Concerned about starting synthroid

[Bluegrip]

I just received my lab results,

TSH  7.43
Thyroglobulin antibodies  652
Thyroid Peroxidase   >1000

Other than cold hands and feet at night, and some steady weight gain over the years (poor diet/ exercise) I show no symptoms. I scheduled the blood tests because I feared signs of insulin resistance (no indication in blood work).

I'm not sure how to proceed. I'm not even entirely sure I understand the results.

I was advised by my doctor (university clinic) to take 25 mcg daily.

Any and all advice is appreciated!

Thank you,

- Heidi

[Kenneth N. Woliner, MD]

25 mcg is a tiny dose (the highest dose of Synthroid reported in the medical literature is 1,200 mcg/day. Whether it be to alleviate some of your obvious symptoms (cold hands/feet; weight gain), mot so obvious symptoms (osteoporosis, future risk of heart disease, etc), or to make you, the doctor, or a life insurance policy adjuster more comfortable because your doctor has recommended a therapy. It may be the perfect therapy for you (or not), but there is minimal physical risk or financial cost of following your doctor's advice.

BTW, the best insulin resistance tests are a Hemoglobin A1c (everything above 5.0% is not perfect, a fasting insulin/glucose ratio (using internet-computer calculator for a HOMA-IR score). I doubt those tests were done.

[AvielaAvielle]

I take 25mcg for 6 months now....and I feel much better....skin is better, hair is better.
I take lots of supplements including selenium which is recommended to lower antibodies, and have changed my diet & am doing a Paleo Detox diet for 30 or 60 days.  
My Ft3 has not increased though.....so I'm not sure what to do next as I hear FT3 is important.
But like I said I feel much better.

[Barb135]

Insulin resistance can be a very serious thing, because if it's not gotten under control it, typically, turns into type II diabetes, which in turn causes/contributes to any number of other health issues.  If you know your blood sugar levels are not where they should be, you should be doing something about it, before you've done permanent damage.

[TattooGurl]

My TSH levels were very close to yours and my symptoms were very bad for a very long time nearly three years, they gave me the synthroid at 25mcg and with in a month my life changed. I felt better then I had in years I even started losing some weight not a lot but I lost some. For about $5 a month it's totally worth the risk it even cured constipation I didn't even know I had.

About the insulin resistance 9 times out of 10 it's totally harmless. Mines crazy out of control like 30 times that of a normal person and my doctors not even worried enough to treat it. I wouldn't be overly worried.

[Kenneth N. Woliner, MD]

Freakingoutinmichigan describes a positive response to medication. Stories such as hers should reassure you.

I do believe a Hemoglobin A1c is not good. It is associated with sugar/carb/chocolate/starch cravings, hypoglycemic symptoms, fat weight gain, hair loss, etc.  this is a "thyroid" board, and even though I know a lot about insulin resistance, diabetes, and pre-diabetes, I prefer that you post the question there to get more replies about behavior changes, diet, exercise, supplements (and yes, medications) to deal with that issue.

In my clinical practice, being a board-certified family practittioner, I treat all things in my patients to make them feel "dandy", instead of forcing patients to see multiple doctors because each one says about other conditions, "That's not my job, go see this other guy." (I don't /can't do everything, so I do refer out botox injections and other surgery - simply because I'm not qualified to do anything about it.

[freakingoutinmichigan]

Ive been on synthroid for 10 years. You would be amazed at how many symptoms I had and didnt realize I had until I started taking it. After 2 or 3 weeks I started to feel great. Now I notice symptoms right away but its taken along time. I started at 24 and am 34 now and up to 200 mcg synthroid. When my tsh levels are above a 3 I get symptoms, weight gain,exaustion, muscle aches, depression, skin and hair changes, freezing all the time. All I can say is give it a try- it wont regulate itself. 25mcg is a tiny dose you might need more eventually..but you might be surprised. Good luck

[Bluegrip]

I did have the Hemoglobin A1c done, it showed 5.6. Would that be considered problematic?

I'm interested in knowing how impaired my current numbers show in relation to normal levels. Is this something I can fix on my own, through supplements b12/d3, low carb diet, consistent exercise? Or should I start taking the synthroid?

I'm also wary of what taking synthetic hormones might do to my body. I'm 24, and recently (~5 months ago) stopped taking birth control, which I had been on for  about 5 years. I guess I'm hoping this will just balance itself out eventually without my needing to take anything. More than anything I'm worried it will do more harm than good.