So confused

[aggie988]

Back in April I had gained 20plus lbs even though I was dieting and exercising.  Wasn't quite feeling right.  Went to an Endo and he did blood tests on me, I have been hypothyroid for 7 plus years.  My TSH did not even register,  he found that I had a nodule on my left side (which he biopsied, found to be benign) plus said I had Hashimoto's thryoiditis.  I currently was on  0100 mcg.  He said that was too high of a dosage and it had told my pituary gland I was getting too much thyroid and to shut down, he then put me on .088 mcg. I went back in June, early July and my TSH was 4.50 he left me on .088. I just went back last week and my TSH was 22.7, he now has me on .088 each day and I take two pills on Sat. and Sun.  He seems more concerned about my cholesterol and wants to put me on Flouristatin but I don't want to take it because I also have an auto-immune blood disease (Anticardiolipin Antibody Syndrome) and I take blood thinners and I believe that you shouldn't be on this med if you take blood thinners.  I am very confused can't he give me something to take to kill off my thyroid quicker so that my TSH isn't bouncing all over the place?  I have been feeling horrible I don't even have the energy to exercise much anymore.  Also isn't my cholesterol high because of my thyroid disorder, and shouldn't he know this that once that is regulated my cholesterol should regulate also?  I am so confused.  Thanks for any help you can give.

[Mark Lupo, M.D.]

Low thyroid can cause higher cholesterol, but with a TSH of 4.5 the impact on cholesterol is fairly minimal.  Goal TSH is 0.5-2.5 -- but it seems that the higher dose did not work out.  There is no indication for "killing off" the thyroid in the treatment of hypothyroidism.