has my mother got thyroid problems?

[terrysam]

hi

my mother a few months ago went to the drs as she feels weak and tired alot, she had a TSH test which came back abnormal not sure if it was high or low, the drs then called her back after a few months and repeated the TSH test and this time the results were normal

i believe the best test for this is the free t3 and t4 which drs have not done, for her to have an abnormal result and then a normal result after a few months can this indicate her thyroid is fine now?


are there any other factors that can influence/change cause abnormal results for tsh? for example being on antibiotics, exercising, viral infections of some kind.

should i be taking my mother back tot her dr and asking for  further investigation as the results were abnormal before,  it does seem like they have brushed it under the mat  for some reason.

i hope someone can answer my questions as i am worried for my mother as she seems to be feeling worse day by day, weak and tired.

thank you

[Barb135]

Rumpled is right; TSH is a pituitary hormone.  It should never be used alone to confirm or rule out a thyroid issue.  You need to insist on getting the Free T3 and Free T4 tests, as these are the actual thyroid hormones and will tell what the thyroid is doing.

There are a lot of things that can affect the TSH and it can actually fluctuate wildly, even within the same day.  

There may be other tests needed, but the very first step is to get the Free T3 and Free T4 tests, along with another TSH.  It's entirely possible to have symptoms with normal labs -- just takes the numbers a while to catch up with the symptoms.  

[rumpled]

TSH is a pituitary test, not just a thyroid test. TSH tests what the pituitary is telling the thyroid to do.

Yes, Free T3 and Free T4 are best for the thyroid function.

TSH can be influenced by other hormones - so she may or may not have another hormonal issue - and they simply have not checked for it.  It may be pituitary, and the doctor thinks it is rare, and thus will not even look. If she feels back, get her back and insist on more pituitary testing. My TSH bounced all over - and I had pituitary tumors.