High TSH

sierra112005
sierra112005 Posts: 4 Member
edited November 29 in Health and Weight Loss
A little background I've had hypothyroidism for 3 years. After I started medication my levels returned to normal, I lost 45lbs with diet and exercise in 7 months and I felt good until I had my son (8 months ago) I started having symptoms of hypothyroidism again. I went to the doctor at the beginning of this year to get my thyroid checked again and told the doctor about my symptoms and that I had only been able to lose 10lbs in 7 months with breastfeeding, working out, and eating a 500 calorie deficit. I had even tried phentermine after I stopped breastfeeding, which is when I lost the 10lbs, but that's all I could lose on it. The doctor called me a few weeks later and said my labs were normal and refilled my prescription. Well today I decided to go get a copy of my labs because I'm still not feeling good or losing weight and my labs are obviously not normal. My TSH is 12.9 normal range is 0.45-4.5 but my FreeT4 is 0.97 and the range is 0.82-1.77. So I'm guessing the normal T4 why she said my labs were good. But still my TSH is really high, and if TSH works as a negative feedback loop and my thyroid was healthy then my body stop producing so much TSH. Shouldn't she test my free T3 also to make sure my body is converting the T4? What should I do? I'm going to the community health center in my town because its the only affordable option since I don't have health insurance. I'm obviously not a doctor so please explain if I'm wrong. but I was thinking about calling her and asking why shes not increasing my medication dose.

Replies

  • vrokhfit
    vrokhfit Posts: 55 Member
    I am hypo and definitely not a dr, but I would make an appointment with a different doctor if I were you. My T4 was never below range. My dr has, so far, treated me based on my TSH numbers.

    Here are two groups with lots of experienced people who might be able to give some better advice:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/753-hypothyroidism-and-hyperthyroidism

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/16887-butterfly-chasers
  • Duchy82
    Duchy82 Posts: 560 Member
    I would question it too if I were you, you are clearly having hypo symptoms and a high TSH, definitely phone your doctor and ask why your dose has not been increased. In an ideal world you would have T3 tested too but unfortunately this doesn't happen very often (not in the UK at least) you could ask for it but on those TSH results alone I would insist with my gp on an increase. I should say too with a T4 level on the low side of normal you have plenty of scope to increase there too. You ideally want a low TSH and high end of normal T4 number.
  • ZeroDelta
    ZeroDelta Posts: 242 Member
    sierra112005 wrote: »
    A little background I've had hypothyroidism for 3 years. After I started medication my levels returned to normal, I lost 45lbs with diet and exercise in 7 months and I felt good until I had my son (8 months ago) I started having symptoms of hypothyroidism again. I went to the doctor at the beginning of this year to get my thyroid checked again and told the doctor about my symptoms and that I had only been able to lose 10lbs in 7 months with breastfeeding, working out, and eating a 500 calorie deficit. I had even tried phentermine after I stopped breastfeeding, which is when I lost the 10lbs, but that's all I could lose on it. The doctor called me a few weeks later and said my labs were normal and refilled my prescription. Well today I decided to go get a copy of my labs because I'm still not feeling good or losing weight and my labs are obviously not normal. My TSH is 12.9 normal range is 0.45-4.5 but my FreeT4 is 0.97 and the range is 0.82-1.77. So I'm guessing the normal T4 why she said my labs were good. But still my TSH is really high, and if TSH works as a negative feedback loop and my thyroid was healthy then my body stop producing so much TSH. Shouldn't she test my free T3 also to make sure my body is converting the T4? What should I do? I'm going to the community health center in my town because its the only affordable option since I don't have health insurance. I'm obviously not a doctor so please explain if I'm wrong. but I was thinking about calling her and asking why shes not increasing my medication dose.

    I ALWAYS get a copy of my labs and review them. I've caught a number of misinterpretations that way.
  • Pawsforme
    Pawsforme Posts: 645 Member
    Ditto the others. A high TSH + symptoms = need for treatment or medication adjustment
  • neohdiver
    neohdiver Posts: 738 Member
    edited February 2016
    sierra112005 wrote: »
    A little background I've had hypothyroidism for 3 years. After I started medication my levels returned to normal, I lost 45lbs with diet and exercise in 7 months and I felt good until I had my son (8 months ago) I started having symptoms of hypothyroidism again. I went to the doctor at the beginning of this year to get my thyroid checked again and told the doctor about my symptoms and that I had only been able to lose 10lbs in 7 months with breastfeeding, working out, and eating a 500 calorie deficit. I had even tried phentermine after I stopped breastfeeding, which is when I lost the 10lbs, but that's all I could lose on it. The doctor called me a few weeks later and said my labs were normal and refilled my prescription. Well today I decided to go get a copy of my labs because I'm still not feeling good or losing weight and my labs are obviously not normal. My TSH is 12.9 normal range is 0.45-4.5 but my FreeT4 is 0.97 and the range is 0.82-1.77. So I'm guessing the normal T4 why she said my labs were good. But still my TSH is really high, and if TSH works as a negative feedback loop and my thyroid was healthy then my body stop producing so much TSH. Shouldn't she test my free T3 also to make sure my body is converting the T4? What should I do? I'm going to the community health center in my town because its the only affordable option since I don't have health insurance. I'm obviously not a doctor so please explain if I'm wrong. but I was thinking about calling her and asking why shes not increasing my medication dose.

    Yes, and you also need to measure rT3. The body doesn't always convert T4 to T3. Sometimes it converts it to rT3 - which my doctor calls the sad thyroid hormone. Your doctor can prescribe a lower dose of T4 and a separate dose of T3. TSH is an indicator of trouble, when you don't yet know you have hypothyroidism. Once you do, and especially if you are on medication for it, you need to measure the thyroid hormones independently and directly.
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