Thyroid issues!!!! TSH high!!!

gnutrifitness · February 2011

:sad: Hi friends! I just receive my thyroid test today and here are the results:

T.S.H. : 4,63. (High) Normal range 0.27-4.2 uUI/ml
Total T3: 1,93. Normal range 1.3-3.1 mmol/L
Total T4: 9,31. Normal range 5.0-12 ug/dL.

T3 and T4 seems to be in the normal range but TSH is a little high. I was looking in some sources and they say that when TSH is > 3, it's considered a subclinical hipothyroidism....What do you think about this? Is anyone in the same situation?....Please help me!!!

schnarfo · February 2011

whoa i didnt understand any of that. is anyone able to put that into english for me?

heriwen · February 2011

there's hypo- and hyper-.

hypo-thyroidism means that your thyroid and therefore metabolism is slower (i have this)

hyper- means it's faster so you lose weight faster.

it's not a huge issue, can be corrected very easily with medicine but you'll be on it for the rest of your life.

aling01 · February 2011

are you taking meds for that or is this just from your blood test from a physical exam?

I had hyperthyroidism but am now hypothryoidism because i did the radioactive treatment.

if your dr is on top of your blood work they should look into your thyroid and run some tests to see if you are indeed hypothryoidism.

my t4s are normal but my tsh are on the higher end (16 3 weeks ago but now down to 4. something but still over the normal range.

and i'm taking levothyroxin but also have an endocrinologist that i see every 2 months.

gnutrifitness · February 2011

NO, It's the first time I do those test!, I decided to measure my thyroid hormones because my mother, my aunt, and my grandmother have hypothyroidism....I also have high colesterol levels, so I decided It's time for a test.....Sorry for my english, I'm from Venezuela (south america)

jessluvs2bmom · February 2011

That's the good one to have! That means your Thyroid works faster than it is supposed too and it should be super easy for you to lose weight because your metabolism will work faster than others! I am having a second set of blood work done next month because my first set came back with low TSH, which means my problem is the opposite of yours and makes loosing weight harder!

klthomas59 · February 2011

When your body doesn't have the thyroid it needs it tries to stimulate your thyroid to produce more (than is what TSH is thyroid stimulating thyroid) your leaning toward hypothyroidism but you are not clinical hypothyroid yet. Give it some time and you will be. Your doctor may have you wait til your other levels drop or he/she may go ahead and treat your symptoms now- I am on thyroid and my doctor started me on it before my levels got too low. I feel a lot better on thyroid but I have been on it for years now and will be for the rest of my life.

schobert101 · February 2011

There is a lot of debate in the medical field (I am a doc) about what to do with borderline cases like this. I personally was in a similar situation a few years ago and opted to treat (I will explain why in a bit). Many people will opt not to treat at this level and in my experience sometimes just repeating the test in a month or two will find that it has normalized (there is a certain amount of variability in the lab etc). Many people with subclinical hypothyroidism will not progress to overt hypothyroidism and you can save unnecessary treatment. A few years back there was a lot of hype about pushing the TSH to below 3 but at least in my own clinic lab a year or two ago they actually RAISED the normal range for the lab. People that have been demonstrated to have auto-immune thyroid disease have a higher risk of progression to true hypothyroidism (ie they have anti-bodies to thyroid tissue). In my own case I was in a similar situation. I opted to have the thyroid antibodies checked and they were postitive and since I was having some mood problems and difficulty losing weight I opted to treat (keep in mind MOST weight problems/mood problems are NOT thyroid related and I'm sure mine weren't either but with the positive antibodies it was just a choice I made.

With yours so close to normal you have a couple of options. At your level it would be very reasonable to just consider repeating the test in a month or two and you may find it perfectly normal, saving you the expense and hassle of taking lifelong medication. There is a risk of overreplacement with medication.....heart arrythmias, osteoporosis etc so it is not risk free. Some docs will treat at those borderline levels if you really feel that there are associated symptoms. The third option is to have the antibodies checked , knowing there is a greater risk of progression if you are antibody positive........but even if you were it would still be reasonable to watch and wait.

Obviously I am not making any recommendation for YOU, this is just general information on the subject but it helps to educate yourself and then talk with your own doctor. When I was practicing (I recently retired) I would be amenable to either option depending on the person, symptoms etc but at your level I might be just inclined to repeat the test first..

I hope I have not totally confused you but as I said there is not consensus even among medical professionals what to do in this situation which by the way is very very common.

klthomas59 · February 2011

also high cholesterol seems to follow low thyroid

aling01 · February 2011

yeah if your family has it you should deff talk to your dr and get tested more because being hypo is NOT fun. trust me. =(

it messed me up emotionally and physically for a year after i did my radioactive treatment and my dr and i are still trying to get the right med dosage cause my weight keeps fluctuating..its quite frustrating.

you should read up some more on hypothyroidism as well just you know what the symtoms are, what causes it, what you can do, tests you can do, etc.

i like being hyper cause i get to eat whatever i wanted and lose weight though..hahaha

schobert101 · February 2011

PS.......... jesluvs2bmom you have it backward. The TSH rises when you are underactive. The TSH is a hormone made by the pituitary gland that stimulates the thyroid to work. THink of it this way. IF your thyroid levels are low then the pituitary gland is trying to tell the thyroid gland to work harder and the TSH rises. TSH is very sensitive, that is why it rises BEFORE you see a drop in the actual thyroid hormone levels T4 and T3, hence the name subclinical hypothyroidism.

LayC · February 2011

Hello My Friend. I have had hypothyroidsim for over 10yrs. I am 45yrs old it is very frustrating as I am at my highest weight ever and I have always been on the heavy side as a child. As I look at your levels your doctor may prescribe thyroid meds for you. The medicine will help level out your hormones. My medicine has changed three times within the last 10yrs as a matter of fact I had to have my medicine adjusted 2yrs ago. The doctors will usually start you on the lowest dosage and work you up until you are leveled out for what is right for you.

I can usually tell when my thyroid is out of wack because I get tired or feel sluggish no matter how much rest I get . Oh and also you will have hot flashes, night sweats and crave lots of sweets. So if you have any of these issues tell your doctor especially about the night sweats an hot flashes because we often only associate them with early menopause, which can be a sign of Hypothyroidism or Hyperthyroidism. Hypo-means under active..weight gain...Hyper-means over active..lose weight or can't gain weight which is just as dangerous. Do know that once medication is started it is for life and there is no cure or either disease.

I hope this helps also google the disease (s) there is a lot of great information out there to help you understand the process and changes of the body. Take Care. LayC

Hadenuf · February 2011

Before I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism, my levels were almost at 13. Get on some medication before it gets worse. It helps with the energy for sure.

gnutrifitness · February 2011

Thanks everyone, I think I will get my thyroid antibodies tested and then i will go to the doctor. I don't have serious symptons, just high colesterol and It's extremely difficult for me to lose weigh, and I know I eat pretty well, I'm a nutritionist :ohwell: , weird I know....I'm not overweight but I have been gaining weight in the last year without no reason and I have done couple of diets and I lose some weight but not enough....I'm sticking to a 1000 calorie diet and exercising A LOT and I lose 1 pound it 2 weeks, frustrating....

YogiGirlLucy · February 2011

Hi Gaby!

Doc Schobert101 has some good words of wisdom for you. Since you asked what I thought, if it were me and I know what I know now --- I would say since you are symptom free and so close to normal, I would suggest making sure your diet is in check as far as eating thyroid good foods and not eating the ones that aren't (ie., goitrogenic foods should be avoided, or at least not consumed raw..google this for more info). Also, I saw an improvement in my thyroid health when I went gluten free and completely cut wheat out of my diet. I think this must have been related to my thyroiditis being Hashimotos (autoimmune) and wheat causing an autoimmune reaction in my body. Look at holistic alternatives to assist in optimizing your thyroid function. There are herbs and supplements that can help. Standard Process has some good ones that are whole food, stay away from crappy synthetic "vitamins". I can do a little research and tell you more about the supplements. Yoga has been a God send for me. It has balanced my body and I truly believe it has also helped with thyroid function. There are certain poses, like shoulder stand, that are good for your thyroid.

When I was diagnosed some years ago I went right on Levoxyl becaue I didnt know very much about my options, esp. holistic options at the time. However, I started out at .88 mcg, then went to 100 mcg, and then 112 mcg. Once I made the changes with diet, and yoga, my dose went from 112 back to 100, and now back down to .88. So, I am thinking I must be doing something right! So, my words of wisdom to you would be to try the alternative stuff for a few months, as long as you remain symptom free (obviously consult your doc and get new labs if you start to feel symptomatic). If this does not keep you in check, you always have the option of going on meds. But remember meds are life long, so I think it's worth a shot to try something natural before making that commitment.

Oh, and I do want to address the idea of it being cool to be Hyperthyroid because of weight loss. Typical symptoms include anxiety, shaky hands, sweating, diarrhea, difficulty sleeping, increased appetite, tremors, and weight loss. Some people with hyperthyroidism can have an abnormal swelling of the front of the neck called a goiter. Many symptoms of hyperthyroidism affect the eyes. These include bulging eyes, eye puffiness, light sensitivity, and an intense stare. Other symptoms of hyperthyroidism can include increased sensitivity to heat, weakness, fatigue, confusion, extremely smooth skin and changes in the nails. COMPLICATIONS AND SOME SYMPTOMS OF HYPERTHYROIDISM CAN BE LIFE-THREATENING AND INCLUDE HYPERTENSION, PALPITATIONS, CARDIA ARRHTYTHMIA AND RAPID HEART RATE. It is just as important to keep this in check --- BALANCE in either case is the answer.

Read more about Hyperthyroidism at http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/h/hyperthyroidism/symptoms.htm?ktrack=kcplink

Peace Gaby --- we can talk some more about this if you want, just let me know!

Lucy xo

Thyroid issues!!!! TSH high!!!

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