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Advice needed re test results please

I have a long history of feeling awful - all the symptoms of hypothyroid really  - and a long history of "normal" test results.  I persevered because I knew something was wrong and last year Dr Barry Peatfield strongly suspected malfunction of thyroid and sent me for urine and saliva tests, which confirmed significantly weakened adrenal reserves, with very low T3 in urine (reference range 800 - 2500 pmol/s24 hours - mine was 676) a T3/T4 ratio of 0.69 (normal 0.50 - 2.30) and low T4 (normal 550 - 3160 - mine was 978).  He suggested me taking thyroid extract which I did but it resulted in palpitations and no increase in wellness.

I have since moved to France and, still feeling bad and suspecting thyroid problems, I saw a doctor here and asked if any further thryoid tests could be done.  She agreed and last week I had the following blood test results:

Free T3 - 4.41 pmol/l (normal range 4.00 to 8.30)

Free T4 - 9.02 pmol/l (normal range 9.00 to 20.00)

TSH (ultra-sensitive) - 0.86 (normal is 0.25 to 5.00).

(My Prolactin is also 6.9 when the norm is 3 to 25.
Cortisol is 139.8 (norm 55 to 287).

I have not yet been back to see the doctor because I wanted to be as well prepared as possible. She has also given me the chance to have a thyroid scan - do you think this is necessary given the results?  Any benefit?  I am unfortunately also allergic to iodine dye.

Help would be so much appreciated, given that there is also a slight communication problem with my doctor in that she speaks hardly any English and my French is not brilliant.  She would no doubt refer me willingly though.  Thank you.
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Avatar universal
The doctor could do a thyroid ultrasound and check for a nodule that way.  No iodine is involved.
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Avatar universal
Your FT3 and FT4 are both barely within reference range.  This clearly indicates hypothyroidism.  However, your TSH is also quite low.  TSH is counterintuitive...when you are hypo, it's usually high, and when you are hyper, it's usually low.  The low TSH with low FT3 and FT4 might indicate some pituitary involvement. TSH is the least important of the thyroid tests since it measures a pituitary hormone, and not a thyroid hormone.  I would ask for antibody tests (TPOab and TGab) to confirm or rule out Hashimoto's thyroiditis, an autoimmune disease. A thyroid ultrasound might also be in order.  Given your allergy to iodine dyes, I think you might postpone (at least) the scan.  I'd try thyroid meds...I think they'll make you feel a lot better.
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464790 tn?1255369345
I would highly recommend to ask this to Dr.Lupo here on ask the doctor forum ....did you check both antibodies ?
Helpful - 0
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