Tx related thyroid problems

Now that I seem be be running into problems with an elevating TSH and talk of putting me on a low maintence dose of thyroid meds, I am wondering how many of us it affects.

How many have developed problems with their thyroid on tx?

At about what point during tx did it occur?

Were you hypo or hyper...or both?

Did it resolve after treatment?

Did you have any symptoms over and above tx related ones?

Does it seem to primarily affect women or just that more women post on it?

I kind of expected to have some problems with it from what my Dr. disclosed, but I never really thought much about it til now.....Any info would be appreciated.......Pam

[Tippyclubb]

I had hypo thyroid for 15 years.  One month into tx my TSH went up to 56 and I became lethargic, puffy eyes and swelling.  They upped my synthroid and a few weeks later I was back to normal.

[PrettyPoisonNoMore]

I went hypo from treatment.  I do not have the Hashi or Graves antibodies.  My thyroid quit from interferon.  My TSH was 63 when I was diagnosed, and I diagnosed myself by researching how I felt on the internet and monitoring my body temperature.  I am 2 1/2 years post treatment, and I fully anticipate that I will be on thyroid medicine the rest of my life.  The good news is once your hormones have leveled out, it is fine.  The medicine is pretty cheap, and if this is the worse that happened to me from treatment, I guess I am lucky.

[alijee]

first my TSH went to 6.0 then to 1.85 then 2.64. Now it is settled itself and ok. Some times it becomes defective life time. You may hypo or hyper. check it after every 2 months. Most of the people resolve this problem after EOT.

[Kristina538]

From what I know, you generally go hyper during tx, reach a point of 'burn-out' and it flips to hypo, at which stage you need meds.  I tx'd for 6 months and was at the point of needing medication for hyper, when I finished tx.   It started heading back to normal and now I'm slightly (but not majorly) hyper again.  

I asked the specialise if it would stay where it is (I was slightly hyper before tx), and he said "anything could happen".  Many others have had thyroid upsets during tx & hopefully will chime in with their experiences.

[meakea]

Just before I started TX, my TSH was a bit high (around 6) but I wasn't on any treatment for it.  A few weeks into TX it went to 8 or 9 and I saw an Endocrinologist who put me on a low dose of Levothyroxine which has kept my TSH in the 3-4 range.  The TSH target for my Endocrinologist was 2-3 but she's okay with 3-4 for now until I'm off TX.

[justme53]

My TSH seemed low compared to some of the other numbers here...just pushing the upper limits...4.0, but the trend is upwards and if it gets to 5 they will put me on a low dose of thyroid meds. What's one more med to the cocktail....I can't say I feel any differently, but then again, I have no memory of what normal is anymore......

[meakea]

You're right, your TSH really isn't high yet.  My PCP (who ignored all of my abnormal labs for many years) also ignored my upward trending TSH for years.  I was in the 4-5-6 range for several years and didn't know it.  When I saw the Endocrinologist (at the recommendation of my GI doc), she told me that not everyone gets treated at those ranges, even if they are in the high range, because a lot of people aren't symptomatic at those levels and because their other thyroid levels are still okay.

[justme53]

By other thyroid levels, do you mean T3 and T4? I guess if the TSH continues to go up, they will check those next.

Pam

[meakea]

Yes T3 and T4.  I have a complete thyroid panel done through the Endocrinologist but the GI only does the TSH.  

[nygirl7]

Went hyper (TSH 0.0)  at week 24 and went hypo (TSH 6.2) at week 30 and have remained so ever since.  Take Syntrhoid .88mcg and my TSH is about .60 or something which is perfect so it manages it just fine.

[skersj]

At tx week 16, labs showed hypo with TSH 66. By the time I got to the endo, TSH was 117. Went on Synthroid 75 and been in normal range so far. I think I went hyper right before but no labs to support that. Just that I lost 10 lbs one month but then next month gained back that plus 5 more lbs and eyes got puffy.  Within week of starting Synthroid, symptoms started subsiding. Endo said it could take 2 months though.