TSH 40

[Markob]

I have Hashimoto's and a few months ago decided to try Armour, and now my TSH is up to 40 (the highest it had ever gone before was 12). My antibodies are also very high.
New symptoms I have been having are high blood pressure, severe headaches in the morning and one episode of muscle cramping in my leg (which I have never had before).
I will get back on Levothyroxine, but do you think high TSH is causing these symptoms???
I will ask my doctor, of course, but is it better to go gradually back to a normal TSH or try to start with higher dose and get it down right away?
Thank you very much.

[kitty9309]

The symptoms can most certainly be attributed to the high TSH.
It is best to start out at a lower dose than you will ultimately need and titrate up with folllow up labs and dose increases accordingly. You might start out at 50 mcg.
Was your TSH that high while ON Armour?

[stella5349]

Why did you chose to try Armour? You were on Levo prior right? What was your dosage on the synthetic med and what is the dosage on your Armour? Some (quacks) choose to start you on a high dose of Armour depending on your blood levels and how you were adjusting to the Levo.  At lease that was my case. I now have been cut in half on the dosage of Armour and still feel great.  Better than I ever did on Synthroid. It is all about converting that T4 into T3.

Hopefully you will find what you are looking for with your decision. Good Luck

[GravesLady]

Your symptoms could be from the high TSH.

I would go off Armour for 4 to 6 weeks, retest, then dose according.  If you and doc decided to go to  Levothyroxine, go low and slow with the dosing, testing and adjusting  meds.

Armour Thyroid should not be taken unless both  T3 and T4 are equally low. Very, very few people have such a condition. Any professional who offers Armour Thryoid unless BOTH your T3 and T4 are equally (please notice the word "equally") low is a quack. This will cause excessive levels of the hormone a person is not as deficient in.
  
GL,

January is Thyroid Awareness Month, a month when various organizations put together informational efforts to help us all learn more about thyroid disease here in the U.S.

January is National Graves Disease Awareness Month
National Graves' Disease Awareness Week 1/7 thr 1/13