Are these thyroid results really OK?

[Iliketequilatoomuch]

Hi,

So I've been struggling with hair loss over the past couple of years, which seems to have accelerated over the last few months, so I've been having tests to rule out deficiencies, such as vitamin b12 and vitamin d. They also checked my thyroid levels, but I understand 'normal range' can sometimes be a bit misleading.

My results: T4 = 13.6 TSH = 1.19

Could these readings still cause me any issues?

TIA

Do you have the reference ranges for these results? They vary from place to place so it's difficult to assess, particularly the FT4, without them.

TSH of 1.19 is great 👍🏻 T4 is within in range if between 10-22 say and at 13 not incredibly low even within the range

I beg to disagree. Our range here for FT4 is 9 - 26. With results like the OP's, I was three stone overweight, losing my hair, in constant pain from head to toe and utterly exhausted. Thyroid replacement has been life-changing. My FT4, at the last count, was 24.

For most people, an optimal FT4 is in the top half of the reference range, to ensure that FT3, the lack of which causes your symptoms, is correspondingly high.

Without an FT3 result, things are not entirely clear, but results like OP's (low TSH and low FT4) may indicate secondary hypothyroidism, which is difficult to diagnose where there is an over-reliance on TSH alone and requires a referral to an endocrinologist.

It's worth bearing in mind that the object of treatment is to alleviate symptoms and that's clearly not happening here, so something is not right.

@NaToth, I don't know anything more than that. I asked if the results were normal and then asked what they were. I'm used to being told my results are "normal", only to research and find out that isn't always the case. For example, my ferritin levels - over 10 is within normal range, but for hair growth it needs to be over 70 apparently and my levels, at 24, could also explain my general fatigue and muscle aches.

All results are based on a "normal range".

Approximately 2.5% of the population will fall somewhere outside of this range. So there will always be stories like that of the pp, where the pt would have benefitted from treatment despite "normal" results.

However a medic is unlikely to treat anyone with thyroxine if they fall within the normal range because it's potentially dangerous.

However, as OP says re ferritin, there is a reference range, and there is an optimal range, and there's one heck of a difference.

OP, if you can call the surgery and get the reference ranges, we can have another look. Alternatively, they may be online if you Google "your area pathology"

things are not entirely clear, but results like OP's (low TSH and low FT4)

TSH isn’t low it’s not supposed to be lower than 1 and the reading is 1.19, if you have a range if 1-4 which is the norm- then where are you going to go with thyroxine? As any lower than 1 and you can easily go to hyperthyroidism and start heart issues

These are completely normal results! Most importantly your TSH is lower than 2.5 which is a point where some would suspect there might be some disfunction brewing (note, that even then there would be usually no symptoms).

When your thyroid fails first body tries to compensate for it by increasing TSH. So you would have high TSH, normal T4 and no symptoms.
Next your T4 will become low.

Your TSH is normal so nothing like this is happening, basically.

There is a huge epidemics of people thinking that their subjective ill feeling is caused by hypothyroidism, basically because there is a cheap "fix" in the form of levothyroxine. This was popularised basically by quacks who like to make money on patients.

Thyroid hormones are in a very delicate balance in the body, their ratios change through the day, and there is a range of forms and replacement doesn't work so well for many people. You are basically risking your health if you take replacement unnecessarily.

@ivykaty44

things are not entirely clear, but results like OP's (low TSH and low FT4)

TSH isn’t low it’s not supposed to be lower than 1 and the reading is 1.19, if you have a range if 1-4 which is the norm- then where are you going to go with thyroxine? As any lower than 1 and you can easily go to hyperthyroidism and start heart issues

You will not go into hyperthyroidism if you take replacement unnecessarily. What causes hyperthyroidism is high t4, not low TSH. What will happen instead is that TSH will become low as the body tries to keep T4 at the level it needs to be (which is likely the level in OPs test). If you continue taking more and more thyroxine, TSH will become undetectable, thyroid will stop producing T4 and OP will depend on levothyroxine entirely. She will then be able to achieve her "desirable" levels of t4 by taking enough levothyroxine (as some poster had said "at the top of the scale" ) but her ft3 which is the actual hormone body uses will likely be completely off balance because TSH is related to the conversion of t4 to t3... In short - don't take levothyroxine just because you read on the internet your hair loss can be fixed by that. Please.

@BFrazzled

These are completely normal results! Most importantly your TSH is lower than 2.5 which is a point where some would suspect there might be some disfunction brewing (note, that even then there would be usually no symptoms).

When your thyroid fails first body tries to compensate for it by increasing TSH. So you would have high TSH, normal T4 and no symptoms.
Next your T4 will become low.

Your TSH is normal so nothing like this is happening, basically.

There is a huge epidemics of people thinking that their subjective ill feeling is caused by hypothyroidism, basically because there is a cheap "fix" in the form of levothyroxine. This was popularised basically by quacks who like to make money on patients.

Thyroid hormones are in a very delicate balance in the body, their ratios change through the day, and there is a range of forms and replacement doesn't work so well for many people. You are basically risking your health if you take replacement unnecessarily.

Just you try getting any hypothyroidism medication out of the NHS. It is like getting blood out of a stone.

It is almost impossible to even get them to do all the proper blood tests, and as for a referral to an endocrinologist - forget it.

medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000309.htm. Over medication of thyroxine

TSH at 1.19 is low, the lower the TSH the more you thyroid is working so to speak to produce T4 and the higher the number, so 4 or even above the less your thyroid is working to produce T4.

Higher number TSH over 4 and you’re looking at hypothyroidism and the lower TSH under 1 and your looking at hyperthyroidism
TSH is thyroid stimulating hormone which in turn controls how much T4 is produced

I read an interesting book about thyroid and also went to a nutritionist. My levels were normal like you OP but the nutritionist recommended supplementing with iodine as we lack it in our natural diets. I did feel a difference when I did this. It comes in liquid form and you paint it o your wrist. The quicker it disappears the more you need it

Thanks for all the replies and info. My head is spinning a little trying to understand it all though.

@pandemicstress, I did actually buy some sea kelp, as I heard it helps with hair growth. However, I then found some rather alarming articles about iodine overload and how if you don't really need it, you really shouldn't take it.

@Iliketequilatoomuch that's the benefit of
The liquid though and painting it on. As it definitely stayed on for longer as I used it for longer so I knew it was improving ...

Sorry @pandemicstress, I wasn't saying you didn't need it. I was just saying that my results seem to be implying that it wouldn't be beneficial for me and potentially dangerous. Can I ask what your results were?

Apologies this was some
Time ago and I can't recall now. But the nutritionist wasn't too bothered about the results, she said painting the iodine on will most definitely help majority of people. As soon as it takes longer to disappear , you stop. The body can't store iodine I don't think and we can only get it via diet but it's not present in foods anymore as much. Hope that helps

www.google.co.uk/search?q=painting+iodine+on+skin&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-gb&client=safari

Not saying you should go by google but some
Background reading might help..