thyroid #'s help

[soulwriter]

My most recent #'s on my lab results were:
TSH - 0.52  (normal range being 0.34-4.82)
Free T4 - 1.0 (normal range being 0.8-1.9)

A month prior to these #'s they came back on a lab as:
TSH - 0.48  (normal range being 0.40 - 4.70)
Free T4 - 12.2 (normal range being 4.5-12.5)

Could someone tell me what these #'s mean and even though I'm showing that I'm "within normal range" is there anything that can be done?

Thank you,
Heather

[goolarra]

If it doesn't specifically say "free", then it's a total.  Unfortunately, that's considered an obsolete test and has been replaced by FT4, so we really can't compare the two.  TT4 measures the total T4 in the blood, but much of that is chemically bound by protein and thus unavailable to cells.

The FT4 in your latest labs is technically "in range", but it's too low.  The target level for FT4 is midrange.  However, your TSH looks good in both cases.  TSH is a pituitary hormone and not nearly as important as the actual thyroid hormones, T3 and T4.

The next time you have labwork, request free T3 as well as free T4.  T3 is the most biologically active of the thyroid hormones.  It helps fill out your thyroid profile.  In addition, you might have thyroid antibodies tested (TPOab and TGab).  These will tell you if you have an autoimmune thyroid disease, like Hashimoto's or Grave's.  Hashi's is the most prevalent cause of hypo in the U. S.  If you are in the initial stages of Hashi's, your antibodies are destroying your thyroid function.  It can take a number of years for the destruction to reach the point where your numbers fall "out of range", but you can be suffering the effects a lot sooner.

[soulwriter]

Thank you for your response.  The first t4 number is a Free T4 the second one doesn't say that.

I have not had antibody testing (not familiar) and I have not been diagnosed with a thyroid disorder or been put on meds.  I have been dealing with symptoms for years but everytime they do the labs my numbers fall "within range" although they are close to the border of going out of range.  

[goolarra]

Are both of those T4 tests "free" T4.  The second listed looks like a total T4.

Have you had antibody testing?  Have you been diagnosed with a thyroid disorder?  Are you on thyroid meds?