Posted by karaS on September 26, 2004, at 13:58:43
In reply to Re: TSH levels and thyroid illness? » karaS, posted by raybakes on September 26, 2004, at 12:50:40
Hi Ray,
Thanks for your input. See comments interspersed below.
> Hi Kara, looked at Simus' thyroid test results on one of the threads, and they don't seem too bad do they?
>
> I was wondering if, of the T3 result mentioned, what proportion of T3 was reverse T3? (when the deiodinase enzyme fails to take off the right iodine from T4, due to selenium or zinc deficiency or inflammation). Some research states that reverse T3 blocks the action of T3, so even though T3 is 'normal' a person will still get some or a lot of symptoms.
Reverse T3 could be an issue here. Hopefully, she has had that test done and can comment on that. But she and my neighbor DON'T have the hypo symptoms. That's the odd part.
> Simus' free T4 seemed to be on the low side of normal, and as it's free T4 levels that switch off TSH, maybe that's why TSH is on the high side of normal.
Both Simus and my neighbor had free T4 levels outside of normal. Simus' was about 6 if I recall correctly and my neighbor, who has no symptoms of hypothyroid, had a TSH of 21!
I wonder if there is too much thyroid binding globulin lowering free T4 (maybe estrogen?). and as free T4 is slightly low it might mean the thyroid is stuggling too, because even if TBG is high, a healthy thyroid should be able to raise T4 production to raise free T4.So a thyroid gland can put out enough T4 but it may be struggling to do so? So they don't feel hypo symptoms and T4 is in normal range, but still the thyroid is not healthy. (I wonder why they both say that they feel hyper type symptoms though.)
> I'm only speculating...let me know what you think!!
>
> Ray
poster:karaS
thread:359642
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20040901/msgs/395315.html