extremely high TSH?

[AVCHIQ]

hi,
im active duty navy and recently had a thyroidectimy bc of papillary thyroid carcinoma. ive been on 175mcg of synthroid since july 7th and all the way thru radiation. they did the thyrogen injections pre radiation. my question is how bad is it that my TSH is 19? navy doctors downplay EVERYTHING. like when i found my tumor... "o its nothing. don't worry" 3 months and four doctors later got me an ultrasound. then a secondary ultrasound then biopsy appt. but the endocrinologiest didn't even want to biopsy bc my tumor was perfectly round and she was 98% sure i didn't have cancer. i pushed the issue and got a biopsy anyway and the next DAY she called me saying pathology said yes it is cancer.

[Super_sally888]

TSH is high.  Ideal TSH is generally in the range of 1 - 2.  How are you feeling?

However, as Gimel says FT3 and FT4 are also very important to test.  As a rough guideline FT4 should be at least middle of the reference range and FT3 should be a bit higher than middle of the range.  Adjusting Ft3 and FT4 to their optimal level (also the level where you feel good) is more important than TSH level.

Read up on Hypothyroid (Gimel has given you good links).

[gimel]

TSH is a pituitary hormone that is affected by many different variables to the extent that it is inadequate as the sole diagnostic for thyroid.  At best it is an indicator, to be considered along with more important indicators such as symptoms, and also the levels of the biologically active thyroid hormones, which are Free T3 and Free T4 (not the same as Total T3 and Total T4).  Of these, Free T3 is the most important because it largely regulates metabolism and many other body functions.  Scientific studies have also shown that Free T3 correlated best with hypo symptoms, while TSH and Free T3 did not correlate at all.  All that said, your TSH is high enough to be a strong indicator of hypothyroidism.

So the first thing in determining your thyroid status is whether you have hypo symptoms, as listed in this link showing typical thyroid symptoms.

http://endocrine-system.emedtv.com/hypothyroidism/hypothyroidism-symptoms-and-signs.html

The next thing would be to get tested for Free T3 and Free T4, along with the TSH.  I don't know how difficult that might be, but it is important enough that you should push it through somehow.  Then you need to be aware that a majority of hypo patients taking high doses of T4 meds like Synthroid, frequently find that they are not adequately converting the T4 to T3, thus their FT3 level is too low in the so-called "normal" range.  The ranges for both FT3 and FT4 are actually far too broad.  Many members here report that symptom relief for them required that Free T3 was adjusted into the upper part of the range and Free T4 adjusted to around the midpoint of its range.  If you find, as I suspect, that your Free T3 is too low in the range, then you will likely need to switch part of your T4 med dosage to a T4/T3 combo type thyroid med such as Armour thyroid, or Nature-Throid.

A good thyroid doctor will treat a thyroid patient clinically by testing and adjusting Free T3 and Free T4 as necessary to relieve symptoms, without being constrained by resultant TSH levels.  Symptom relief should be all important, not just test results.  You can get some good info from this link to a letter written by a good thyroid doctor for patients that he consults with from a distance.  The letter is went to the Primary Care Doctor, to help guide treatment.

http://hormonerestoration.com/files/ThyroidPMD.pdf

If you are able to get the Free T3 and Free T4 testing done, if you will post results and their reference ranges shown on the lab report, members will be glad to help interpret and advise further.