Treatment and Thyroid issues?

[Believer7777]

I am 6 months into treatment (1a, UND week 12). They ran a Thyroid panel and the test shows hypothyroidism ( levels are above 10, which they indicated needed medicine).

Here is my question - since there are so many variables with treatment, I'm concerned the treatment is affecting my Thyroid, and I don't want to go on medicine if my levels return to normal after treatment. Any thoughts?  Has anyone had Thyroid issues?  Thanks for your help!!

[Anne1717]

+1 Will

[willbb]

As Anne says it takes awhile to notice any changes ..could even be more like 3 or 4 weeks or so until the body adjusts and frequent TSH tests to make sure the dosage is right....

Good luck..

Will

[Anne1717]

Oh GREAT !!!  Let us know how you feel.  If I remember correctly it did take a week or so to notice any changes.  Good luck

[Believer7777]

And by look I mean "took".

[Believer7777]

Thanks to all for the help!  Look my first dose is Sybthroid this morning!!

[nygirl7]

Levothyroxine = Synthroid just FYI Believer so you dont get confused.

[buggs1]

sorry  i missed believes post about it being the tsh level and seeing an endochrinologist

[meakea]

PS...  Since you are seeing an Endocrinologist, he/she will know exactly what to do...follow their lead.  :)

[meakea]

I was trending toward hypothyroid just before I went on treatment for HCV and within the first couple of months of treatment my TSH levels showed I was hypothyroid so I was put on Levothyroxine at a very low dose.  I'm 21 months post treatment and I'm still on a low dose of Levothyroxine and I believe I will be for the rest of my life.  It's no big deal to me.  I feel good on the med and it's doing what it's supposed to do...and it's very inexpensive.  Don't fear it.

[Anne1717]

But we do know - The reference range for TSH is less than 5 but preferably even less than 3 by the new standards. So if she i at 10, that is very high and needs to be treated.

[buggs1]

if we dont know which test they are referencing  we dont know what 10 means  it makes a difference   10 is normal in some cases

[nygirl7]

PS he is right they would remove it if you were hyper because that is more dangerous but they will not remove it for being hypo. Most people on treatment start out hyper and later turn hypo that is typically how it goes.

[nygirl7]

Yes it's happened to many of us and is an auto immune problem with our thyroid caused by the interferon. I've been on synthroid for six years now and am right about 2 so all is good. It is not like taking a pain med or something what synthroid does is replace the hormone you are missing..........it's synthetic and you need it.

It is a very simple solution one pill a day.

[willbb]

oh my

[Anne1717]

In other words    +1 Will

[Anne1717]

I agree with Will - it is a very simple solution.  I don't know how you are managing actually.  I fell like sleeping just reading your post !!

[willbb]

  Or........go on synthryoid as your doc suggested and get your TSH down to 2 and see if you feel better.

[buggs1]

1.Find out your thyroid test results from your doctor's office. 2.If you can, get a hard copy printout for your own review and home medical files. 3.If "normal" or "reference" ranges are not indicated on the lab results, ask your doctor's office to tell you what these ranges are. 4.Note the level of your Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH). At most labs in the U.S., up until late 2002, the normal range is from around 0.5 to 5.5. That range changed to .3 to 3 as of early 2003. 5.If the TSH level is below normal, your doctor may determine that you are hyperthyroid (overactive thyroid.) 6.If the TSH level is above normal, your doctor may determine that you are hypothyroid (underactive thyroid.) 7.If your doctor ran a test called Total T4 or Total Thyroxine, normal range is approximately 4.5 to 12.5. If you had a low reading, and a high TSH, your doctor might consider that indicative of hypothyroidism. 8.If your doctor ran a test called Total T4 or Total Thyroxine, normal range is approximately 4.5 to 12.5. If you had a low reading, and a low TSH, your doctor might look into a pituitary problem. 9.If your doctor ran a test called Free T4, or Free Thyroxine, normal range is approximately 0.7 to 2.0. If your result was less than 0.7, your doctor might consider that indicative of hypothyroidism. 10.If your doctor ran a test called Total T3, normal range is approximately 80 to 220. If your result was less than 80, your doctor might consider that indicative of hypothyroidism. 11.If your doctor ran a test called Free T3, normal range is approximately 2.3 to 4.2. If your result was less than 2.3, your doctor might consider that indicative of hypothyroidism. 12.If your test results come back "normal" but you have many of the symptoms or risk factors for thyroid disease, make sure you ask for an antibodies test. Some doctors believe in treating thyroid symptoms in the presence of elevated antibodies and normal TSH levels. 13.If your test results come back "normal" but you have many of the symptoms or risk factors for thyroid disease, consider going to a reputable holistic M.D. or alternative physician for further interpretation and diagnosis.

[researchmonkey326]

Thanks, yes.  Just found out today from the blood draw yesterday.  They called right away for me to be retested on Friday as well as see the dermatologist so it's moving along quickly.  Not feeling great though.  All other blood counts were still in normal range at least.

[willbb]

Get on the synthyroid ...get the level down to no higher than 2 and you should  feel better

[Trish77]

I got told the same thing, that I have thyroid antibodies and what I think your endo is telling you is that you have Hashimoto's, which is the autoimmune type of thyroid.  That typically means you already had they thyroid antibody and if you had been tested ahead of time before treatment, they would have found it existed and you might have known ahead of time to expect this and your doc would have monitored.  They really don't test for the thyroid antibody as a matter of course when starting treatment but I tend to think they should.  I think people would probably go ahead and do treatment anyway but doctors might respond faster to symptoms of hyper or hypo thyroidism appearing.  

I had to refresh my memory on all this and this has good information that might help to clarify this antibody thing related to thyroid issues.

http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/thyroid_antibodies/glance.html

[Believer7777]

Trish: thanks so much. I went to endocrinologist last week, due to a 9.0 reading with my hep doc.  Endo rechecked thyroid and TSH is now 10.2. Also tested PPO and said that antibodies are present, not sure what that means.

Anne, I am just about comotose! It's so hard to make it to the office and I'm beat 24/7. Sounds like I need to take the meds sitting at the pharmacy :). With all other medicine, I just wanted to get feedback before having to take more pills - im sure you all can relate.

[Anne1717]

WOW !! 10????  No wonder you are exhausted and I am surprised you are not comatose.  I thought I was dying 25 years ago when I first went on Synthroid and my TSH was 4.2.

[Trish77]

rm326:  My ALT and AST rose when I went hyperthyroid.  That wasn't the only indicator, my doc could tell when I told him how I was feeling, asked me to put my hands out in front of me and he watched them shake noticeably and put me on beta blockers right away.  Once you've got one autoimmune disease, you need to monitor that ALT and AST while on treatment as you're more prone to additional autoimmune diseases and that ALT/AST is one indicator.  Other things can cause a rise in those counts also so that's not to say it's automatically thyroid issues, it's simply one of the potential causes.  Hope you've been checked out for this?

B7777:  I think a number of us started thyroid meds while on treatment.  I first started with beta blockers and meds to counteract being hyperthyroid.  My TSH was the other extreme at .02.  Very low.  After awhile my hyperthyroid flipped over to hypothyroid and then I went on synthroid while on treatment, yes.  Your 10.2 count is incredibly out of range it seems so there's a good chance it's contributing to your fatigue and exhaustion but you'd need to seen an endocrinologist about it and you hopefully will see one who understands the impact Interferon can have on thyroid.  It's a good thing when it gets under control and it can be done and monitored throughout treatment.  Good luck with that.