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Question regarding My TSH, FT3, FT4 values?

I am 28 years old male
Since 2008 i started losing hair ( i was 21). Then i started putting up weight
from 79kg at end of 2008 to 96kg by May 2009 and also my scalp started sweating badly.
On Sept 2013 i got fed up with sweating so i decided to see the doctor.  He suggested Thyroid checkup
TSH, T3 , and T4 test's
My first result before treatment as of 2013 september
TSH - 17.45 (0.3-5.5)
T3 - 95  (60-200)
T4 - 6.5 (4.5-12.0)

After seeing the results he told me to take meds for 6 months and do a check up.
but after 6 months he told me to take meds for another 6 months .

So finally on September 2014 i did check up
results are as follows
TSH - 11.69
T3 - 74
T4 - 6.2

Since the results are  not normal, i took meds for another 6 months
April 2015
TSH - 8.70
T3 - 94
T4 - 6.8

4 months later on Aug 2015

TSH - 9.76
T3 - 89
T4 - 6.9

After seeing my TSH increase Slightly he changed the meds.
Also i asked him about doing FT3 And FT4 test after going through the internet i saw that people saying the
T3 and T4 Tests are nowadays Obsolete,

3 months later on November 2015
My results are as below
TSH - 6.06 (0.30-5.5)
FT3 - 3.23 (1.7-4.2)
FT4 - 1.19 (0.70 - 1.80)

Note that i am on Ayurvedic Treatment, its Kind of slow
are my Ft3 and FT4 values Optimal and what is optimal for TSH?
Will my symptoms go away when they reach Optimal?
19 Responses
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Avatar universal
Greetings,
Hope its not too late.. Please google and read Zinc Deficiency Associated with Hypothyroidism: An Overlooked Cause of Severe Alopecia
from NCBI. If you respond to this thread, I will post more on your thyroid issue.
Narayan
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I suppose you are in India and sadly in India there is no desiccated thyroid pill containing both T3 and T4 available. If you are interested I'll PM you a way to obtain it from another country.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I was on ayurvedic treatment....
anyways tested agiain on saturday.
and these were the results..

TSH ---6.18         Range 0.5 - 5.5
FT3  ---2.80         Range 1.7 - 4.2
FT4  ---0.93         Range 0.7 - 1.80

this without treatment again..
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
What med and dosage were you taking previously?  

What, if any, symptoms did you have when taking the med?  What symptoms do you have now?  
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
My symptoms were overweight , lot of sweating in forehead, almost lost all hair at the top...

Right now sweating still is there, hair is reducing, but i have lost weight due to workout...
Avatar universal
Ok guys, iam back after doing 3 more test and here are the results.

Test done on Feb 10th 2016
TSH ---7.99         Range 0.5 - 5.5
FT3  ---3.07         Range 1.7 - 4.2
FT4  ---1.1           Range 0.7 - 1.80

Test done on 20 June 2016
TSH ---13.28         Range 0.5 - 5.5
FT3  ---3.06         Range 1.7 - 4.2
FT4  ---1.18           Range 0.7 - 1.80

After these test i got frustrated and i stopped taking the Meds.
so after 2.5 months i tested again and these were the results.

Test done on 13 September 2016
TSH ---7.34         Range 0.5 - 5.5
FT3  ---2.76         Range 1.7 - 4.2
FT4  ---1.07           Range 0.7 - 1.80


Now iam in dilemma whether to take medicine or wait till the next test to see if the TSH decreases or not? what do you guys suggest.?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
yes if low thyroid function its due to antibodies. once if able to get off antibodies then no need.

do this TPO Ab it will tell if its due to antibodies.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I read some where that if your antibodies test is negative you may not need medication for life?
is it true?
I Haven't tested for Antibodies yet though.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
usually need for rest of life, but dose might vary.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Another important Question
Will i need Life long treatment?
My doctor says once i reach normal he is gonna stop the medication and told me to do Blood test after six months.
I am just hoping that it's not going to be life long
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Blood labs are NOT conclusive in and by themselves.  The real test is how do you feel and what symptoms (if any) are you having.

The current FT4 level is 44.5% and the FT3 is at 61.2%. TSH to me is nearly worthless so I would hardly pay attention to it.  Also since your FT3 levels as a percent of the range are higher than your FT4 levels, it would indicate that your body seems to be converting from T4 to T3 fairly well.  So that should be of little concern to you.

As Barb stated both of your FT4 and FT3 levels are slightly BELOW the rule of thumb of 50% and 66% respectively.  But all people feel well at different numbers and this is why it is only a "rule of thumb".  The elimination of symptoms is what determines what is optimal for any given person.  As optimal is different for different people as we are all individuals.

So if you are symptom free you have found your personal optimal level.  If you are still suffering from Hypo symptoms then an increase in the dosage may be in order. Probably a small one.  If on the other hand you are having Shyper symptoms then a small decrease in dosage would be in order.

The only symptom you have listed in your original post was of scalp sweating.  Did you have any other Hypo symptoms?  If so what were they?  And do you still have them or have they improved etc?

The three legged stool you have to balance are:  1) Blood labs 2) Symptoms and 3) medication dosage.  

All three are critical and inter-related.  The "art" of medicine is to obtain as close to balance of the three as possible. That you adjust the dosage to get blood levels that releive your symptoms.  And if not in balance to make a medication adjustment and see how that effects both symptoms and blood labs.

When in balance you have obtained the Bullseye FOR YOU.  Then it behooves you to burn those blood labs into your memory, frame it whatever. So that if you ever get out of balance again, you know an accurate target FOR YOU to shoot for to figure out what adjustments need to be made to your dosage to get back to those blood labs and hopefully feeling good again!

It is all simple in concept. But harder in reality since life throws so many variables (like stress) that can come and go, that it compicates things.
Helpful - 0
2 Comments
Hey Thanks for the Reply, Other Than sweating, i am balding since 2008 now i got only few hundreds of hair at the top and my nape area is also balding and another symptom is weight gain. Initailly i put on about 20 kilos in a matter of few months, but thats not a problem now since i have been hittng gym regularly and i have lost 20 kilos :) from 98 KG to 77KG
Also sweating has reduced somewhat, but i still feel its not normal
Avatar universal
already in some alternative medicine and not know how his doctor adjusting the dosage as its not conventional levothyroxine. anyway his medicine is working great and giving great improvement from initial thyroid levels.
Helpful - 0
649848 tn?1534633700
COMMUNITY LEADER
When I'm wrong, I'm not afraid to say so... I stand corrected.  1.19 is 45% of the reference range... which is still short of the recommended 50% and with a TSH of 6.06 could still cause hypo symptoms and may benefit from low dose medication.

Helpful - 0
1 Comments
Its ok, Will post my next result here and see how it goes
Avatar universal
thanks a lot for the tablet name. it seem for increasing t3 value.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
how can 1.19 be at 29% in reference range? (0.70 - 1.80)

Helpful - 0
2 Comments
Yeah iam confused about these ranges, Some people have different ranges in their Test's
Hey regarding the TAbs iam taking,,,its called Gaytarin
649848 tn?1534633700
COMMUNITY LEADER
As I noted in my previous reply, your current FT4 is only at 29% of its range... That's a good bit from the recommended 50% of range.
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
Ok, Thanks,, Bit confused about ranges
649848 tn?1534633700
COMMUNITY LEADER
Your thyroid hormone levels are "not" optimal and you do need treatment...

Your TSH is too high and your Free T4 is too low in the range.  Rule of thumb (where most of us feel best) is for Free T4 to be about mid range; yours is only at 29% of its range, indicating that your thyroid is not producing adequate amounts and everything you're producing is being converted to Free T3 in order to keep your body going... This is why your TSH is higher than normal - it's trying to stimulate your thyroid to produce more T4 hormone...
Helpful - 0
5 Comments
@ Barb135
Thanks for the reply..
But Isn't My current Ft4 Almost near half in the range?...my current FT4 1.19 with range being 0.70-1.80  Midrange value is 1.25?
But Isn't My current Ft4 Almost near half in the range?...my current FT4 1.19 with range being 0.70-1.80  Midrange value is 1.25?
Should it be around 1.25 - 1.30?
Avatar universal
ok
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thanks for the Reply

I am gonna take the Same Tabs for another 3 months and Post results here.
also ask the name of the Tab properly next time. coz i cannot understand his Hand writing :P
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
My results are as below
TSH - 6.06 (0.30-5.5)
FT3 - 3.23 (1.7-4.2)
FT4 - 1.19 (0.70 - 1.80)

your current thyroid test results are good and also optimal and no need of any change in medicine and dosage. that slightly raised tsh is of no issue. also increasing the dosage will further move you to thyroxine overload condition which can result either in hyperthyroid mode or hypo due to increased reverse t3 due to too much thyroxine.

btw please let us know about your current ayurvedic treatment its giving great results particularly optimal t3 level which was very low previously.
Helpful - 0
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