Optimal TSH levels and hypothyroidism

geekymom57

I'm losing weight very (very) slowly--probably 1/4 to 1/2 pound a week if even that, with net calories of 1200 (about a 680 calorie deficit), and eating back most exercise calories. I am close to obsessive about measuring and weight everything, as well as logging everything. The dietitian had little to suggest to me the first time I saw her--she reviewed my logs from MFP, which I'd been tracking for about 2.5 months at the point I saw her, and is thinking the slow loss may be attributable to the hypothyroidism.

I have a recheck of my TSH levels on Monday and an 8 week follow-up visit with a dietitian at my health care provider on Wednesday. The recheck for TSH is to see if they are maintain within the normal range after 3 more months on the dosage of synthroid that got me into the normal range for the first time since I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism about 2 years ago.( The last test I was at 3.230, and the time before that was 7.6; my physician said the the standard range is 0.465 - 4.680.

As prep for Wednesday's visit and with the TSH recheck levels in hand, I'm curious to know what TSH levels others with hypothyroidism have been told is a good level for them. I know, I know--everyone is different--but I always like to go into medical appointments well informed.

Thanks in advance!

courtneylwatson

bump, I would like to know this also. I have been on synthroid for almost 4 years now and my dosage has only changed once but I was never told what would be optimal or what my levels were. I plan on asking at my next visit.

Nichole90

I'm losing weight very (very) slowly--probably 1/4 to 1/2 pound a week if even that, with net calories of 1200 (about a 680 calorie deficit), and eating back most exercise calories. I am close to obsessive about measuring and weight everything, as well as logging everything. The dietitian had little to suggest to me the first time I saw her--she reviewed my logs from MFP, which I'd been tracking for about 2.5 months at the point I saw her, and is thinking the slow loss may be attributable to the hypothyroidism.

I have a recheck of my TSH levels on Monday and an 8 week follow-up visit with a dietitian at my health care provider on Wednesday. The recheck for TSH is to see if they are maintain within the normal range after 3 more months on the dosage of synthroid that got me into the normal range for the first time since I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism about 2 years ago.( The last test I was at 3.230, and the time before that was 7.6; my physician said the the standard range is 0.465 - 4.680.

As prep for Wednesday's visit and with the TSH recheck levels in hand, I'm curious to know what TSH levels others with hypothyroidism have been told is a good level for them. I know, I know--everyone is different--but I always like to go into medical appointments well informed.

Thanks in advance!

i just found out i have hypo as well with my TSH lvl 7.44 i have NEVER had a problem with my thyroid and actually just in april it was 0. something and was normal i started the herbalife diet and it had kelp in it so i think the pill i was taking it caused it for me i go to the drs on monday

NiciS72

So this topic intrigues me. Speaking from experience, most Doctors go with the established range of .50-5.50. However, if you find the RIGHT Dr. i.e. An endocrinologist that specializes in thyroid disorders you'll find they want you around .5-1.0. I think the sad part about this is that most Doctors just don't know how to treat the thyroid but will try. The only way to know for sure would have been to know what your TSH was before it went whacky. That said, keep trying different Doctors until you find one that listens to you and will work with you until you are at a level that is a. Stable and b. You feel better at

dawnemjh

optimal levels are the levels with in the normal range. If your numbers are in the normal range your physician will not change the dosage.
this is my medical opinion, not someone with hypo. opinion, but that is the standard approach for treating the disease. In fact, there are many people with slightly elevated numbers (which means low thyroid) and they never get treatment and are fine. Most people do not lose a lot of weight once their numbers are normalized....(unfortunately for them!!)

starpi22

My clinic says anything below <5.0 is good, but I think that is B.S. because when I'm in the high range of 3.0 I feel awful. The last test I had was 7.86 and my medication was upped. Once my TSH was 0.82 Lol I felt great then.

momwithacamera

My endocrinologist likes to see TSH below 3.0, and I find that the lower I go the better I feel. I have never dropped low enough to have hyperthyroid symptoms, though, and I know that would be a danger of going too low.

misslyssa319

i ended up in the hospital with bad hypo symptoms and i was in the "normal" range. that's how i found out i need to be on the high end of normal to function well. just because it is "normal" doesn't mean it is normal for you. i've been losing .5-1lbs a week until the last few weeks when i changed up my workout routine. you'll get it figured out! there are plenty of hypo mfp memebers with tips and tricks.

seasonalvoodoo

optimal levels are the levels with in the normal range. If your numbers are in the normal range your physician will not change the dosage.
this is my medical opinion, not someone with hypo. opinion, but that is the standard approach for treating the disease. In fact, there are many people with slightly elevated numbers (which means low thyroid) and they never get treatment and are fine. Most people do not lose a lot of weight once their numbers are normalized....(unfortunately for them!!)

I am not sure if I am misreading your post, but my numbers are within normal range (on Synthroid) and I have not had problems losing weight.

epoint

I think some people feel better in the higher end of the range, and some in the lower. I'm hyperthyroid, not hypo, and I take an anti-thyroid medication to control mine. The range on my TSH test is 0.5 to 5.0 I believe, but I feel best between 2.5 and 3. My endocrinologist checks mine every 3 months, and he tweaks my dosage to keep me somewhere around 3.

briebuck

I agree. I am hypo and am on levothyroxine. Ive often thought about asking my doctor to check again and try to increase my dosage when I am not loosing weight like I want. However, this is the lazy way out and not healthy.

BTW, when I started my medication I did not loose any weight, just slept less..... I am very overweight but have only seen weight loss with diet and exercise........... sorry guys

brandiuntz

I think my doctor likes my level below 3. About to go for a 6 month check up. Since I've been on medication (about a year), I've had no problems losing .5lb per week, as long as I eat right.

its_betty

It's not lazy to be sure that your medication is at the right level for you. Getting your TSH and other levels "right" might not help with losing weight, but might help with other symptoms, so it's smart to get rechecked every so often. (And it might help with weight loss, especially if low thyroid makes you too tired to exercise.)

Personally I feel better at the lower end of the range, 1 or 2ish. 6 months ago I wasn't sleeping well and my hair was falling out. For some reason my TSH levels had gotten very very low, so my medication was reduced, which corrected those symptoms. Lately I've been feeling more tired, so I'm planning to see my doctor for a blood test--maybe I'm just tired, but maybe my thyroid medication should be increased.

servilia

Generally, below 5 is considered good for general health, but under 2 is better once you plan to have a baby.

geekymom57

I appreciate the comments and suggestions. I wasn't aware of having any hypothyroidism symptoms when I was diagnosed, and I haven't noticed any meaningful changes in how I feel or physiologically, so I haven't really been able to gauge how I feel as an indicator of the "right" level for me. I know that t so I'm not looking for a silver bullet/magic pill that zooms my weight loss up to some extreme level, but it would be helpful to figure out if my current level is contributing to the painfully slow loss, so I can work with my dietitian on an approach that takes that into consideration.

If I can eventually get to 150 (39 more pounds) I'd still be in the high range for my height (5'4") but matching my adult low from when I was in grad school 30 years ago (yikes!) would be a huge achievement. I know--if it took 30 years to put on, don't expect it to come off overnight--but losing a quarter-pound a week is kind of like accumulating pennies instead of nickels when you're a kid and saving to buy something. At times it seems as if the end is never within reach, so why bother. But I intend to stick with it, since the path itself is positive--eating better, exercising more regularly, saving money by not eating out as much, etc., so it isn't just the end goal that has tangible payoffs.

ering

I have a question for everyone. My pharmacy recently changed the brand my thyroid medicine is. I noticed within a week that my hair is falling out and I'm tired again. Is it possible that the brand matters? I'm on the exact same dosage.

its_betty

I have a question for everyone. My pharmacy recently changed the brand my thyroid medicine is. I noticed within a week that my hair is falling out and I'm tired again. Is it possible that the brand matters? I'm on the exact same dosage.

Yes, it's very likely that one brand has a different level (but still within the variation the FDA allows). While I usually ask for generics of medication, my doctor strongly suggests sticking to a brand name for thyroid meds (I use Synthroid) so that it will be consistent from refill to refill.

courtneylwatson

I have a question for everyone. My pharmacy recently changed the brand my thyroid medicine is. I noticed within a week that my hair is falling out and I'm tired again. Is it possible that the brand matters? I'm on the exact same dosage.

Yes, it's very likely that one brand has a different level (but still within the variation the FDA allows). While I usually ask for generics of medication, my doctor strongly suggests sticking to a brand name for thyroid meds (I use Synthroid) so that it will be consistent from refill to refill.

My doctor told me that brand vs. generic didn't matter as long as you stick with the same brand or generic. You should go get your levels checked again since they switched your generic.

ering

I have a question for everyone. My pharmacy recently changed the brand my thyroid medicine is. I noticed within a week that my hair is falling out and I'm tired again. Is it possible that the brand matters? I'm on the exact same dosage.

Yes, it's very likely that one brand has a different level (but still within the variation the FDA allows). While I usually ask for generics of medication, my doctor strongly suggests sticking to a brand name for thyroid meds (I use Synthroid) so that it will be consistent from refill to refill.

I'm ordering a refill today so I'll be sure to tell them I want the same as I had before. Thanks for your input!!
My doctor told me that brand vs. generic didn't matter as long as you stick with the same brand or generic. You should go get your levels checked again since they switched your generic.

bgredenbaugh

Hi, having lived through doctors telling me I was "normal" and then finding out I had both Hashimoto's Thyroiditis AND follicular thyroid cancer:

1) do not let a regular internist treat you! they are not up on the newest literature in endocrinology

2) IF AND ONLY IF you are completely free of any thyroid disease (see my intro) should TSH at or near 3/4.0 be considered OK

3) if there's any possibility AT ALL (nodules? cysts? etc.) that you have a thyroid disease of any kind, a TSH at 2 or less is the standard (Mayo Clinic's words, not mine)

4) If you don't think everything is working as it should, you are almost certainly RIGHT! I called it years before the doctors that there was something wrong with me (60 lbs weight gain in 1 year at age 28!!) You have to be your own advocate and find a doctor that will actually help you!!

good luck!

bgredenbaugh

My doctor insists I use the brand name - not the generic. Apparently there's a HUGE difference in thryoid drugs out there. Make sure you are getting the brand and dosage your doctor prescribes. it's not very expensive, so even if you have to pay a couple of extra $'s I think keeping your hair (and your sanity) is worth it!

ering

Hi, having lived through doctors telling me I was "normal" and then finding out I had both Hashimoto's Thyroiditis AND follicular thyroid cancer:

1) do not let a regular internist treat you! they are not up on the newest literature in endocrinology

2) IF AND ONLY IF you are completely free of any thyroid disease (see my intro) should TSH at or near 3/4.0 be considered OK

3) if there's any possibility AT ALL (nodules? cysts? etc.) that you have a thyroid disease of any kind, a TSH at 2 or less is the standard (Mayo Clinic's words, not mine)

4) If you don't think everything is working as it should, you are almost certainly RIGHT! I called it years before the doctors that there was something wrong with me (60 lbs weight gain in 1 year at age 28!!) You have to be your own advocate and find a doctor that will actually help you!!

good luck!

This is great advice! I went for 2 years after baby #2 was born feeling like crap! I kept telling my doctor that something is worng with me and he kept saying, well being a new mom is hard. Yeah. He appologized profusely when he realized it was my thyroid all along.

frankiep73

My doctor insists I use the brand name - not the generic. Apparently there's a HUGE difference in thryoid drugs out there. Make sure you are getting the brand and dosage your doctor prescribes. it's not very expensive, so even if you have to pay a couple of extra $'s I think keeping your hair (and your sanity) is worth it!

And I also agree with her other post above this. An internist is not always up to date and most certainly not always willing to push the limits. My Endo keeps me under 2, and I feel best at 1, or just below. My levels fluctuated so much with the generic it was alwful. I am now looking into the fact that I still have symptoms (freezing, hair loss, dry skin, brittle nails) and what we can do. On top of this, I battle Fibromyalgia and in doing some research, this is common among hypothyroid patients. My endo looks at the person, not necessarily the standards. Some ranges do go up to 5, some keep it at 3, depending on their lab valuations.

Xvmandsie

Happy to have stumbled upon this thread. I was recently diagnosed with Hypothyroid and have been on my medicine for 3 weeks now. Find myself having slightly more energy then the dragging zombie I was before, and being able to function with about 9-10 hours of sleep versus the 12+ that was still leaving me dead tired. The scale hasnt done anything but I know my energy is up. I go to the doctor in a few weeks for my first check up since the levothyroxin... we shall see I think we will probably bump it up again because I still dont feel like a "normal" person. My endo told me that even though there are "normal ranges" that each body is different so what might be within the "normal ranges" might still be too hypo for that persons body.

05saleengirl

TSH levels do no measure your actual thyroid dhormone levels. Your Free T3 (active thyroid hormone levels aka FT3) and Free T4 (storage hormone levels FT4) are a better measurement. I recommend everyone visit www.stopthethyroidmadness.com for a boat load of info on how to get healthy with hypothyroidism. Being on a med like Armour (the generic form) also called NDT (natural dessicated thyroid) which is a mix of t3/t4 meds and natural is best for most people. Most do not do well on synthyroid. Also, my TSH is very very low, but I am felling well because my FT4 levels are midrange and my FT3 is near the top of the range.

Also, an endo may not always be the best. I've seen many folks go to endos and leave in tears because they ONLY look at blood work and if it's "in range", then you must be well. HA! Find a doc to rx an NDT med and test your free levels and you should feel well. As long as your iron, ferritin, D3 B12 levels and adrenals are up to par too.

VickyJo68

Hi Hun

If you don't feel right push for it. That range is correct, but is is a big range and you need to find the level right for you. I ended up going to an Endocrinologist and my level must not go above 2 (mine went up to 9.8 at on stage) and your T4 should be around 16-20.

I'm on 175/200mg levothyroxine alternate days.

Good luck

Vicky xx