Thyroid issues

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  • Stripeness
    Stripeness Posts: 511 Member
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    For a long time TSH levels below 5.0 were considered "normal" and not needing medication. Before then, the standards were even higher. As recently as 2008, I had a doctor say my medication level was just fine because my TSH of 9 was in the normal range.

    My current doctor was increasing my dose very slowly, targeting a TSH of 2.0. She was also checking my T4. When my sybthroid dose got up to 200mcg, she sent me to an endocrinologist. He agrees with the 2.0 target, but now wants to get me down to 1.0 since my husband and I have started to TTC.

    So what I am saying is, the "normal range" for TSH has changed a lot over the last few years. And even though the current range with the 3.0 max is several years old, many doctors and labs are very slow to adopt.

    This exactly - and while the normal range is several units wide, an *individual*'s functioning range is frequently much narrower. As this commenter describes (and you'll find on the thyroid board), it's all about finding a good doc who will help YOU. Not make you match someone else's numbers or pretend you're just fine b/c you're somewhere in "normal" range.

    Lastly? Whatever you do, get your doc to TEST your resting metabolism rate (RMR). Being on thyroid meds, even with completely "fixed" TSH levels (& correct T3/T4) does NOT guarantee a normal metabolism. At least not immediately. So have it checked - simple & non-invasive. That way your weight loss efforts can be based on your individual FACTS. Not the guesses.
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
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    I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease three years ago. I was mostly hypo...but with this disease it can flip back and forth. I'd strongly recommend you get the opinion of either a specialist or someone who really *understands* hormone problems...I went undiagnosed for years because all the GP's in my area (I tried many when no one could give me answers for my absolutely debilitating symptoms) until finally I went to a specialist and got correctly tested (NOT just TSH - that's not always the most accurate indicator) and my antibody count was literally off the charts. I had depression, severe fatigue and mental fogginess, couldn't remember more than 3 words at a time, was sleeping almost 12 hours a night and started having black outs. Of course the weight gain was there - 65 pounds overweight.

    Now I'm on Nature Thyroid and I had to COMPLETELY change my life around...from what I ate, how I excised, and even my sleep patterns...I feel SOOOO much 100% better!! But in order for my body to heal I had to be willing to really change how not only I viewed myself but also how I treated my body. ;)

    Hashimoto's is caused by your immune system attacking your thyroid, killing it off slowly. So it itself does not cause your thyroid levels to fip flop. It's if you have it in conjunction with something else like Grave's Disease.
  • getdancing2013
    getdancing2013 Posts: 72 Member
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    I'm hypothyroid but my numbers are usually "normal". So they took me off the medications because I'd lost weight and was "fine." Fast forward after a hard pregnancy, and yep, it came back. But since my numbers were normal they refused to treat it. Went for a second opinion, and the guy just told me to exercise, lose weight, and that I was depressed and needed to just eat better and move more. So I gave up.

    I've tried the whole coconut oil thing but not much help. Almost ordered my old prescription but found out ordering stuff without prescriptions but couldn't really find a way to.

    Good luck finding a doctor that listens to you...I frankly have given up going to any doctors until I lose at least 50 pounds. Maybe then they'll take me seriously versus just saying to lose weight.

    As for losing with hypothyroidism, being on the levothyroxine/other medications is a big health but the key is getting your dose balanced. Once that's done it's a huge help. Good luck to you :flowerforyou:
  • kgibbz
    kgibbz Posts: 102 Member
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    Well the results are in! TSH was 3.31. She sent a referral to an endo near my house... theyre supposed to call me.
  • RideRunRepeat
    RideRunRepeat Posts: 54 Member
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    I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease three years ago. I was mostly hypo...but with this disease it can flip back and forth. I'd strongly recommend you get the opinion of either a specialist or someone who really *understands* hormone problems...I went undiagnosed for years because all the GP's in my area (I tried many when no one could give me answers for my absolutely debilitating symptoms) until finally I went to a specialist and got correctly tested (NOT just TSH - that's not always the most accurate indicator) and my antibody count was literally off the charts. I had depression, severe fatigue and mental fogginess, couldn't remember more than 3 words at a time, was sleeping almost 12 hours a night and started having black outs. Of course the weight gain was there - 65 pounds overweight.

    Now I'm on Nature Thyroid and I had to COMPLETELY change my life around...from what I ate, how I excised, and even my sleep patterns...I feel SOOOO much 100% better!! But in order for my body to heal I had to be willing to really change how not only I viewed myself but also how I treated my body. ;)

    Hashimoto's is caused by your immune system attacking your thyroid, killing it off slowly. So it itself does not cause your thyroid levels to fip flop. It's if you have it in conjunction with something else like Grave's Disease.

    I know, you're right, I guess I should have phrased that differently...however I will say that with Hashimoto's many times you can be sensitive to things such as iodine that are normally suggested for supporting the thyroid. And as far as symptoms go, many times when I was still experiencing hyper symptoms such as heart palpitations, anxiety, restless leg, etc.
  • twinmommy87
    twinmommy87 Posts: 25 Member
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    I am also hypo. I just got my TSH level checked in February and it is down to a 3.2! So my doctor upped my dosage to 88mcg of Levothyroxine (synthroid). I'm finally starting to feel better not as tired as i used to be thank god! Now if i could just lose a little bit of the weight.... Im working out and eating healthy and nothing! Just have to stick it out and keep up the work I'm putting in im sure ill see results sooner or later!
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
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    Now if i could just lose a little bit of the weight.... Im working out and eating healthy and nothing! Just have to stick it out and keep up the work I'm putting in im sure ill see results sooner or later!
    I have Hashimoto's and lost way more slowly than most MFPers. Be patient!
  • playfultippy
    playfultippy Posts: 6 Member
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    I was recently diagnosed with Hashimoto's and hypothyroidism. My TSH was 43. I was put on 100mcg of Lexothyroxine and was re-tested after 6 weeks. My TSH was down to 6.6, so my dosage of Levo was increased to 150mcg last week. So far, my dry skin has improved dramatically, and I can actually wake up in the morning. Also, I am down 11 pounds since about 2 weeks after I initially started the thyroid meds. I now eat a completely gluten free, low carb diet, and take a lot of vitamins. I take thyroid energy, vitamin d, a multi without iron, vitamin e, milk thistle, a probiotic, and MCT oil.

    I do feel better, and expect to continue feeling even better as my hormones start to level out and more weight comes off. Good luck to you!!!
  • lindsey1979
    lindsey1979 Posts: 2,395 Member
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    I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease three years ago. I was mostly hypo...but with this disease it can flip back and forth. I'd strongly recommend you get the opinion of either a specialist or someone who really *understands* hormone problems...I went undiagnosed for years because all the GP's in my area (I tried many when no one could give me answers for my absolutely debilitating symptoms) until finally I went to a specialist and got correctly tested (NOT just TSH - that's not always the most accurate indicator) and my antibody count was literally off the charts. I had depression, severe fatigue and mental fogginess, couldn't remember more than 3 words at a time, was sleeping almost 12 hours a night and started having black outs. Of course the weight gain was there - 65 pounds overweight.

    Now I'm on Nature Thyroid and I had to COMPLETELY change my life around...from what I ate, how I excised, and even my sleep patterns...I feel SOOOO much 100% better!! But in order for my body to heal I had to be willing to really change how not only I viewed myself but also how I treated my body. ;)

    Hashimoto's is caused by your immune system attacking your thyroid, killing it off slowly. So it itself does not cause your thyroid levels to fip flop. It's if you have it in conjunction with something else like Grave's Disease.

    Hashimoto's totally can cause you to flip flop, if you still have enough of your thyroid. Basically, when you have an "attack", you go hypo, your body creates more hormones to compensate, the "attack" stops and now you have too much thyroid and are hyper. As more and more of the thyroid is killed off, this happens less and less often because you no longer have the ability to overcompensate and go hyper due to the lack of thyroid functionality so you see people going hypo-normal, more hypo-less hypo and eventually fully overt hypo because their thyroid is essentially gone.
  • lindsey1979
    lindsey1979 Posts: 2,395 Member
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    OP -- I have Hashimoto's but it took a long time to get the correct diagnosis. I saw 4 docs over a period of 10+ years before I finally go the correct diagnosis. Before I finally got to my current specialist, everyone just checked TSH and mine was all over the map and I was told everything was "fine" or "within range", despite having debilitating symptoms from time to time. But since I had it "checked" I just accepted that this was "normal" for me. I didn't really do much independent investigation of what should have been checked -- just relied on the docs. Symptoms got worse and worse as I got older (now 35) and in the last year or so, I investigated more rigorously when I knew something definitely wasn't right. I trained for and ran a half marathon and didn't lose a single pound, and then afterwards meticulously tracked calories and was at a 700+ daily caloric deficit and lost 2.2 lbs over 3 months (I had a good 30 lbs or so to lose, maybe more). So although the docs told me everything was "fine" and "within range", it certainly wasn't.

    So, that's when I really started looking into and challenging my doctors on tests and what not. I finally had my T3, T4 and antibodies checked (before that, none of my other 4 docs -- two PCPs and two endos -- had checked any of these! despite having a family history of Hashi's). My doc also checked a bunch of other stuff that can contribute to a lot of the symptoms I was suffering -- fatigue probably being the worst, but also difficulty losing weight, unexplained weight gain, dry hair, brittle nails, constipation, being cold ALL the time, etc. In addition to the Hashi's, he also found insulin resistance and severe deficiencies in Vitamin D and magnesium.

    I take Nature-throid at 120 for the thyroid, 2000 of metformin for the insulin resistance and both supplements for magnesium and Vitamin D-3 (as well as a general multi-vitamin). My doc is hopeful that the metformin will be temporary and that I'll be able to reverse the insulin resistance once I take the weight off -- it's not a guarantee, but a possibility (I also eat low carb for the insulin resistance). I feel awesome. Finally all my hard work in diet and exercise is paying off and I'm finally starting to lose like a "normal" person. It's so great to not feel cold all the time, no more constipation, sleeping all through the night most nights (before this, I don't think I ever slept completely through the night in my entire life), no more bouts of fatigue (yet). Plus, it's awesome to see the weight finally coming off, not to feel super crazy about it and to have the validation that I'm not in denial, unable to count calories, etc.
  • poorlittlefish
    poorlittlefish Posts: 38 Member
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    My TSH was 28 when diagnosed. I am on 150 of Levothyroxine. I was exhausted, constipated beyond belief and cold all the time. I am surprised that they would medicated you for that low of no TsH, doesn't that fall into range of error for a lab? I doubt you are gaining weight with a TSH that close to normal. Just my thoughts.

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