Thyroid

[shirts]

My 49 year old wife has been treated by our general doctor for an underactive thyroid for several years.  Within the last year she has experienced a frozen shoulder(not from an injury), and hair loss.  Our information tells us that both conditions can be contributed to thyroid problems.  We live in rural Kansas.   Should we seek the advice of a specialist?  Could there be something our doctor is missing?  If so can you recommend a specialist for us.  Thanks

[New AggieMom]

Sorry if my comment is double posted.  I am new to this.

I am a 49 year-old female that was diagnosed with Hashimoto's thryoiditis (hypothroidism)about 5 years ago. At the same time I went through early menopause. All my hormone issues really started a few years after giving birth to my twins at 33.

I have found that I feel normal when my TSH level is kept at the lower in of the normal range--1.0 . Over the last 5 years my Endo Dr. has been successful in keeping me in this range by adjusting my dosage of synthroid. My dosages have run from .112 to .2. In April, 2006, my TSH jumped to 6.05 and my Endo Dr. increased my synthroid dosage to .250 (2 x .125 pills). I have always taken my synthroid at the same time each morning with water one hour before eating. So, I didn't know why it would have jumped to 6.05. I just received the results of the blood test that was run on July 3rd and my TSH level has gone even higher to 12.61. My T4 is 1.4 and my T3 is 250. My Endo ran another blood test 2 days ago in his lab (the other tests were done in Quest Lab)just to make sure there weren't any control issues. So I am waiting to hear from that test. I am looking for any direction that anyone can give me as to what would make my TSH level continue to rise. Is there another organ problem going on that is causing the elevation in TSH?  

I also have hyperparathroidism that we are watching. I had 2 parathroids removed in 2002 but my calcium never came down as was expected--it stays around 10.5 to 10.7.

Thanks!

[borninquisitive]

Perhaps this will help:
http://thyroid.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ&sdn=thyroid&zu=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thyroid-info.com%2Ftopdrs%2Fkansas.htm

[Mark Lupo, M.D.]

In general, if the TSH is kept in the optimal range (0.5-2.0) it is unlikely that the thyroid is contributing.  Hair loss has many causes from stress to thyroid to other illness.  Usually I test CBC, CMP, ferritin, Testoserone, Androstendione, DHEA-s, possibly ANA and ESR to look for other causes.  The frozen shoulder usually is not related to thyroid.  Again - check the TSH readings and make sure they are in range.  I don't know anyone in Kansas but look at AACE.com, thyroid.org and thyroidologists.com.