Struggling to make sense of blood results.

Hmm... with thyroid levels and the standardized ranges can sometimes be tricky. Here's how my endocrinologist explained it to me. 

First, a nerdy preamble... The "standard ranges" on the blood tests that all of us have become very accustomed to are set by Bell curves. The "standard ranges" are a combination of a correlation of #1 scores such as TSH output, T3 (bound and free), T4 (bound and free), plus other measures and #2 the subjective reported experiences of normal functioning people with no symptoms of either hyper or hypo. 

That nerdy preamble just means that we take all the people who don't have any symptoms -- who experience normal life -- and place them on Bell curve charts. Those charts that set the standards are basically statistical reports on the range of thyroid scores that are typical for the vast majority of normal-functioning people. 

The key interpretive idea to remember comes in two statements: #1 Whether you are objectively hyper or hypo is a function of your distinctive, individual correlation between your experiences of symptoms and your particular distribution of scores on the blood tests. For example, I myself have an extremely depressed TSH score (indicating hyper) but both my bound and free T4 and T3 levels fall into the middle of standard ranges... yet I am very symptomatic for hyperthyroidism. 

So, any given person can exhibit symptoms but have at least some of their scores fall into standard ranges. In other words, what is a healthy "normal" or symptomatic "abnormal" for you may be a very different correlation between your subjective experience of your symptoms and the objective scores that you will get on the blood tests -- a correlation that may depart from the Bell curves used on the tests. #2 There is of course a limit to how much wiggle room there is on departure from the standard ranges. Someone for example who has T4 in the thousands (I'm just inventing that crazy number) is very likely to be going hyper-bonkers no matter how unique the endocrine system of that person is, because she/he is still human.

Any chance you can be referred to an endocrinologist who specifically will know more of the subtleties involved in thyroid function and your symptoms?

Thank you for replying. I understand what you mean. You’re so right too. I very much doubt they would refer me to an endo. I wish they would. 

This has been going on nearly 18 months. I’ve had to ask for these blood tests, also the 2 sets of blood tests I had last year (they found the folate deficiency). I thought once they’d found that that by taking the tablets I would get better but I haven’t. 

They make me feel like a hypochondriac, I got really upset at the docs today as I felt like I wasn’t getting help. Yet he thinks he is by referring me to a chronic fatigue clinic where all they will do is offer my Cbt. 

I feel it’s in my body, not my head. 

Sorry for blubbing on, I’m just a frustrated 31 year old working recluse lol. 

Thanks again 

Oh, and also one more thing. If you get a chance to do some research, look up "subclinical hyperthyroidism." I think that there is a rule against posting links, so perhaps I will send you a direct post.