What do my thyroid test results mean?

[dlbm17]

The last year year has been unbearable for me. I am constantly exhausted, no concentration, feeling detached, no sex drive, thinnning hair etc. the list goes on.

I suspected a thyroid or a possible parathyroid problem and I just had by bloods done and got an email back from my doctor with the results and a note saying everything was normal. I'm at a loss, I have all of these symptoms and genuinely fee like they're ruining my life but apparently everythign is normal? I don't understand.

Could someone please help interepret my blood results?


TSH: 2.75 (mIU/L 0.27-4.2)
T4 free: 16.7 (pmol/L 12.0-22.0)
T3: 1.60 (nmol/L 1.3-3.1)
Anti-Thyroid Peroxidase Ab: <0.16


Parathyroid hormone: 2.7 (pmol/L 1.6-6.9)
Calcium: 2.48 (mmol/L 2.20-2.60)

Ferritin: 142 (ug/L 30-400)

I don't know what to do. I constanlty have pressure headaches, no concentration, no energy. I'd really appreciate any advice based on your experience in this area.

[gimel]

Just being anywhere within the range does not mean such results are optimal for you.   The ranges are far too broad, due to the erroneous assumptions about TSH, and also those used to establish FT4 and FT3 ranges.  You can read all about this in the following link.  I highly recommend reading at lest the first two pages and more if you want to get into the discussion and scientific evidence for all that is recommended.  

http://www.thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/TUK_PDFs/diagnosis_and_treatment_of_hypothyroidism_issue_1.pdf  

From your test results, your TSH is well within range, your Free T4 is close to mid-range, which is adequate for many people.  The problem I see is that your body is not adequately converting T4 to T3, so while your FT4 is at 47% of its range, your Free T3 is only at 17% of its range.  That is much lower than what seems to work best for most people, which is the upper half or upper third of the range, and adjusted as needed to relieve hypo symptoms.  And T3 is metabolized by all the cells of the body to produce needed energy.  Inadequate levels or metabolism of T3 at the cellular level results in hypothyroid symptoms.  

Some of the main variables affecting conversion of T4 to T3 are ferritin, selenium, zinc, TSH, and iodine.   Your ferritin level and TSH are adequate for that.  It would be good to find out about your selenium, zinc and iodine.  As shown on page 2 of the link, it would also be a good idea to test for cortisol and Reverse T3.  Cortisol that is too high or too low can adversely affect thyroid metabolism.   Reverse T3 is a mirror image of T3, but RT3 is biologically inactive.  It is a normal product of conversion, but in excess can produce hypometabolic effects at the cellular level.  

Since you are in the UK, due to the dictates of the NHS, it is usually difficult to get diagnosed and treated unless your TSH is over 10, or your FT4 is below range.   It may even be difficult to get those tests done.  If you run into difficulty, the more you learn about hypothyroidism from the link above, the more effective you will be in getting what you need.  A good thyroid doctor will treat a hypothyroid patient clinically, by testing and adjusting Free T4 and free T3 as needed to relieve symptoms, without being influenced by resultant TSH levels.  Symptom relief should be all important, not just test results.  

If you can get those tests done, then post results and reference ranges shown on the lab report and we will be glad to help interpret and advise further.