to low normal or high normal? I don't want the Dr. to tell me I'm fine because everything falls within the normal range.  |
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02-16-2012, 09:33 AM
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#6 | | Senior Veteran (female)
Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Finland
Posts: 3,354
| Re: What do my tests mean?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Plaintired I am looking at my test results and everything is in range so does this mean I don't have hypothyroid or hypopituitary? Do Dr.s actually pay attention to low normal or high normal? I don't want the Dr. to tell me I'm fine because everything falls within the normal range. | Even if your levels are "within normal range" it doesn't automatically mean you're fine. Unfortunately there are doctors that think that if your levels are "within range" you must be fine - then you need to find a doctor that looks at your symptoms too.
Last edited by FinnMaid; 02-16-2012 at 09:35 AM.
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Plaintired (02-16-2012)
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02-16-2012, 04:52 PM
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#7 | | Newbie (female)
Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Alaska,USA
Posts: 6
| Re: What do my tests mean?
Quote:
Originally Posted by FinnMaid Even if your levels are "within normal range" it doesn't automatically mean you're fine. Unfortunately there are doctors that think that if your levels are "within range" you must be fine - then you need to find a doctor that looks at your symptoms too. |
UGHHHHH! I can't believe it. I called the Dr's office today to find out that the doctor sent me a letter to state that all my tests are normal. No further action required. I knew that was going to happen. It doesn't matter that I am exhausted, gained 13 pounds, and feel so bad. Let's ignore the symptoms and just stick with the test. I live on a small island and there are no other doctors I can go to. I will have to try to find a doctor in Seattle and book a flight. Ugh, I am so tired of feeling this way.... I just want to scream! Really? Do I have to wait for my free T4 to drop by .01 before she will consider the fact I have low T4 and maybe there is something going on?  |
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06-08-2012, 11:54 PM
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#8 | | Newbie (male)
Join Date: May 2011 Location: Alexandria
Posts: 3
| Re: What do my tests mean?
I’ve been full zero when it came to understand what test figures shown. My friend suggested me to use special iphone apps , which helps to determine, such as MedCalc .
Also there are plenty of them for diagnosis. The newest one I have is “Caracal Diagnosis” - it is for professionals, however any one can use it just to have more info available.
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06-09-2012, 04:09 AM
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#9 | | Senior Veteran (female)
Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: USA
Posts: 3,478
| Re: What do my tests mean?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Plaintired Do Dr.s actually pay attention to low normal or high normal? I don't want the Dr. to tell me I'm fine because everything falls within the normal range. | A thyroid-savvy doctor would recognize your low normal thyroid hormone levels as being hypothyroid since the healthy population has levels in the upper third/quarter of the range.
Unfortunately, many doctors miss diagnosis when levels fall within the normal range but, thankfully, not every doctor.
Many of us have had to see several doctors before getting a proper diagnosis/treatment so please keep seeing doctors until you find one who will recognize your hypothyroidism.
"What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Hypothyroidism" addresses the situations of most people dealing with hypothyroidism: "normal" (aka in-range) thyroid labs but, raging hypothyroidism.
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