thyroid removal

[dimples_54]

having had my thyroid removed due to graves disease, I'm taking .112 synthroid. my levels seem to stay around 5. or higher. My hair is still still falling our and now I've developed tingling in my lower body or maybe best described as nerves quivering. I seem to notice it more at night after I've gone to bed. My doctor says I'm in a normal range, but I just don't feel good most of the time. Are there any other tests that I can take to see if my range should be lower for me? What tests are available or maybe more detailed than the ones my dr. uses?

thanks,
dimples_54


This discussion is related to Hypo/hashi - tingling feet and sometimes body.

[hypofuzz]

If your TSH is around 5, you are not in the normal range.  This is why your hair is falling out.  You are still hypothyroid and need an increase in your Synthroid dose.  Synthroid's official website (www.synthroid.com) states that the treatment goal is to keep your TSH between 0.3 and 3.  This follows the recommendations of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists.  Your doctor/lab is probably using the old recommended upper limit of of 5 or 6 in decided what falls into the "normal" range.  Show your doctor this info and tell him you want to get your TSH below 3 (below 2.5 is better).  Other tests would be free T4 and free T3, but based on TSH alone, your dose needs increasing.