TSH rising in many..

What is the deal with a lot of levels of TSH rising even when on medication & taking it properly...

Maybe companies switched there way of making it..

I read where people on all different types of name brands still having issues..

This is crazy...

[sunrock]

It is crazy! I can't help think of all the environmental issues playing with the cellular dynamics of our bodies as well.

Mia

[danie17075rm]

I have been wondering about this too!  My TSH shot up HIGHER than it had been in a long time even though I increased.  It really makes you wonder.

[flyingfool]

This can be explained with other things other than medication potency.

One is if you have Hashi's it is a progressive disease and as the disease destroys your thyroid glands ability to produce thyroid hormone it would mean that you would need an increase in medication to keep up with that loss of thyroid.

Secondly TSH is so variable and that is exactly why you should NOT rely upon TSH alone.  TSH is virtually useless and I wish they would just stop testing for it.  TSH has caused more problems than it has solved. Especially Dr's complete immaculate belief that it is the gold standard.  It isn't even tin foil standard let alone gold!

[Totie]

I can see the Hashi's up & down, but what about those who have had a TT?

[Barb135]

The body changes constantly, and so does TSH.  You could test it several times in the same day and not get the same result twice.  It is totally unreliable when determining whether or not one is hypo or hyper.  

[flyingfool]

The pituitary is different than every other tissue in the body. There are a TON of things that will affect the ability of T3 to get into normal body cells but have no problem what so ever getting into the Pituitary.

This is why TSH is so unreliable.  the pituitary will often times react completely different than the rest of the body and give false indications.

I have to admit, most cases the pituitary will give lower TSH readings in a lot of these conditions.

For example stress.  Stress can up the reverse T3 count, making less T3 available.  The pituitary is unaffected by the amount of RT3 so it will think everything is just fine an dandy and keep TSH levels low. When the rest of the body IS affected negatively by the RT3 levels and is starved for T3 and thus Hypo. But TSH is not affected.  

The bottom line is that TSH is just unreliable.

[goolarra]

The question you really should be asking...and asking it of YOURSELVES...is why are you still so hung up on TSH???  We know it's not reliable.  We know TSH levels make not one iota of difference in how you feel.  We know TSH correlates neither with FT3 and FT4 levels nor with symptoms.  

ALL companies switched their way of making it?  C'mon...

Body demand for thyroid hormones is dynamic.  It changes all the time and can be affected by so many factors...age, stress, general health, trauma, surgery, just to name a few.  The meds we take are static.

All I can say is learn to ignore TSH.  The problem is with the test, not with the meds...  

[Paus]

I don't understand why should ignore the TSH?  When i was in philippines my endoc always get test my TSH and FT4 only, You mean to test the symptoms should test the T3 and T4? I would like to ask if its true since 2008 my ft4 is always high even ft3 so my endoc lower my dose to 150 to 125 mcg then after a 2mons she test my blood works yes my ft3 ft4 is normal but my TSH is high 23.10 I told my endoc some symptoms attacking constipation, feeling slow, absent minded, slow movement, involuntary muscle movement, so she try to increase again my dose back in my regular dose to 150mcg. After 3mons my TSH back in 2.10 it's normal but my ft4 is high again she told me my ft4 is high if she will decrease my dose might experience another symptoms, why my endoc focusing in my TSH instead of ft3 and ft4 hoping this time i find a good dr. I'm starting to panic because some symptoms attacking but I take my medication regularly. Thanks.

[danie17075rm]

I never focus on TSH, but it does jump out at you when it hops from 6-27 in one month!  I have learned to ignore it though and focus on the free's.  My changes are probably due to chronic stress.  

[goolarra]

Yes, if you want a the test that correlates best with symptoms, it's FT3.  FT4 levels are important, too, and can't be ignored, but they don't dorrelate well with symptoms.  

Treatment should focus first on SYMPTOMS.  It doesn't matter what any of your lab values are.  If you have hypo symptoms, then your meds are not right.  Even if levels are high, you should not be decreasing if you feel hypo.  If you feel hypo, you either need an increase or, more likely, need to add a T3 component to your meds.  

Do you have labs to post with reference ranges?  

[Totie]

All my doctors only test TSH & T4.

Right now I have switched back to my generic (Synthroid is expensive), & keep in touch with my endo on any adverse affects. She does not like the generic, but unless she is paying for it I have decided to switch back to generic. Yes my endo approved the switch back, was not happy, but hey like I say give it to me at a generic price & I have no problem staying on it.

I don't test again until June 20 to see where we are at & too see my Vit D level has gone done. (Dealt with toxcicity she says..), however, not symptoms from that.

I can say being on the synthroid releved my fatigue, muscles aches, hopefully it was just the dosage that needed adjusting...