Help interpreting results?
Posted , 6 users are following.
Just got bloodwork done. TSH = 2.38 (range 0.30-5.50) Free T3 = 5.8 (range 4.0-7.8) Free T4 = 17 (range 11-22) Ferritin = L11 (normal is >14)
I've had symptoms for quite a while, weight gain/unable to lose weight despite meticulous diet and exercise. (Female, 5'5 200lbs 
. Swimming, running, circuit training and hot yoga 4-5x per week and using myfitness pal as calorie tracker. Currently set at 1680 cal per day) Extreme hair loss- clumps coming out in the shower, weak/chipped fingernails. Fatigue, muscle aches (especially in my calves) difficulty falling asleep, brain fog, mild joint pain and being absolutely ravenous after dinner, even though I eat properly ever couple hours throughout the day. Doc says my thyroid is in normal range, but just to take an iron supplement for the low ferritin result. I took a thyroid supplement for 2 weeks before seeing the doc to get tested and it helped a lot especially with energy and appetite after dinner. Should I ignore the doc and keep taking the supplement or should I get a second opinion?
0 likes, 7 replies
jmcg2014 melanie28465
Posted
shellyC19 melanie28465
Posted
My name is Shelly and I am a Nurse in the USA. I have Hashimoto's thyroid disease.
I just looked at your lab/blood work. You do look good on paper, with most of your results. However you could have normal TSH and other blood thyroid levels, but actually be ill with thyroid disease.
Hashimoto's can make it look normal on paper, so normally an Endocrinologist will order a TPOA test. This is an antibodies test, and it will show if you have any autoimmune thyroid problem.
I had the symptoms you have back in 1987. My hair fell out, fatigue, brain fog, etc...
Yes, you should keep taking the Thyroid supplement and ask your doctor about LEVOTHYROXINE, a replacement hormone. You can ask for a low starter dose of 25mcg. Also ask for the TPOA blood test and a Thyroglobulin Antibody test. These are important to helping in the diagnosis of Hashimoto's.
Please take the iron as we need our minerals in good shape. Also ask to have a Vit D level done because many of us are low in that.
Regards,
Shelly
melanie28465 shellyC19
Posted
thanks again! so="" i="" guess="" overall="" that="" makes="" me="" completely="" normal="" but="" i="" still="" have="" all="" these="" symptoms?="" ive="" heard="" the="" range="" that="" doctors="" use="" may="" be="" outdated.="" is="" that="" true?="" should="" i="" keep="" taking="" and="" doing="" what="" has="" worked="" anyways?="" thanks="">
thanks again!>
shellyC19 melanie28465
Posted
Some doctors consider the TPOA level should be close to zero. Some doc's go by the ref. range you have. The TSH range is a bit outdated. The doc's like the TSH between 1.0-3.5 and you look on paper to be in the range.
That is why thyroid disease is a bit sneaky, because symptoms still show up and Hashimoto's is famous for that and it is difficult to prove when the blood looks good.
Keep doing what you are doing. Keep your Vitamins and minerals in good shape and take a decent Women's vitamin plus the iron. Iron is so important as it carries oxygen around the body. If you are low in iron you will have even more fatigue.
Iron may make your feces turn black and that is okay. If you want call the doctor up and ask for a low dose of Levothyroxine 25mcg (starter dose), however he may not want to because of your blood work. Also important is to see if anyone in your family has thyroid problems since it can be passed on or skip a generation.
So keep doing what you are doing since it seems to be working on you.
Keep us posted on how you do and if anything changes.
Regards,
Shelly
crystal82dawn shellyC19
Posted
sweetmelissa melanie28465
Posted
I was reading your comments and it sounds as if you only had your TPO antibodies checked which were at 8. I just wanted to let you know that you will also need your Tgab levels checked also. You can be negative for one and positive for the other to confirm Hashimoto's. My TPOA levels were 34 but my Tgab levels were 800 and was diagnosed with Hashimoto's and also hypothyroidism. So if you only had the TPO tested you may want the Tgab tested also. It's a little less uncommon but very possible. Good luck!
barbara98940 melanie28465
Posted
Is it possible that taking the thyroid supplement for 2 weeks before the test could have affected the results?
Also get vitamin B12 checked. Look up the symptoms of anaemia and vitamin B12 deficiency. Many of them are the same as for hypothyroidism.
A person needs their Ferritin level to be 70+ to be able to process thyroxine (T4) into T3 (the thyroid hormone the body uses), so it may be you are not converting the thyroxine your thyroid is producing.
So keep taking the iron tablets. A ferritin level of 11 is too low. I would also take a multivitamin that contains: the B vitamins, C, E, zinc, magnesium, potassium, selenium etc. Are you aware that vitamin C helps the absorption of iron and that calcium hinders it? Read the patient information leaflet as i think there are some others to take note of. Take the multivitamin 4 hours away from the iron tablets.