02/02/2026
Still struggling with thyroid symptoms, even though your labs are “normal”?
You’re not alone.
Many of our patients have seen multiple doctors, only to be told their labs are fine… even when they’re still dealing with:
• Fatigue
• Brain fog
• Inability to lose weight
• Cold hands and feet
• Digestive trouble
Here’s what most people don’t realize:
Most conventional providers only test TSH and they use broad reference ranges meant to catch disease-level dysfunction.
At RedRiver, we look at a more complete thyroid panel and use functional ranges:
✔ Narrower
✔ More precise
✔ Focused on what’s optimal, not just “within range”
This helps us identify patterns that can explain persistent symptoms, even when standard labs say “everything looks normal.”
Here’s what we assess and why it matters:
🔬 TSH – Basic screening, but limited. We look for 1.8–3.0 uIU/mL to reflect optimal signaling.
🔬 Total T4 (TT4) – Measures production. Range: 6–12 ug/dL
🔬 Total T3 (TT3) – Tells us about hormone conversion. Range: 100–180 ng/dL
🔬 Free T3 (FT3) – What your cells actually use. Range: 3.0–4.0 pg/mL
🔬 T3 Uptake – Helps evaluate hormone binding. Range: 28–38%
🔬 Reverse T3 (RT3) – Can block receptors, making you feel sluggish even with “normal” labs.
We also test for autoimmunity, which is often overlooked:
🧬 TPO & TG Antibodies – Often elevated in Hashimoto’s
🧬 TSI Antibodies – Often elevated in Graves’
If you’ve been told your labs are fine, but you still feel off—don’t stop there.
A more complete picture might explain what others have missed!
📌 Save this post to reference before your next lab draw.
