TSH LEVEL OF 52

[CHCH]

I AM 34 YEARS OLD AND WAS DIAGNOSED WITH HYPERTHROIDISM DURING PREGNANCY. I HAD A THYROIDECTOMY IN OCTOBER 07. CURRENTLY I AM BEING TREATED FOR HYPOTHROIDISM WITH ARMOUR THYROID MEDICATION. I JUST HAD MY THYROID LEVELS DRAWN AND MY TSH LEVEL WAS 52. MY LEVEL HAD BEEN NORMAL THE PREVIOUS 2 MONTHS SO I AM CONFUSED ABOUT WHAT CHANGED. I TOOK MY MEDICATION AS PRESCRIBED. CURRENTLY I AM ON 90MG BID OF ARMOUR THYROID. IS THERE ANY TREATMENT SUCH AS DIETARY/HERBAL THAT YOU COULD RECOMMEND  I AM START ING TO FEEL HELPLESS AND ALSO LIKE IMPENDING DOOM THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR ALMOST A YEAR AND IT GETS FRUSTRATING WHEN THE DOCTORS CAN NOT GET IT REGULATED. THEY HAVE REFERRED ME TO A THYROID SPECIALIST AND SHE HAD NO BETTER LUCK. I GUESS I AM WANDERING IS THIS NORMAL TO NO BE ABLE TO GET IT REGULATED. I CURRENTLY AM HAVING SEVERE HEADACHES AND I GUESS THAT IS A SIDE EFFECT OF HYPOTHYROIDISM. ANY SUGGESTIONS?

[CHCH]

Thanks for you're support! It is a habit to type in all caps because at work we have to so it has become a habit. I truly appreciate you're advice. I hope someone else will read this and maybe give me some advise also.

Have a great day.

[AR-10]

Stress can really mess with your numbers. Asking me how to deal with it effectively is a mistake. I don't know how. I do know that a really stressful situation can mess me up for a week.

There are little dietary tricks you can try, but once again, I am not the right person to ask.

I am just the guy who is bumping your thread (question) to the top so maybe someone will see it that can give you better advice.

Here is some advice I can give with confidence. Turn off the Caps Lock button on your keyboard. Reading a long post in all caps is difficult and makes me feel like you are shouting. Just a friendly suggestion. ;>)  <-- that is me winking at you. It's an internet thing.

Hope you get your answers and all turns out well for you.

[CHCH]

TO FOLLOW UP ON A FEW QUESTIONS YOU HAD. MY TSH WAS NORMAL EIGHT WEEKS AGO AND NOW IT IS 52 NOT 5.2.I AM A NURSE AND WAS ABSOLUTELY SHOCKED WHEN HE SAID IT WAS 52 SO I HAVE ENGROSSED MYSELF IN AS MUCH EDUCATION AS POSSIBLE TO BETTER EDUCATE MYSELF. I NEVER KNEW YOURE THYROID COULD AFFECT YOURE BODY THE WAY IT DOES.
I ORIGINALLY STARTED TAKING SYNTHROID 10 MONTHS AGO AND MY TSH LEVEL WHERE SO ERATIC THAT THE MD DECIDED TO TRY THIS ARMOUR THYROID AFTER TRYING SYNTHYROID FOR 6 MONTHS I HAVE CURRENTLY BEEN ON ARMOUR THYROID FOR 3 MONTHS. THE FIRST 2 MONTHS IT WAS WITHIN NORMAL RANGE SO WE THOUGHT WE WAS ON THE RIGHT TRACK BUT, SURPRISE!
MY DOSAGE WAS 120MG DAILY AND NOW HE HAS INCREASED IT TO 180MG AND REDRAW MY BLOOD WORK IN 4 WEEKS. I HAVE BEEN ON THE NEW DOSE FOR 5DAYS AND MAYBE FEELING A HAIR BETTER.
I HAVE BEEN UNDER ALOT OF STRESS RELATED TO WORK, SONS ILLNESS AND NUMEROUS TEST. MY SON IS 1 1/2 YEAR OLD AND HAS BEEN SICK SINCE BIRTH THE DOCS THOUGHT HE HAD CYSTIC FIBROSIS AND HE WAS RECENTLY TESTED AND WE FOUND OUT THAT WAS NEGATIVE ON THIS PAST FRIDAY SO THIS HAS BEEN A VERY STRESSFUL SITUATION. ALSO HE WAS ADMITTED TO KOSAIR'S WITH 105.0 FEVER AND WAS EXTREMELY SICK WITH PNEUMONIA. WHEN HE WAS IN THE ER HE WENT UNRESPONSIVE AND STARTED HAVING SEIZURES I GUESS THE IMAGE I SAW THAT DAY I WILL NEVER FORGET. THE MEDICAL STAFF ASKED ME TO LEAVE THE ROOM SO THEY COULD WORK ON HIM AND IT WAS A HORRIBLE FEELING. I FELT LIKE IMPENDING DOOM THIS HAS ONLY BEEN ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO AND I STILL CAN NOT TALK ABOUT IT WITHOUT GETTING EMOTIONAL. SO THAT ALONE WAS ALOT! BUT, HE HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH ASTHMA AND HE IS DOING GREAT AT THIS TIME THANK THE GOOD LORD. WE HAVE ALSO WENT THROUGH OUR STATE SURVEY AT OUR FACILITY AND THAT IS STRESS ALONE. SO ALL THIS HAS HAPPENED WITHIN THE PAST THREE WEEKS AND I CAN FEEL THE STRESS ALL OVER MY BODY I TRY TO COPE BUT, APPARENTLY I DON'T DO SO WELL.
I ALWAYS APPEAR TO FEEL GOOD BUT IT IS JUST A SHOW BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO LET MY PEERS AND MY FAMILY DOWN. BUT, RECENTLY I HAVE HAD NO CHOICE I HAVE WENT TO BED FOR 3 STRAIGHT DAYS PER MD ORDERS JUST TO REST! I AM FEELING A LITTLE BETTER. I GUESS I DID NOT REALIZE STRESS COULD CAUSE YOU'RE THYROID LEVELS TO GO SO CRAZY AND ALSO I HAVE LOST ABOUT 25 LBS. AND THE MD WAS SO SURPRISED BECAUSE HE SAID USUALLY WHEN SOMEONES LEVEL ARE THIS OUT OF CONTROL THEY USUALLY GAIN.
I DO SEE A ENDO AND HOPEFULLY HE WILL GET THIS UNDER CONTROL!
SORRY FOR THE LENGTHLY EMAIL BUT I HAD ALOT TO SAY. PLEASE SEND ME BACK ANY IDEAS.
LIKE WHAT DO YOU DO TO RELIEVE STRESS? ARE THERE ANY DIETARY CHANGES YOU CAN MAKE TO ENHANCE YOURE MEDICATION WORKING BETTER? THANKS FOR YOU'RE ADVICE AND INPUT.

[AR-10]

Your TSH jumped from "normal" to 52 in a month?

Do you mean 5.2?

If it went from normal(1.5?) to 52 in one month and you are taking a dosage that has been keeping you in a normal range for two months or longer, it sounds like maybe the Armour you took the last month was no good.

Is that possible? A batch of Armour that pretty much is useless? Because for your TSH to rise that much you'd have to stop taking the meds, I would think.

Are you taking a new drug that might be counter acting the Armour? Have you had a seriously high amount of stress in the last month or two?

Five points in a month would be bad and call for a dosage adjustment. Fifty points in a month is a lot more than needing to tweek the dosage.

Maybe you should think about Synthroid.

Are you seeing an Endo now? If so, what does he/she say? If not, why not? What is the doctor who took the blood tests going to do? Has your perscription been changed? Any other treatment orders?

Sorry I don't have any answers for you. Maybe if you give a few more details, one of the more knowledgable posters will be able to help you.

Good luck. I know how bad you feel.
Hope you're feeling better soon.