Stepping out of the shadows

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Stepping out of the shadows
2
Fri, 02-24-2006 - 12:52am

Stopped in to the chat the other night. Checking the board also. Just want you all to know it's helped me to make a decision. Have decided to make an appointment with an endo. This after years of problems and symtoms that could be thyroid related. Have been tested by regular Dr's and always told low but not low enough to treat. I'm still curious at to what is low enough. We are not all the same, cut from an identical pattern.


Thanks..

Walk in peace...



Rain

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Avatar for cl_calley7
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-20-2003
Sat, 02-25-2006 - 8:22pm

Hi Rain,


It was great to have you in chat last Wednesday.

 

Calley7

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-22-2004
Sun, 02-26-2006 - 11:59am

Hi here are some common thyroid tests and the lab values for normal ranges. For many of us it is important to have a complete thyroid panel run to detect what is actually going on (in other words a simple TSH doesn't tell the whole story.) The test not listed here is for antithyroid antibodies, which can tell you whether your thyroid failure (if applicable) is autoimmune.

Good luck!
Dee

From: http://thyroid.about.com/cs/newsinfo/l/bltest_values.htm

Test / Name Normal Range Interpretation:
"TSH" Test -- Thyroid Stimulating Hormone/0.3 to 3.0 (as of 2003)
Under .4 can indicate possible hyperthyroidism. Over 6 is considered indicative of hypothyroidism. Note: the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists has revised these guidelines as of early 2003, narrowing the range to 0.3 to 3.0. Many labs and practitioners are not, however, aware of these revised guidelines.
Total T4 / Serum thyroxine 4.5 to 12.5
Less than 4.5 can be indicative of an underfunctioning thyroid when TSH is also elevated. Over 12.5 can indicate hyperthyroidism. Low T4 with low TSH can sometimes indicate a pituitary problem.
Free T4 / Free Thyroxine - FT4 0.7 to 2.0
Less than 0.7 is considered indicative of possible hypothyroidism.
T3 / Serum triiodothyronine 80 to 220
Less than 80 can indicate hypothyroidism.