What is a normal TSH?

[misseyzoe]

I received my lab results and my TSH is 9.4, what does that
mean? I am taking Levothyroxine 200mcg. so why would my TSH
be high? I also have a Goiter, what does that mean?

Thank You,
misseyzoe

[Mark Lupo, M.D.]

Goiter is a large thyroid - often seen in hypothyroid patients such as yourself.  The TSH is too high -- your brain is asking for more meds -- would change to a brand such as levoxyl or synthroid and increase the dose to 224 or 250mcg (take 2 tabs of the 112 or 125mcg size) and target a TSH around 1.0.  The problem with generics is inconsistent levels.  Stick with a brand whenever possible.

[Chocobabe]

Hi! I used to be on Levothyroxine. I moved, changed docs, and she put me on Armour......and I wanted to pass that along to you to check out. I feel TOTALLY different on Armour--i.e. MUCH better. I don't have problems that I kept having on Levothyroxine. I've since learned that T4 meds including Synthroid and Levoxyl aren't doing the job for patients like you and me--leaving us with symptoms. Armour is pig thyroid, and it gives us exactly what our thyroids do. You might want to check it out.  My doc, unlike me old one, doesn't dose me by the TSH. She says it leaves patients with symptoms. She instead keeps my free T3 at the top of the range.

[kaycee75]

Have been on levothyroxin (levothyroxine) since I was diagnosed with a TSH of 144. My latest TSH was 16 after about 3 months of treatment. Having chronic intestinal problems and my metabolism continues to be sluggish... Is it going to get better???

[mshypo]

it sounds like you still have a ways to go.  I think (based on my own years of research and hearing lots of other folks' accounts of their horrible Synthroid treatment) that the synthetic T4 medications are quite inferior to desiccated thyroid extract...but aside from that, if I were in your shoes, I'd be looking at my Free T4 and Free T3 labs and making sure they were high enough in the range..probably in the upper 1/3.  That appears to eliminate hypo symptoms for most folks unless they have other underlying issues, like low functioning adrenals or low Ferritin or high antibodies for example.

[hashi]

Yes, I would like to know what normal TSH is also. They seem to vary from lab to lab. Mine 1.18, and my dr. says that is good. I am hypothyroid with hashimoto disease. I am not on any thyroid medication, because my dr. says my TSH is okay and I have been keeping track of my temperature because I was weaned off of T3 on Nov.5. and my temp. is staying above 98.I feel okay, not 100%, but pretty good.I feel bloated somtimes, get stuffed up for some reason, and have an urge to have to take a breath. I am now battling a bad bout of depression. Not on antidepressants, and don't really want to if I don't have to. I sit and cry alot, not working(trying to get a job),no life to speak of, god no wonder I'm depressed. I had clinical depression 18 years ago and had to be hospitalized. I getting in touch with someone from mental health services to get some help. One other thing I have been getting a feeling in my throat like heartburn. Is it heartburn or could it have to do with my thyroid? Anyway is my dr. got me on the right track,or should I be doing something else?

[nelsonchatham]

although there is a range for TSH, I think it safe to say that what is normal might be different for each person...which is why they have a range.  So although your TSH of 1.8 falls in range, wonder if your depression is gone when you have a TSH of .7?  It does appear when looking at bell curve results that most folks have a TSH around 1.  

But you have Hashimoto's...and Hashimoto's can cause psychiatric symptoms even when labs are in range.  More information can be found in the book "The Thyroid Axis and Psychiatric Disorder" by Russell T. Joffe, M.D. and Anthony J. Levitt, M.D...but as these quotes from the book indicate, Hashi's folks might benefit from treatment if they are having psychiatric symptoms:

Hashimoto’s disease is often occult and, therefore, frequently remains undiagnosed.  It appears that, in some phases, dysregulation of hormone production may be subtle but associated changes in brain function may be unexpectedly prominent.

In select cases, however, psychiatric symptoms present in the absence of clinical or subclinical hypothyroidism.  Depression, impairments in concentration and irritability are most common, with mania and psychotic thought disorder also possible.  Such patients seem resistant to traditional psychopharmacological treatment of their behavioral pathology, but in general respond rapidly to thyroid replacement therapy.