What Does My Thyroid Reading Indicate?

Posted on Tue, 27 Jan 2015

Question: I have a TSH level of 2.8 and need to lose about 60 pounds. My resting metabolic rate is low, according to the last test I took (1100 calories/daily). I have been told I'm not heavy enough to bet on any medicine, but I get tired easily and nothing short of Medifast is doing anything to help me lose weight. I have seen an endocrinologist who told me to exercise an hour a day and eat more because I am not taking enough calories in. I have also been on Phentermine (not the Phen/Fen combo). Should I press for more test to check my thyroid levels? Thank you for your input.

Answered by Dr. Binu Parameswaran Pillai (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Free T4 and TSH

Detailed Answer:
Good day,
Welcome to HCM.
Contrary to the popular belief, one gains only about 3-4 kilo in hypothyroidism. Since your TSH is 2.8, your thyroid appears normal. However, it is better to do a Free T4 along with TSH for completion sake. Most docs may not like to investigate further if TSH is normal. But in rare cases ( central hypothyroidism) TSH levels alone may not be sufficient to diagnose hypothyroidism.
Regards
Binu

Note: For more information on hormonal imbalance symptoms or unmanaged diabetes with other comorbid conditions, get back to us & Consult with an Endocrinologist. Click here to book an appointment.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar