Thyroid

[Aleshia]

ok, here is my question, my thyroid tested normal... but I have symptoms of thyroid disorders like hashimotos and hyperparathyroidism does this mean I don't have either of those? or does that not even show up with the thyroid test?? I'm just trying to find out what is wrong with me cause the doctors keep saying i don't have celiac disease and the celiac panel came back negative 2 times (I don't think they did the full panel the second time but I'm not sure)

[Aleshia]

does anyone know if the blood calcium levels are taken when they do a chemistry panel??

[nora-n]

Hi, on the thyroid forums we discuss this all the time, that one can be hypothyroid despite of "normal" blood test results. The reason is that the reference range is way too wide. Often people are already hypothyroid when the TSH is 2. 1 is normal. In Germany, many labs have lowered the top of the reference range down to 2,5 and people in fact report they get treatment for hypo with a TSH of 2,5. I the US, often patients have to wait until TSH goes up to 5.

Also, hyperparathyroidism can mimick hypothyroid symptoms.

Have you read www.parathyroid.com ?

You might get better answers if you post your lab reports and the reference ranges.

I do not know wether the ionized calcium is part of the blood chemistry panel. (the total calcium is about useless, only the ionizzed will do)

nora

[loraleena]

Check out all the posts on the thyroid threads and also check out dr.lowe.com, dr.ginahoneyman.com, and stopthethyroid madness.com.

[MelliDuff]

I will take a stab at answering your question.

First of all understand that hashimotos is different than Hypo or hyper thyroid. (hashimotos can exhibit the same symptoms of both) Though some doctors use the term hypothyroid interchangeably with hashimotos it is not the same thing. I suppose they do this because in most cases hashimotos causes your thyroid to EVENTUALLY to go into hypothyroid mode permanently, which in term will eventually (years of you dealing with hypothyroid symptoms or hyper not showing up in test ) require you to take synthriod or some other equivalent of the drug. (this is a genetically synthetically reproduced t4 compound used for treating hypothyroid) let me tell you though it is not the same thing. I think a lot of doctor cause unneeded confusion by using the two terms as one in the same. You can HAVE a hyper or hypo thyroid action with hashimotos. Basically you cycle between the two at any given time - making most people with hashimotos feel almost bi-polar. - Also making your tsh test normal or high or low at any given time- From what I know about this you may have all the symptoms of HYPOTHYROID and be testing as "normal" for your t4 and t3 uptake with a normal TSH lvl.

Hypothyroid - When you have this you are not converting your t3 into t4 - or you simply are not making enough t3 to convert to T4 therefor everything slows down - this is not caused by the destruction of the thyroid itself - This is classic hypothyroid - On a normal thyriod test they test for the lvl of T4 being below/above normal and your total TSH being above normal range (which is 1-4 or 5 depending on the lab) and they also test your total T3 lvls. Hypothyroid is not a destruction of the thyroid but rather a malfunction.

hashimotos- You have antibodies (just like you do within your intestine with celiac)- these antibodies are located in your thyroid - The higher than normal presence of these antibodies when tested for tells your doctor that you have hashimotoes. Hashimotoes is actually the destruction of your thyroid occurring because your body sees your thyroid as a foreign object and sends your antibodies into attack it. After years of having hashimotoes and not know you have it, eventually your thyroid takes so much damage that it becomes inoperable which spills you into having a hypothyroid or hyper but mostly cycling. Hello anxiety and depression.

So with that said you can (and I did) test with in the "normal" TSH and T3 and T4 ranges and completely have

hashimotos - Its not something that a thyroid 1 panel test will show - which is the test every doctor will preform on you. You need to ask your doctor to do an antibodies test along with your TSH and T4 and T3. Thyroid Panel 2 antibodies test. (who knew )

Warning here - some doctors will not put you on the synthetic hormone even with Hashimotes disease. More and more are learning and understanding that to prevent further damage to your thyroid they must - but some will not give you the medicine you need, they wait until enough of your thyroid is dead for you to score on a blood test an elevated THS lvl. If you have a high antibody test and your doctor does not give you the meds you need GO TO A DIFFERENT DOCTOR.

My antibodies where 850 the normal range is 0-39

I had hypo symptoms since I was 16 years old - They only found out about my Hashimotes when I was pregnant with my second child at 31 years old. That is a long time to be very very uncomfortable. I had 5 THS test all within normal ranges up to that point.

Right now I take 125mg of Levoxl everyday.

I hope this helps you. I wish I could tell everyone about this antibodies test to save them from what I had to go through.

[Aleshia]

You might get better answers if you post your lab reports and the reference ranges.

ok here is what I have

T3 total 104 reference range 60-181

T4 thyroxine total 8.0 reference range 4.5 -12.5

those were from about a year ago...

I just got my thyroid rechecked but that dr hasn't given me copies of any of my lab reports which irritates me!

anyway... I will get them when I can

[nora-n]

You might want to read a bit on the thyroid forum at Open Original Shared Link and there are some good articles there too (that say you can be hypothyroid eve with normal labs)

Your thyroid tests were for the total t4 and total t3, which are not so accurate, especially in women since we have a lot of binding globulins and they get measured in the total tests like you had, and then they show up falsely high. Your free t4 and free t3 may be low. Wewant them in the upper half of the range.

And, you need the antibody tests too. If your doctor does not test for tese things, you can order your own thyroid panel at healthcheckusa.com and the discount code is 12345 and you have to mention you found it at the thyroid.about.com forum. I do not remember where on the website you find the panel. I think it also includes the TPO antibody test in addition to TSH, ft4 and ft3.

nora