TSH levels 2.05 and weight loss?

Myjourney2345 · September 2016

Hello, couple of questions:

1. I just had my annual physical exam and everything came back normal, but when I asked for my TSH levels they told me it was 2.05...I have never had a TSH level above 2, as it normally hovers between 1.5-1.9, should I be concerned that I might have a lazy thyroid? Does anyone have experience losing weight with normal T3 and T4 levels and a TSH around my arrange ? Am I worried over nothing?

2. In the past I noticed that my TSH goes down when I lose weight. I am currently 156 (5'5), but my TSH was around 1.3 when I got down to 129 pounds. Is there a connection between a lower TSH and a lower (healthier) weight?

I appreciate your answers

GottaBurnEmAll · September 2016

That is still within a normal range and you may be fine.

It's more important to worry about symptoms than about numbers when it comes to thyroid, though. Do you have any symptoms of hypothyroidism?

Fatigue
Increased sensitivity to cold
Constipation
Dry skin
Weight gain
Puffy face
Hoarseness
Muscle weakness
Elevated blood cholesterol level
Muscle aches, tenderness and stiffness
Pain, stiffness or swelling in your joints
Heavier than normal or irregular menstrual periods
Thinning hair
Slowed heart rate
Depression
Impaired memory

Everyone who has thyroid issues has a different optimal TSH level. My thyroid would be terribly out of whack at what you say your previously tested level has been, for example.

Years ago, when I was first diagnosed, the diagnosing endocrinologist told me to always go by my symptoms rather than labs and to insist I was treated by them. That advice has never steered me wrong.

Myjourney2345 · September 2016

GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »

That is still within a normal range and you may be fine.

It's more important to worry about symptoms than about numbers when it comes to thyroid, though. Do you have any symptoms of hypothyroidism?
Fatigue
Increased sensitivity to cold
Constipation
Dry skin
Weight gain
Puffy face
Hoarseness
Muscle weakness
Elevated blood cholesterol level
Muscle aches, tenderness and stiffness
Pain, stiffness or swelling in your joints
Heavier than normal or irregular menstrual periods
Thinning hair
Slowed heart rate
Depression
Impaired memory

Everyone who has thyroid issues has a different optimal TSH level. My thyroid would be terribly out of whack at what you say your previously tested level has been, for example.

Years ago, when I was first diagnosed, the diagnosing endocrinologist told me to always go by my symptoms rather than labs and to insist I was treated by them. That advice has never steered me wrong.

Thank you! That makes sense, I don't appear to have any of the other symptoms (except for the heavier menstrual cycle [sorry TMI] something I have been dealing with my whole life). I am always concerned that my Yo-Yo dieting has messed up my thyroid, but each time I had set to lose weight I was able to lose the weight relatively easy and keep it off, until I start to binge, so the weight gain is as a result of bingeing.

ronjsteele1 · September 2016

GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »

That is still within a normal range and you may be fine.

It's more important to worry about symptoms than about numbers when it comes to thyroid, though. Do you have any symptoms of hypothyroidism?
Fatigue
Increased sensitivity to cold
Constipation
Dry skin
Weight gain
Puffy face
Hoarseness
Muscle weakness
Elevated blood cholesterol level
Muscle aches, tenderness and stiffness
Pain, stiffness or swelling in your joints
Heavier than normal or irregular menstrual periods
Thinning hair
Slowed heart rate
Depression
Impaired memory

Everyone who has thyroid issues has a different optimal TSH level. My thyroid would be terribly out of whack at what you say your previously tested level has been, for example.

Years ago, when I was first diagnosed, the diagnosing endocrinologist told me to always go by my symptoms rather than labs and to insist I was treated by them. That advice has never steered me wrong.

All of this ^^^^^^^^. Functional medicine says go off of how you feel and presenting symptoms. If you feel fine and you have no other symptoms, you're probably fine. While they say 1.5 should be the max, that will depend on the person. What yours has increased is so slight it wouldn't concern me unless you were having obvious low thyroid symptoms.

Pawsforme · September 2016

I don't think dieting has any effect at all on thyroid function. Although it can certainly work the other way around. An over- or under-active thyroid can affect weight and make it difficult to lose or gain.

It's also quite normal for your TSH to fluctuate some.

I'd just be mindful of the symptoms and note your TSH on your next visit. If it has gone up more than you might ask for some additional testing. Mine rose slowly but steadily over several years as symptoms gradually started to show up

Myjourney2345 · September 2016

Pawsforme wrote: »

I don't think dieting has any effect at all on thyroid function. Although it can certainly work the other way around. An over- or under-active thyroid can affect weight and make it difficult to lose or gain.

It's also quite normal for your TSH to fluctuate some.

I'd just be mindful of the symptoms and note your TSH on your next visit. If it has gone up more than you might ask for some additional testing. Mine rose slowly but steadily over several years as symptoms gradually started to show up

Thank you! I plan on seeing how well I will be losing weight over the next month or so (weighing and logging in food and working out 5-6 times a week), I am hopeful that the scale will go down as I expect it to, if not I will be most likely go back and discuss this with the doctor.

TSH levels 2.05 and weight loss?

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