8 years undetectable, tg throws a .2

[PaulVS]

Higher risk 58-year old male,  Stage 3 Papillary (mixed Papillary-Follicular).    TT in early 2008.   Undetectable tg for 8 years.  On 8 year anniversary of RAI 100 mci,  tg value is .2.  Low but detectable.   My TSH a little high at .14, considering my risk.... Anyone else have a tg test that was detectable with unstimulated tg?.   I guess an ultrasound is next.  

[Barb135]

You could have a racing heart with the FT4 at 1.8, even if you weren't converting properly and had a low FT3.  FT3 is the hormone that's used by individual cells in the body and if your FT3 is low, you could still be hypo even with high FT4.  I had horrible racing heart when I was hypo.

It's recommended that FT4 be kept about mid range and FT3 be kept in the upper half to upper third; whatever it takes to alleviate symptoms...

My own TSH stays at < 0.01 all the time, and my endo tests, both FT4 and FT3.  My latest FT3 was at 63% of its range,  which is right about where it needs to be...My latest FT4 was about 40% of its range.  

I don't convert adequately, so I have to take a small dose of T3 med, along with my T4 med; you might need something similar, but you can't know unless you have Free T3 tested, every time you have blood work.

[PaulVS]

Hi Barb,  that's an interesting point.   They don't test the free-T3 on me.  My TSH is pretty low.  .08 for February is where they want me.  And 1.8 for T4 is high.   They wanted me to go to 150 mcg from 137, but I was having racing heart earlier this year.  

[Barb135]

Your FT4 is really up there; what about FT3?  Is your doctor not ordering that with each set of blood work?  Even though FT4 is high, if you aren't properly converting the FT4 to FT3, your TSH won't be adequately suppressed.

[PaulVS]

Hi, Free T4 is 1.6.   Reference range is .8-1.8.  I was 1.8 in February.  TSH is .14, with a range of .4---4.5.   Earlier this year is was .08, a better value for suppression.  

[Barb135]

Hi Paul... While the 0.2 Tg is quite low, I'd agree that it should be undetectable, as should your TSH.  

Do you have Free T3 and Free T4 results to go with the TSH?  Perhaps that's a little higher because your thyroid hormone levels aren't quite high enough...

The chances of cancer returning are probably pretty low, but you certainly should check out any possibility.  I agree that an ultrasound would be the logical next step.

If you have results for Free T4 and Free T3, it would be helpful if you'd post those, also.  Be sure to include reference ranges, as those vary from lab to lab and have to come from your own report.