Thyroid Bloodwork Test Results

CTGUY · Oct 13, 2014

hi all,

This is my first post along with test results from recent bloodwork. Please take a look and let me know your thoughts.

Thyroid Panel With TSH
TSH 1.470 0.450-4.500 uIU/mL 01
Thyroxine (T4) 4.1 LOW 4.5-12.0 ug/dL 01
T3 Uptake 38 24-39 % 01
Free Thyroxine Index 1.6 1.2-4.9 01

Vettester Chris · Oct 13, 2014

Hi CTGUY. Glad you joined! Here's the deal, most of the labs you have taken really don't provide all that much detail to the status of your thyroid. The T3 Uptake sounds "buzzy", but it has absolutely nothing to do with T3, whether it be total or free & unbound. The same goes with the Free Thyroxine Index ... Just multiply your Total T4 with the T3 Uptake (T4 * T3U = FTI). This tends to be the "go to" for a lot of the GP's that don't really get too deep into the thyroid arena.

With that said, most physicians will probably look at your TSH reading and say that you are fine. Your total T4 would hopefully prompt others to maybe dig deeper. Here are the labs that are needed to give us a better picture ...

Free T4
Free T3
Reverse T3
Thyroid Antibody (TPO & TgAb)

There are a variety of possibilities to why T4 could be low and TSH being on the low end to normal. It's all speculation without labs, but one possibility might be that T3 is elevated, but not effectively getting into the cells of the body. That's better known as "pooling", and RT3 will be an important marker to help determine if this is the case. If it is, then in most cases there's other underlying issues taking place ...

If you will take just a little time, please read the Lab Work page from STTM.com http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/recommended-labwork/
All of the labs are important, but I would really encourage the 4x cortisol and iron/ferritin labs get ordered. If it turns out that you're pooling, those will be the first 2 places to look.

Also, please tell us more about yourself (age, stats, current medications & protocols, background to your condition(s), etc.) ... Anything that will be pertinent to your situation.

Again, welcome to our forum!

CTGUY · Oct 14, 2014

great. thank you.

im going to order the bloodwork asap, ill be using privatemdlabs again to draw. do you recommend the " thyroid deluxe" ? or do i have to piece this thing together?

again thanks so much!!

Vettester Chris · Oct 14, 2014

Yes, the "Thyroid Deluxe" package has what you need .. If you can get some of the other labs it would also be helpful. When you get the results, let us know your symptoms, how you're feeling, and check your body temperature for a few days (If possible, 3 hours after waking, 3 hours thereafter, and again maybe later afternoon).

Thanks

Nelson Vergel · Oct 14, 2014

CTGUY

check the lab test prices from Defy Medical

http://defymedical.com/services/laboratory-blood-testing

CTGUY · Oct 14, 2014

thanks again.

i just made it to the lab to have my blood drawn.

i ordered the thyroid deluxe+ ferritin

still have to figure out the 4 x cortisol method.

ill make a new thread with personal stats and criteria when my results come in.

thank you very much.

Gene Devine · Oct 14, 2014

CTGUY said:
thanks again.

i just made it to the lab to have my blood drawn.

i ordered the thyroid deluxe+ ferritin

still have to figure out the 4 x cortisol method.

ill make a new thread with personal stats and criteria when my results come in.

thank you very much.

No! PLEASE keep everything in this thread. This thread is your "case" and makes it easier for everyone to follow what is going on.

Thanks in advance

Gene

Vettester Chris · Oct 14, 2014

Yes, please keep this posted on one thread as Gene mentioned. You can get the Cortisol kit at Defy (Nelson's link), and/or Canary Club /ZRT Labs is a good choice as well. Let us know ..

CTGUY · Oct 14, 2014

ok will do.

i cant seem to find the 4 x cortisol test on the link nelson provided? i dug through the whole site twice and still cant find it.

heres some stats and personal info :

37 y/0
very tired no energy and fat gains are overnight with a bunch of other issues.
ive been this way since age 18-19 , over weight easily, sluggish not much muscle.

CTGUY · Oct 18, 2014

hi guys heres the new lab work results that just hit my desk :

Test Name Result Flag Reference Range Lab
Thyroid Profile II
TSH 1.390 0.450-4.500 uIU/mL 01
Thyroxine (T4) 4.5 4.5-12.0 ug/dL 01
T3 Uptake 41 HIGH 24-39 % 01
Free Thyroxine Index 1.8 1.2-4.9 01
Triiodothyronine (T3) 94 71-180 ng/dL 01
Thyroid Antibodies
Thyroid Peroxidase (TPO) Ab 13 0-34 IU/mL 01
Thyroglobulin, Antibody <1.0 0.0-0.9 IU/mL 01
Low positive Thyroglobulin antibodies are seen in a portion of the
asymptomatic populations.
Antithyroglobulin antibodies measured by Beckman Coulter Methodology

Thyroxine (T4) Free, Direct, S
T4,Free(Direct) 1.00 0.82-1.77 ng/dL 01
Reverse T3, Serum
Reverse T3, Serum 16.1 9.2-24.1 ng/dL 02
Ferritin, Serum
Ferritin, Serum 232 30-400 ng/mL 01
Triiodothyronine,Free,Serum
Triiodothyronine,Free,Serum 3.1 2.0-4.4 pg/m

Vettester Chris · Oct 19, 2014

OK, good job on getting the follow up thyroid labs. On a semi-positive note, your FT3/RT3 ratio is currently at 19.3. Ideally you would be looking for this to be > 20, so all and all you are right there, just slightly below as it sits right now. However, the concern is that this ratio might drop if more T4 is introduced. T4 converts to T3, and also to RT3. The concern stems from your reference range percentage of your labs ... Here's why ...

When there's an issue (illness, stress, deficiency of iron, cortisol, etc.) the body will compensate with converting more RT3. Since your FT4 is at 19% of the reference range, and FT3 is at 46%, it's hard to say what the RT3 ratio will do when T4 gets pushed up, say in the 50% range. Not sure if that makes sense? In other terms, T4 is your storage reserve, and it's rather low. If there's an issue like low cortisol, the higher amounts of T4 will also become even higher amounts of RT3.

For the time being, I suggest staying on track with getting a cortisol kit, plus see where your iron sits. "If" everything looks pretty decent then I definitely think you should talk to a physician about some form of treatment for Hypothyroidism. If you start getting your thyroid levels up in the 50% to 80% of range category, and your FT3/RT3 ratio is at that 20 (or better) level, then that's a pretty good indicator that T3 is adequately getting to the cells. Keeping a log of your body temperature will be helpful during all of this, but we can chew on that down the road ...