synthroid

I was put on 150 mcg of Synthroid for over a year and recently received a call from my doctor saying my levels were low and prescribed me 125 mcg of Synthroid.  I don't understand why he did that.  Isn't 150 mcg a higher dosage than 125 mcg?

[stellabellarn]

Call him back, and talk directly to him, esp if you didn't before. Alot of times the "nurses" that you talk to are not real nurses. They are medical assistants and some  have had no  formal training.  Yes 125 mcgs is lower dose than 150 mcg.

[Totie]

It means you are being over medicated.

The lower the TSH, the lower your dosage needs to be. The higher the TSH the higher the dosage needs to be.

It is backwards, but that is how it works.

[dani2776]

Your medications were lowered because your levels were low.  In order to raise your levels you need less medication.  Does that make sense?

[goolarra]

I suspect Totie's right...islandgirl's doctor was probably talking about her TSH when he said her levels were low.  She's also right about how TSH works.

You should get in the habit, islandgirl, of getting the actual results from your doctor along with the reference range of any thyroid tests for your records.  Make sure your doctor is testing FT3 andd FT4 as well as TSH.  Adjusting meds based on TSH alone is not a good idea.

I also agree with stellabellum that it's worth the effort to call the doctor again and verify.  Even if you do talk to a real nurse, there's no guarantee that they know anything about thyroid.  I recently was talking to an old friend, who's an RN, about my thyroid issues, and I was amazed what I had to explain to her!

[twinflower2]

it all seems backwards to me.  In Feb TSH was.03 (he put me on 125).  In March it was.02 (he put me on 112).  Can someone explain why?  Also my TSH fluctuates all the time, therefore, so does my medicine (100 mcg to 137 mcg).

[twinflower2]

Not at all

[twinflower2]

Do you know of any foods to eat that will increase TSH?  Do you know of any foods that will keep one from gaining weight?  I walk twice daily, do yard work and stay from all sweets.  This is agonizing and hard since I have little energy plus Fibromyalgia.  In my 20's and 30's my thyroid was overactive.  After that it burned itself out.  

Do you know of any foods I should not eat?

[Barb135]

This is a very old thread, so you aren't likely to get a response, because Totie is the only one of these posters who still participates in the forum.  

I don't understand your comments "In Feb TSH was.03 (he put me on 125).  In March it was.02 (he put me on 112)".  Were you on a higher dose before the Feb test?  

TSH works backwards from most meds.  The higher your TSH, the more medication you need to bring it down; the lower your TSH, the less medication you need to bring it up.

The problem is that TSH is so variable, that it's totally inadequate as a diagnostic or treatment tool.  You need also to be tested for the actual thyroid hormones, Free T3 and Free T4 (not to be confused with total T3 and total T4, as they are completely different tests).  

If you have lab results for Free T3 and Free T4, please post them, along with reference ranges, since these vary lab to lab and must come from your own report.  If your doctor isn't testing for them, you need ask for them and if s/he refuses, you should find a different doctor.

There are no foods you can eat to raise TSH.  There are a lot of foods you can eat to keep from gaining weight.  Those would be lots of veggies, some fruit, whole grains, low/no fat dairy, lean protein, "good" fats, etc. Portion size is important.

[twinflower2]

Thanks.  I'm on 112 now for a TSH reading of .02 (Mar 12).  He's never given me a free T3 or Free T4. He only gives me TSH and T4.  He based my dosage on the .02 in Mar.  My T4 for that month was 11.7.

I was on 0.81 in Sep 11.

Up, down, up, down...I'd like to get on one dose and stay there.  Weight problems are driving me crazy.

[Barb135]

Sounds like it might be time for a new doctor.  As I said before, TSH is so variable that using it for a treatment tool, will keep you ill for a very long time.

There's no reason why your dosage should be bouncing all over the place, and it wouldn't be, if your doctor were using FT3 and FT4 to adjust your dosage, instead of TSH.

Also, if your dosage were adjusted properly, you might be able to lose the weight; sure, maybe you'd have to work at it (I do), but at least you wouldn't be fighting a losing battle.

[twinflower2]

Thanks for the helpful information.  I will definitely ask for a FT3 and FT4.  I'll call first thing Monday, Apr 2..

[twinflower2]

I keep reading about foods that are good for your thyroid and food that are not.  Certain foods (cabbage family) are not good for the thyroid.  I can eat a lot of things so I won't starve but here are things that should be avoided:  Broccoli, cauliflower, kale, spinach, soybeans, peanuts, pine nuts, peaches, and millet, fruit juice,  This is a very short list.  No refined grains, added sugars, mustard, mustard greens. Of course no junk food, no sweets.Of course no junk food, no sweets.

I can eat bell peppers, berries, squash, carrots, celery, avocados and more. Fish, poultry, legumes, low fat milk are also good.  I've been eating Ezekial bread (made with sprouts...I'm not really sure about it though because I think there may be some wheat.  I get this at Trader Joe's).  I  d avoid white and wheat flour.

[Barb135]

Of the list of things that should be avoided the only I avoid completely is soy.  Members of the cabbage family (called goitrogens) are good for you and cause no issues if they are cooked; I eat them all, with no adverse effects .  Peanuts, pine nuts, peaches, millet - are all good for you (unless you have allergy to them), though they may tend to have a lot of fat and/or sugar.  Fruit juice should be avoided if you are trying to lose weight - much better to eat the whole fruit and get the fiber and vitamins/minerals that are just under the skins.

Of course, refined grains or added sugars should always be avoided, not  for thyroid issues, but because they tend to spike blood sugars levels.

Do you have Celiac disease?

Don't forget to add a bit of red  meat and eggs, since they are excellent sources of vitamin B12, as well as iron and other nutrients.  

There's no need to restrict your diet any more than necessary; moderation is the key, so unless you're allergic to something, it's probably not necessary to totally exclude it from your diet.

[twinflower2]

Thanks for all the useful information.  I'm not sure if I have celiac disease or food allergies.  I do get red blothes on much face from tie to treat.  It's probably rosacea.  Thatnks again Barb.  I think I will try the strict diet for  while.  Believe me I'm not starving.  I/m get ready to weigh myself.  If I haven't lost anything I'll cut back on the portions.

You said this was a really old thread.  Is there a newer one that you know of?  You're the only person who answers.

[Barb135]

Most of the people in this thread no longer participate in the forum at all. You'll get better response if you start your own thread, by clicking the orange "Post a Question" button at the top of the page.  You'll get a blank page on which you can type in your own information.  

If you've gotten any lab work done since you first posted, please be sure to include that, along with reference ranges, which vary lab to lab, so must come from your own lab report.  

Be as specific about symptoms as you can.