TSH 57.4

In 2003 I had Graves Disease, than had radioactive iodine...now hypo.  I've been on Synthroid 137mcg for the last couple of years.  This week, I got my TSH blood work back & it's 57.4
I'm VERY tired & sleep all the time.  I have to drink coffee at work all day just to stay awake (I'm an aide in nursing home).  Also, very dry skin, and even my tongue feels/looks swollen.
The doctor wants to change my Synthroid 137mcg to Synthroid 50mcg...if it is high 57.4, wouldn't she want to INCREASE the dosage instead of lowering it?
Thanks for your opinions...I'm just a little confuse.  I just don't want to call her back and feel stupid, or question her authority, ya know?

[TamraW]

You definitely sound hypo. I have no idea why she'd lower your Synthroid. She's the one who sounds stupid! :)

What are your FT3/FT4 levels? Doctors should be treating this. TSH is secondary, but I do think since you have symptoms of hypo, you need an increase.

Also, if the doc checks your FT3 level and finds it low, adding Cytomel to the Synthroid has worked for many hypos.

:) Tamra

[Totie]

Your doctor is doing the OPPOSITE of what needs to be done. I would call and confirm with her nurse or herself able to.  

You will only get worse with a lower dose. Maybe she meant 150mcg..call the office. This does not sound right.

[stella5349]

You need to call them on this. Something is being misunderstood and you certainly do not want to drop down on the medication.

Seems like we are back to back with our history - I too - Graves in 2003 and RAI - Spent many years in a funk with hyponess with no real help returning to life as I knew it.

That was 2 years ago though :)

Alot of the puzzle started coming together for me when I read about Graves/RAI/ and optimal preformance. I found some key things out that when someone with Graves - that ablates the gland - can go through.

Many deficiencies form after RAI - Vit B - Vit C - zinc - ferritin - magnesium and selenium occurs.

Issues of conversion are very common and the T4 medication actually stores more in the body then releases in active hormone - so increases in T4 meds don't do the entire job getting the - now hypo- patient well. In most cases, especially when fatigue, swelling, insominia, bloating is present - the T3 medication ( whether combo natural desiccated thyroid or synthetic T3) is added - the response of wellness can come back and make the person feel much better.

The body is soley relying in a conversion aspect from the liver creating the proper active hormones - when we are well, the thyroid does have a big part of making that hormone ( or releasing it) to keep us stable. The liver , in most cases, cannot bring optimal levels of T3 alone - so the hypo person remains ill regardless of how much T4 medication they take in.

I went as high as a .250mcg Synthroid and never felt well. Until I pushed to try T3 in a combo med - I thought I would never get better.

not the case, I feel great now.

Another last thing to add, the adrenals are so vital, and when left in a hypo state, especially when there is a conversion issue happening. They are working at top levels to attempt to balance the body with cortisol. Unfortunately they only last so long at this preformance and want a break too. When this occurs, that complciates things more.

[stella5349]

Caffene is a "feeder" to push the adrenals into complete exhaustion. If you are relying on it - to maintain preformance - you can bet you have some ssues going on with them now.