Optimal TSH levels and hypothyroidism

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  • ering
    ering Posts: 183 Member
    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
    frankiep73 Posts: 40 Member
    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
    Xvmandsie Posts: 8 Member
    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
    05saleengirl Posts: 549
    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
    VickyJo68 Posts: 90 Member
    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

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