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update on labwork waiting to go back to the drs...

2 months ago I had these lab results:
TPO: 519 (should be less than 35)
T4 free 1.2 (should be between 0.8 and 1.8)
T3 total 80 (should be between 76-181)
T3 uptake 35 (should be between 22-35%)
Tsh .93

Last week I ordered additional tests:
T3 free 2.8 (should be 2.3-4.2)
Thyroglobin antibodies <20 (should be <20)
THYROGLOBIN 137 (should be 2.0-35.0)

What does this all mean? My T3 and T4 seem fine...my tsh was on the "lower" end a few months ago...but now this high thyroglobin showed up. I am not on any medication, i have never had a thyroid ultrasound. I had a goiter 2 months ago, but it went away. What do I have? I keep hearing autoimmune disease, hashimotos etc but my t3, t4 and tsh are fine. I don't understand?????
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Avatar universal
I keep reading from other people that cytomel has completely uplifted their mood, brain fog, energy levels etc. I read that cytomel is for T3 levels only. LDN is also another drug I read can help hashimotos patients. There aren't any articles related to long term use..and it scares me that in high doses, it treats heroin addicts. I'm pretty sure my new Dr. will order an ultrasound of my thyroid and hopefully start cytomel. I still don't understand why my thyroglobulin levels are so high but I will talk to the dr about my estrogen dominance. My thyroid/estrogen levels started acting up when I was 19. I had Dr's try to give me birth control and ignore my symptoms. Now after ALL these years of suffering, I had to google and figure out what was wrong with me. I ordered all these tests for myself and so far everything I felt in my heart was wrong...is wrong. It took 100 Dr's to find 2 great ones. In turn I have acid reflux from all the coffee I have relied on to move for years. Anyone out there reading this article, progesterone (prescription bioidentical) has helped me tremendously with pms. Pms and thyroid disorders have some sort of link. Any females having trouble getting pregnant (with thyroid disorder) should get saliva testing done for one month.
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Avatar universal
I think I read that Estrogen can bind with thyroid as well. Making or rendering the thyroid in the blood unusable.  Since you are estrogen dominate then this could add to the issue that while the blood levels measured are there, if they are unable to be used by your body's cells. it again shows how the "normal ranges" are just a statistical calculation. What YOU actually need vary.

That being said.  As another example as to how the "range" is not necessarily not good enough.  Many if not most people have found that if they are symptomatic while they are in the 'Normal range". That in fact they need to be WELL up into the range.

Specifically the rule of thumb is to have BOTH of the following.

1) Free T4 to be in the MIDDLE of the range (50% of the range) - your test result show you at 40% of the range. So nothorrible but there is some room for improvement.

AND- that means in addition

2) Free T3 to be in the UPPER 1/3 of the range (66.7%)  - your test result show you to be at ONLY 26.3% of the range.

Understand that your body's cells ONLY use the Free T3 hormone.  The Free T4 is a storage hormone that remains in the blood until needed. When the body need thyroid, it will convert the storage FT4 and convert it into T3 hormone.

So whay symptoms are you experiencing.  I suspect with the FT3 levels as low as you are at right now that you are feeling some Hypo symptoms.
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Avatar universal
Sorry, I misread the test results between TG ab and Thyroglobulin.

In doing some further reading on this, I ran across this info that seems like it may provide some insight.  The info came from this link.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hashimoto%27s_thyroiditis

"Given the relatively non-specific symptoms of initial hypothyroidism, Hashimoto's thyroiditis is often misdiagnosed as depression, cyclothymia, PMS, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia and, less frequently, as ED or an anxiety disorder. On gross examination, there is often presentation of a hard goitre that is not painful to the touch;[8] other symptoms seen with hypothyroidism, such as periorbital myxedema, depends on the current state of progression of the response, especially given the usually gradual development of clinically relevant hypothyroidism. Testing for thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), Free T3, Free T4, and the anti-thyroglobulin antibodies (anti-Tg), anti-thyroid peroxidase antibodies (anti-TPO) and anti-microsomal antibodies can help obtain an accurate diagnosis.[10] Earlier assessment of the patient may present with elevated levels of thyroglobulin owing to the transient thyrotoxicosis as inflammation within the thyroid causes damage to the integrity of thyroid follicle storage of thyroglobulin; TSH is concomitantly decreased.[11]"
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Avatar universal
Its the thyroglobulin level that scares me. I know its a tumor marker for cancer patients but isn't a diagnosis of cancer. Is it normal for hashis patients to have high Tg levels? My vitamin D is on the lower side as was my ferritin. I'm taking supplements, including selenium and I'm on a gluten free diet. I see the new specialist next week. I'm assuming she will order an ultrasound of my thyroid...but I'm wondering if she will start any medication. I have extreme fatigue and I am estrogen dominant (a month of saliva testing). I just started bioidentical progesterone to balance my hormones. I'm only 28 but feel like I have so many problems. One glitch in your body and it throws everything off
:(
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Avatar universal
The TO ab and Tg ab tests indicate Hashimoto's Thyroiditis.  With Hashi's, the autoimmune system erroneously identifies the thyroid gland as "foreign" to the body and produces antibodies to attack and eventually destroy the gland.  As this proceeds, normal thyroid hormone production is diminished, with resultant increasing TSH and lower levels of Free T3 and Free T4.

Just because the Free T3 and Free T4 are still within the reference ranges does not mean they are adequate for you. The ranges are far too broad to be functional for many people.  Free T3 is the most important because it largely regulates metabolism and many other body functions.  Scientific studies have shown that Free T3 correlated best with hypo symptoms, while Free T4 and TSH did not correlate at all.  Many of our members, myself included say that relief from hypo symptoms required Free T3 in the upper third of its range and Free T4 around the middle of its range.  

A good thyroid doctor will treat a hypo patient clinically by testing and adjusting Free T3 and Free T4 as necessary to relieve symptoms, without being constrained by resultant TSH levels.  You can get some good insight from this link written by a good thyroid doctor.  

http://www.hormonerestoration.com/Thyroid.html



At this point, the key question is whether you are beginning to experience hypo symptoms?  Sometimes with Hashi's symptoms do not show up right away.  Many doctors want to wait until symptoms become overt before starting a patient on thyroid meds.  A few are more proactive and will start the patient on a starter dose of meds to gradually build up the Free T3 and Free T4 levels to prevent the worst of symptoms.  That is going to be an interesting discussion for you to have with your doctor.  From that discussion you need to find out if the doctor is going to be willing to treat clinically as described above, or if the doctor only wants to use TSH and Reference Ranges to treat you.  If the latter is the case, then I highly recommend that you find a good thyroid doctor that will treat clinically.  If you do not have confidence in locating a good thyroid doctor as described, if you will give us your location, perhaps we can come up with a member recommended doctor.

One last suggestion is that since hypo patients frequently find that they are also too low in the ranges for Vitamin D, B12, selenium and ferritin, you should get those tested as well.
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