Elevated TSH?

[Bulx3ld0gs]

Hello-

My doctor called me and told me that I have an elevated TSH so he wants to repeat the test in about a week(an antibody test) to be sure of how to diagnose me. What does it mean that I have an elevated TSH? Does this have anything to do with HIV because I lag a T4 count since I have a high TSH?

Please help- I am a very paranoid person as it is and the doctor's call have not made matters any better.
Thank you-

[Barb135]

TSH is not an antibody test; it's like FTB4 said - a pituitary hormone asking your thyroid gland to produce more hormones.......

Do you  have current thyroid lab results?  If so, please post them, along with the reference ranges from your lab report, since the ranges are lab specific and must come from your own report.......

[FTB4]

TSH is a Pituitary Hormone that sends a signal to your thyroid, when your thyroid hormones are low, ie: Thyroid Stimulating Hormone, it is not a thyroid hormone as is T3 and T4, Your thyroid produces and secretes T4 hormone into your system, your body then converts this T4 to T3 Called Free T3 and is the actual hormone your body needs to function (I do not know what this would have to do with HIV) MD's use TSH as a tool to diagnose thyroid issues, so when the TSH is high, this would indicate a Low T4 and T3 hormone level, because the pituitary is pumping more TSH to stimulate it into making more T4, when the TSH is low, then it would indicate  higher T3 and T4 levels, A low T4 and T3 is called Hypothyroid or underactive, and a high level T3 and T4 is called Hyperactive or overactive. Then you have the auto-immune aspect, this is when your immune system, for some reason (Unknown) does not recognize your thyroid and attacks it, and reducing its production and eventually destroying the thyroid, this disease is called Hashimoto's Thyroiditus, and requires you to take a hormone medication to replace the missing hormone from your thyroid, the other auto-immune factor, is when the auto immune systems attack causes your thyroid to overproduce hormones and this causes to much hormone in your system, This is known as Graves Disease, and is treated by a drug that supresses the thyroids production, or other procedures to incapacitate the thyroid using, radioactive iodine, or partial and or total removal of the thyroid, depending on the issues involved. The Anti-body test your MD stated is to determine if you have an auto-immune disease, which has nothing to do with HIV, it is in most cases hereditary, and just means that you will be taking one of the several types of medication to replace the thyroid hormones. When you go back to your MD, ask him to do a Free T3 and Free T4 and ask for the results of these tests, including the reference ranges provided for each, we can give you much more info, comments and advise based on these results. No need to be stressed about having thyroid issues, we have all been through it.  Best Regards FTB4