Thyroid Tests - Know what they mean!

 Before you start reading this blog, please understand that you don’t have to know what all these terms mean. All you need to know right now is what the ranges are for the tests, and what that means. So relax. If you want to research this more, and if you have thyroid problems, I really think you should, toward the end of this blog, I have included a wonderful website as a great place to start.

Okay, so let’s say you you’ve done some research, or seen your doctor, and you have decided to have your thyroid tested. If you go to a conventional physician, here is what probably will happen.

Your doctor will have the following tested:

1.     TSH – TSH is short for Thyroid Stimulating Hormone. TSH is produced by your pituitary gland. TSH stimulates your thyroid gland to make several different thyroid hormones.

2.     Free T4 – This test measures the amount of T4 that is not bound by proteins.

3.     Free T3 – This test measures the amount of T3 that is not bound by proteins.

A naturopath will definitely perform the same tests, but will probably test a couple of other things:

1.     Antibodies – If you have an thyroid autoimmune disease such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (hypothyroidism) or Graves Disease, (Hyperthyroidism), you will most likely have anti bodies present in your blood.

2.     Reverse T3 – RT3 is made when T4 is converted to RT3. This happens for a ton of reasons.

3.     TSH – using the new updated range factor.

So this is how this works out.

TSH Old Range 0.5-5.0 New Range .3-3	FT4 Range 0.7-2.0	FT3 Range 2.3-4.2	Antibodies	RT3 Ratio Divide T3 by RT3 A good number is 23 – 24.	What’s probably Happening
High	High	Low			Hyperthyroidism –  pituitary problems
Low	Low	Low			Secondary  hypothyroidism
High	Normal	Normal			Very mild hypothyroidism
High	Low	Low			Classic hypothyroidism
Very low	High	High			Over medicated with thyroid hormone  or hyperthyroidism
Low	Normal	Normal			Mild hyperthyroidism
High	Normal	Low			Possible secondary  hypothyroidism
			Antibodies present		High likelihood of some type of thyroid disease such as Hashimoto’s or Grave’s Disease
	High	Low		Number is lower than 23 or 24	Secondary hypothyroidism

Here is where many conventional doctors mess up.

1.     They only test TSH – and many labs still use the outdated range of 0.5-5.0. This causes far too many people to go undiagnosed.

2.     They don’t test for the presence of anti bodies, thus they miss diagnosing a pretty significant autoimmune disease, which can partially treated using other methods along with hormone medication.

3.     They don’t test for RT3 – Secondary Thyroidism is a whole different issue, and can be greatly treated using methods other than just hormone replacement.

When you go to see your doctor regarding your thyroid test, take this paper and discuss the results with your doctor. This way, you look and sound like you care enough about your health to be taken seriously.

This is just a bare bones explanation of thyroid blood tests. For a deeper explanation into all things thyroid, check out the website, www.stopthethyroidmadness.com. The book of the same name is an excellent read for anyone who has thyroid problems, or knows someone with thyroid problems.

If your doctor is using the old test range for TSH, I recommend that you go get tested somewhere else where they use the updated range for TSH.

If you’re doctor insists that your tests are normal, and there is NO PROBLEM with your thyroid gland, AND YOUR SYMPTOMS PERSIST, I high suggest you consider seeing a health professional who practices medicine holistically.

Next blog, I will discuss some other reasons, other than thyroid hormones that your thyroid gland might not be working.

So, next time, stay tuned.