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What Do These TSH And T4 Values Indicate?
Question: My doctor ordered a TSH test and T4, FREE test for me recently. My TSH came back 5.21, which the report showed was high, and my T4, FREE was 0.9, which he said was borderline, but I told him I am tired, and he knows my Mom has taken synthroid for years. So he called it hypothyroidism and prescribed 0.05MG of Levothyroxine. Even after taking one, I woke up the next morning without that really tired feeling. I am confused though about my TSH testing high and my T4, FREE being borderline low because I thought they were both thyroid tests. My doctor gave me an explanation, but I wasn't listening very well at the time so I don't know what he told me. So I would appreciate it if you could explain it to me.
What is confusing to me is the one test being high and the other being on the low side when they are both thyroid tests.
What is confusing to me is the one test being high and the other being on the low side when they are both thyroid tests.
Brief Answer:
hypothyroid
Detailed Answer:
Thank you for contacting HCM with your health care concerns
You have recently been diagnosed with hypothyroidism and I completely agree with your diagnosis. The diagnosis is made by having a high TSH and a low T4. The reason for this is that TSH is a called thyroid stimulating hormone which is produced by the pituitary gland in your brain. When you thyroid hormones are low the brain sends out signals to increase thyroid production which is the TSH. When your thyroid is low TSH goes up because its telling the thyroid hormone to make more T4. The T4 is low because there is no production of the hormone from the thyroid gland. So there is an inverse relationship between TSH and T4. High TSH and low T4 diagnosis hypothyroid or underactive thyroid. Low TSH and high T4 overactive thyroid.
I hope I answered your question. Please contact us again if you have any additional questions
hypothyroid
Detailed Answer:
Thank you for contacting HCM with your health care concerns
You have recently been diagnosed with hypothyroidism and I completely agree with your diagnosis. The diagnosis is made by having a high TSH and a low T4. The reason for this is that TSH is a called thyroid stimulating hormone which is produced by the pituitary gland in your brain. When you thyroid hormones are low the brain sends out signals to increase thyroid production which is the TSH. When your thyroid is low TSH goes up because its telling the thyroid hormone to make more T4. The T4 is low because there is no production of the hormone from the thyroid gland. So there is an inverse relationship between TSH and T4. High TSH and low T4 diagnosis hypothyroid or underactive thyroid. Low TSH and high T4 overactive thyroid.
I hope I answered your question. Please contact us again if you have any additional questions
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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