Need help deciphering strange thyroid test results.

[lemonwedge]

I'm a dunce when it comes to interpreting thyroid test results. Maybe this is a lab error?

Back at the very end of September I had TSH W/RFLX to Free TF and Free Thyroxine Level the results came back with:

TSH:  .01   (std range .08-1.7)
Thyroxine: 1.5   (std range .08-1.7)

Then about 4 weeks later repeat the same tests and results as follow:

TSH: 11.09  (std range 0.30-4.00)
Thyroxine:  1.1  (std range .08-1.7)


Not sure what questions I have. But why the huge swing? Could it really be a lab error twice?

[goolarra]

Check out deQuervain's thyroiditis in this link:

http://www.endocrineweb.com/conditions/thyroid/thyroiditis

deQ's, also called subacute thyroiditis, is characterized by pain in the thyroid.  You might want to have antibodies for Hashi's tested.  Those are TPOab (thyroid peroxidase antibodies) and TGab (thyroglobulin antibodies).  Both have to be tested.  If you do that, ask them to test ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation rate) at the same time.  That's very high if you have deQ's.  If it's deQ's, it'll most likely go away on its own.  If Hashi's, you'll have to keep watching it.

[goolarra]

You may very well have one of the non-autoimmune types of thyroiditis.  These usually resolve themselves, but it can take some time to do so.

You're not postpartum, are you?  I know your profile says you're male, but that's the default, and a lot of us females were males for a while!  LOL

Had you recently had an upper respiratory infection, viral or bacterial?

What about pain in your thyroid/neck?

Is this the first time you felt hyper for a while?

[lemonwedge]

Hi, lol -  I am female. I haven't changed any of the default.  I am not postpartum.  And no I haven't had an upper respiratory infection.  At the beginning of September, I had about 3 weeks of heart racing, feeling light headed, my throat hurt to touch on the outside. But that all went away and I seem to be feeling somewhat normal. That was the first time I ever felt hyper symptoms, then I had the first blood draw end of Sept. and it had .01 TSH result.

[goolarra]

It could be a lab error; they do happen.  However, with certain conditions, labs can swing pretty quickly.  For example, the early stages of Hashi's can be characterized by swings from hypo to hyper, and some of the "temporary" forms of thyroiditis have an initial hyper phase followed by a hypo phase.  

Are you on thyroid meds?

Did you have hyper symptoms prior to the first set of labs?  Are you feeling hypo now?  

[lemonwedge]

Yes, back before the first test, I felt hyper symptoms. Racing heart, anxiety and weight loss, hair loss. That was for about 3 weeks before the first draw on 9/30. Then everything seemed to go back to normal (I use that term loosely!) and I had the second draw on 10/26.  I don't know if I am feeling hypo.  I have fatigue but I've had that for years. I'm feeling cold, but at a 116 pounds and winter starting, that's normal for me.  I am not on any thyroid meds.