Hypothyroidism blood test results?

[copacetic25]

I have been taking Nature Thyroid for years and just got these results back, I am currently taking 2.5 grains. Looks like I need to up my dose? What is the Reverse T3 number telling me?

TESTS RESULT FLAG UNITS REFERENCE INTERVAL LAB


TSH 3.130 uIU/mL 0.450 - 4.500 01


Reverse T3, Serum 9.0 Low ng/dL 9.2 - 24.1 02


Thyroxine (T4) 5.2 ug/dL 4.5 - 12.0 01


Triiodothyronine (T3) 115 ng/dL 71 - 180 01

 

[PAUL-E]

low reverse T3 is good

higher TSH is like saying your body wants thyroid hormone
your t3 seems kinda low and t4 seems low to me but im not a DR
if your see a DR. he might prescribe T4 like Levothyroxine witch the body will take and turn into t3 when its needed

good luck

 

[Vince Carter]

I concur supplement with T4 may be where you're headed, your body (pituitary) is trying to tell you it's low on thyroid hormone by pinging the Thyroid to make more, that's why your TSH is >3, should be more like 1 or thereabouts.

 

[copacetic25]

I have always used desiccated Thyroid so raising just T4 would mean a second prescription. I think I will try bumping my total dose at least and see where my numbers settle.

 

[Vettester Chris]

Do yourself a favor and get the "Free Serum" values on T4 & T3 before trying to make any assessment on this. In many cases you will find the actual converted free serum values are sitting at different intervals of the reference range, compared to the respective "Total" serum value.

The doctor on the video gives a good explanation on Reverse T3. The best method for reviewing RT3 is to calculate the ratio against Free T3. I don't suspect an issue from what you presented, but knowing your ratio will give you the facts on this subject. Again, the Free Serum lab will allow us to get this answer. Also, another way to look at Reverse T3 is researching molecular energy with ATP and ADP. This is where the metabolic operation of energy comes alive and/or breakdown thereof ...

 

[John O'Connor]

Make sure your Vitamin D is above 50 too. Normal range is 30-100, but research is now suggesting 60-80 is optimal.
Recent studies show auto-immune link including Hashimoto's thyroiditis with low Vit D.
2011 study http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21751884
CONCLUSION: Vitamin D insufficiency is associated with HT. Further studies are needed to determine whether vitamin D insufficiency is a casual factor in the pathogenesis of HT or rather a consequence of the disease.

2013 study http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23337162
The association between severity of vitamin D deficiency and Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

2015 study http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26637501
These findings suggest that vitamin D deficiency may be related to pathogenesis of HT and that its supplementation could contribute to the treatment of patients with HT.

And other auto-immune diseases (Multiple Sclerosis, Rheumatoid Arthritis...)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26751969
Serum Vitamin D Level and Rheumatoid Arthritis Disease

2013 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23052893
Because of its suggested immunomodulatory capacity vitamin D deficiency or disturbance in the vitamin D metabolism might be a risk factor for the development of autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis; but supplementation with vitamin D might also be a therapeutic option. Substantial epidemiologic evidence indicates an association between vitamin D levels and risk of multiple sclerosis, suggesting vitamin D to be one of the long searched environmental factors for the development of this most common chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24358684
2013 Impact of vitamin D in neurological diseases and neurorehabilitation: from dementia to multiple sclerosis

 

[John O'Connor]

I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's thyroiditis in 2006. TSH was 3.8, I've been on 50mcg levothyroxine since then. At one point I was on higher dose, 75mcg, but my levels dropped to 0.5. Below 0.5 TSH = Grave's disease = hyperthyroid. Optimal level is 1.0, within range of 0.8 - 1.2 is well controlled.

Very important to take medicine in the morning on an empty stomach for complete absorption. Don't eat for 1 hour after, especially foods like oatmeal, which would absorb medication.

Also on morning of next blood test - do not take medicine. Levothyroxine/synthroid has 6 day half-life, so it's not a problem to skip a dose, or take it after blood work. Taking immediately before blood work can cause artificially low TSH, which makes sense as TSH drops in relation to T3 (converted from T4 = synthroid/levothyroxine).