Need thyroid advice please.

[Silverspoke]

I recently asked my GP to check my thyroid and all he checked was TSH. It came back at 4.8 with 5.0 being the high end of normal. He insist that my thyroid is working ok but I know better from reading this forum and how I feel.

Anyway I am going to get my own lab work done and if it is out of range I am going to go to another doctor,but I need to know which thyroid test is sufficient to determine hypothyroidism.

The test I am looking at measures

Serum;Free Thyroxine Index (FTI);Thyroxine (T4); Thyroid Hormone Binding Ratio (T3 Uptake); Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone (TSH)

Is that good enough or do I also need the free T3,T4?

Thanks

[SEOINAGE]

with a 4.8 more than like t3 and t4 numbers are lower end of range. I would think you would want free t3 and free t4. But I would go further and test for thyroid antibodies. I found out I have high thyroid antibodies, they called it Hashimoto's, anyways we are looking at other ways to treat it right now, and possibly remove what is causing the elevated antibodies.

Also to consider you might have high tsh meaning your thyroid is having to output a lot, but if you don't have symptoms and t3 is in a good range, might not be worth messing with. Mine are just slightly below where htey need to be, so if we can remove some of the stress on my system might be ok. Reason why I suggest getting a big picture so you aren't just on meds rest of your life. I tried synthroid mind you and hated it for the 6-7 weeks I was on it.

[xtitan1]

I tried synthroid mind you and hated it for the 6-7 weeks I was on it.

What was it you didn't like about it?

@OP : Are you actually feeling any of the hypothyroid symptoms? If no, then don't worry about it. If yes, then get TSH, Free T4, Free T3, Reverse T3. Seionage also suggested thyroid antibodies, which as he says are indicators of Hashi's. Those definitely couldn't hurt if you are willing to get them.

From that little information, it seems clear to me your Doctor doesn't know how to treat hypothyroidism properly, whether you have it or not. Most Doctors now treat by a narrower reference range where you would be positive, as well as in combination with your symptoms (again, what are they?).

[Silverspoke]

Are you actually feeling any of the hypothyroid symptoms?

Yes.
Fatigue
Weight gain (even with good diet and exercise}
Low grade depression
Achy

I also have been on TRT for about 7 months and it really hasent helped.
My mother had a lot of thyroid issues and Im thinking I may have inherited some of that myself.

[xtitan1]

In that case it is definitely worth your while to get these tests. Again:

TSH
Free T4
Free T3
Reverse T3
Thyroid Antibodies (only need to check for these once)

[Silverspoke]

I appreciate the advice Xtitan.

[Dano44]

My recent thyroid test revealed almost the identical results as Silver spoke. When my HMOe Doc informed me that this was in the low end of the normal range, I didn't think any further until I read "S"Spoke's symptoms and realized that I have almost identical symptoms, (fatique, not necessarily weight gain, but difficulty in losing weight (even when a good diet and exercise), low grade depression and moderate joint pain).

[xtitan1]

Dano, if your TSH is high I would suggest you also follow up with those additional tests then. When you get the results, put up your own thread and post them. That way we don't get two different conversations going on in one thread.