TSH .86 - Too low?

[isaren]

Hi all, I was diagnosed with Hashimoto about a year ago. I was experiencing muscle cramping, hair loss, severe swelling in face/hands/entire body, brain fog, fatigue.....  My TSH at that time was around 2.0, doctor prescribed 50 mg Levothyroxine. My Tsh then dropped to 1.54, but as I was still symtomatic, doctor upped my dose to 75. Most of my symptoms improved, and I felt quite healthy over the spring and summer, except that I was still having swelling issues (mainly my face/eyes) and muscle cramping, fatigue. My Tsh results on 75 mg are 0.86. Doctor did not want to up my dose of levothyroxine, even though the swelling and cramping are still bothering me quite a bit daily, and even worse around the time of my period. He said that he did not want my TSH to get lower. I have never had my Free T3 checked, doctor didn't want to do it.
I have had to switch doctors due to a change in my insurance coverage, and will see my new doctor in 2 weeks. I am going to ask him if he will test for Free T3, and wondering what other tests (if any) I should ask for. Hopefully this doctor will be more willing to explore my thyroid problem more.
I am getting cramping in my lower arms, wrists, hands, and legs. My eyes are still very baggy and puffy, especially the right eye. Lids still swell a bit. Occasionally I feel pressure behind my right eye, like something is pushing against it. I am also very sensitive to make up now, when I never used to be. It seems to make my eyes swell more.
Is a Tsh of 0.86 too low??? I am not feeling any hyper symptoms at all, so wondering if I should push for a higher dose of Levothyroxine.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I honestly don't know what more to do...

[gimel]

Please post your latest thyroid related test results and their reference ranges.  How long have you been diagnosed with Hashi's?  Are you on a T3 med only?  What is the dosage?

[Teendabean]

Hello,

I too am at .86. I also have Hashimoto's Diease as well. I am also experiencing stiff muscles pretty much the same stuff you described. I am on T3 as well and mine is actually elevated. The other thing I can suggest for the stiffness is calcium chews in the purple box. I also take a B complex vitiman the "time release" that gives me a lot more energy.

[krpdiver]

Hi there, hang in there and get your t4/t3 optimized.  I am in the same boat, LDL and tri's very high...diet and exercise actually seem to sway my tsh readings and cause recommended dosage changes.  My tsh has been consisently good on .112 synthroid but I still have depression/weight gain/puffy face & eyes/fatigue...hoping to add something to my regimen...I'm 46 and feel 56 some days!

[isaren]

Thank you for responding. I will ask this new doctor if he will run FT3 and FT4. PRAYING that this doctor is more knowledgeable about these things, because it sounds like it's pretty common for doctors to not want to run these tests. I am worried. I'm 36 years old, but I feel like a 100 some days.

Another thing that has me concerned that I forgot to mention in my previous post is that my LDL cholesterol and triglycerides are quite high. HDL is low. I changed my eating habits and started taking cholesterol medicine over a year ago and it has hardly dropped. I'm not overweight, and try so hard to get the numbers down, so it is a mystery to me why I can't do it. I've read that when people get their thyroids regulated, that cholesterol and triglycerides get back in line, so I am hoping that that will be the case for me someday.

[Super_sally888]

Hi,

you need to test FT3 AND FT4 and base your management on that.  

A TSH of 0.86 is not too low.  However your adjustment of meds should be based on FT3 and FT4 and keeping them mid to upper half of the reference range, and how you feel.

The Drs need to investigate if there are any other causes for your symptoms.

Best wishes