“What do my thyroid test results mean?”

This is a question often asked by many thyroid patients. We know that these blood tests are a measure of thyroid hormone production and that they provide a diagnosis of your thyroid function
Have you ever had your doctor diagnose you with hypothyroidism and then show you the test results saying your TSH levels are way above where they should be so you have hypothyroidism an underactive thyroid? Now you are slightly confused because above is under and under is above. The next thing you know the doctor is telling you about this t4 and t3 with numbers associated to those as well only this time there’s something in the thyroid test results where under is underactive. This can become confusing at a time when you are being told that you have a thyroid disorder. Hopefully the following will help you to understand how these thyroid test results measure thyroid hormone levels and what the diagnosis means.

Thyroid Test Results – What is TSH?

TSH is a thyroid stimulating hormone that is secreted out of the pituitary gland. TSH stimulates or signals the thyroid gland to release t4 and t3 hormone. When your thyroid isn’t releasing enough t4 and t3 the pituitary gland releases higher levels of TSH as an effort to get the thyroid gland to produce more t4 and t3. This is why your doctor will diagnose you with hypothyroidism when your TSH levels are higher than normal.

The pituitary works in reverse where hyperthyroidism or an over active thyroid is present. Hyperthyroidism is when the thyroid gland is releasing too much t4 and t3. When that happens the pituitary gland releases less TSH in effort to slow down the thyroid glands production of t4 and t3.

Thyroid Blood Test Results

Now let’s take a look at thyroid tests, thyroid test results and how they apply to hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism

The TSH thyroid test normal range is 0.5 – 5.5

Total t4 thyroid test normal range is   4.5 – 12.5

Free t4 thyroid test normal range is     0.7 – 2.0

Total t3 thyroid test normal range is    80 – 220

Free t3 thyroid test normal range is     2.3 – 4.2

*The differences between total t3 and total t4 and free t3 and free t4 is that things like proteins and medications can alter total t3 and total t4 hormone levels giving them inconsistent unreliable totals while free t3 and free t4 hormone levels are not altered by these things so they give more accurate thyroid test results.

With this in mind we can now look at how these test results help your physician diagnose your thyroid disease.

If your:

Thyroid test results – Pituitary gland Issue:

Total t4 = below normal – less than 4.5 and TSH = below normal less than 0.5 – There could be an issue with your pituitary.

Thyroid test results – Hyperthyroidism Issue:

TSH = below normal less than 0.5 – You may have hyperthyroidism – an overactive thyroid condition

Thyroid test results – Hypothyroidism Issue:

TSH = above normal more than 5.5 – You may have hypothyroidism – an underactive thyroid condition

Total t4 = below normal – less than 4.5 and TSH = above normal more than 5.5 – This indicates hypothyroidism – an underactive thyroid condition.

Free t4 = below normal – less than 0.7 – This indicates hypothyroidism – an underactive thyroid condition

Total t3 = below normal – less than 80 – This indicates hypothyroidism – an underactive thyroid condition

Free t3 = below normal – less than 2.3 – This indicates hypothyroidism – an underactive thyroid condition

*A lump or swelling in the front of your neck could indicate thyroid cancer and your doctor should send you for an ultrasound of your thyroid and other thyroid cancer tests available.

Hopefully this post on thyroid test results will better help thyroid patients understand what the doctors are talking about when they discuss your thyroid test results with you from this point forward.

Hypothyroidism and Pregnancy – It Is a Possibility

There are so many questions out there surrounding Hypothyroidism and pregnancy. While I can’t tell you everything that you need to know on the subject, I can share the Hypothyroidism and pregnancy success stories of myself and another family member of mine who has Hypothyroidism. Maybe our experiences can help others understand some of the dynamics of having hypothyroidism or Hashimoto disease and being able to have healthy pregnancies and healthy babies without complications.

Hypothyroidism and Pregnancy – My Success Story

My experience is as such; going back some years ago I had gotten pregnant and within twelve weeks was diagnosed as having a miscarriage. It was actually more of a false pregnancy because the fertilized egg only took long enough to provide my body with increased pregnancy hormone levels, giving the appearance of a pregnancy that turned out to be false.

A few months later I started to exhibit symptoms of Hypothyroidism. I made an appointment with the Doctor and sure enough I was suffering from an Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. I found out that if not treated properly ahead of time that hypothyroidism is a disease that definitely could cause issues in a woman suffering with hypothyroidism during pregnancy.

Well as my story goes over time, I was put on thyroid stimulating medication and in actually less than a year my medication levels were regulated. I tried once again to get pregnant and was quite successful. During my pregnancy the only thing that was done different from my first pregnancy was that at each of my visits my thyroid hormone levels were tested and if it was needed my medication levels were adjusted to keep my thyroid hormone levels normal. I had a healthy pregnancy and a very healthy beautiful baby girl without any complications. Doctors should always consistently track thyroid hormone levels in women with hypothyroidism during pregnancy.

Now in the case of my family member who also has an underactive thyroid, things weren’t quite as simple. There was an issue with her pituitary gland which is common in cases were hypothyroidism is concerned. Issues with the pituitary gland will affect the levels of prolactin that your body produces which in return will affect fertility, as was in the case of my family member. Once these things were discovered through a pituitary scan and blood tests and all of her various hormone levels were regulated and with the aid of fertility medication she has had 3 successful pregnancies and has a beautiful family.

The main point is that you can in fact have hypothyroidism and still have children. If you are a woman who has an underactive thyroid, what you have to do is to consult with your doctors, especially one that specializes in thyroid diseases to figure out what it is that’s causing your infertility. Once that’s determined it’s just a matter of keeping everything regulated through gestation and the entire development process of your little baby. It is possible with the aid of your doctor to have your own Hypothyroidism and pregnancy success story.

Best wishes and remember work closely with your doctor. Healthy children are definitely possible in cases of Hypothyroidism and Pregnancy.