High TSH

[Joyly]

I recently had blood tests performed for screening for a study testing the diet drug Remonabant (sp?).I was disqualified due to my High TSH results. My blood test came back with a reading of 13.8 for my TSH and 1.3 for my free T4. I do take 100 mcg of Levothroid, but I can't see that it does anything for me. I have  been back to my doctor twice since I started taking the Levothroid about 18 months ago and he said nothing needed to be adjusted. I belong to a health plan that offers only Kaiser (California resident) and it seems to be the pits as far as health insurance. I am grossly overweight, I feel horrible. I last lost weight by walking two hours a day everyday and staying on the Atkins induction diet for about two years. (seriously).  However, I hurt my knees and had to stop walking for about a year. Then I gained back the weight. I have fasted for two weeks straight (drinking water and broth and V8 juice) and I lost absolutely no weight...not even water weight. I have eaten under 900 calories regularly since I gain rapidly on a higher intake. I walk everyday- about an hour, I do step aerobics daily. I cannot budge the weight. My hair is very thin, I take 4 tablets of Vitamin A daily and that has stopped my hair loss. I have no nails to speak of, they just flake off. My skin is dry and rough. Any ideas, anyone?

[Nycharliegirl]

I'm new to this having only found out a month ago I have a TSH level of 22.  I only found out because I came down with Vertigo and the doctor ran blood tests to see what was causing it.  While there I mentioned over the past three or four years I have put on about 50 pounds even though I have been an avid gym person I have a fairly healthy diet.  I have felt exhausted even when I first wake up.  I thought it was all due to getting older as I'm in my forties now.  I feel betrayed by my body angry about all the work I've done to stay fit only to have my body fighting me at every turn.  At least now I know I'm not crazy and it's not because I'm old.  It has really wreaked havoc with my mind and my sense of self.  In all this my question is how long before the meds start to really take effect?  I do feel as if I have more energy in the morning. I have not lost any weight I still ache feel forgetful dry skin but my hair is great my sex drive seems just ok. How long before I have more energy throughout the entire day and will my weight really get to where I used to be if I keep exercising?

[stella5349]

I wish I had a concrete answer for you but really / medically - you need to test after changes to your meds to really see where things had moved to.

I think you need to remain in the consistant dose your doctor designed for your start up and steps your in.. regularly test at the times this doctor schedules them and check those labs to see if you see improvement or not with symptoms changing things up and down./

[marymary820]

hey thanks to both of you for your help so far, i phoned to speak to my consultant today and his secretary is getting him to call but that could be forever. So i phoned my doctor and he was useless and said go down to 25mcg!!!!!!! what!!!!!! so i have just put myself on 75mcg until the consultant gets in touch, i think 50mcg was to a low drop as feeling soooooooo tired.... do u think this will be okay for now? i don't want my levels to drop quickly, does the ft4 just stabalise then and not keep going up? i don't really understand it in as much detail as you!

[stella5349]

anxiety is not just a hyper symptom. Its in relation to the FT3 balance - either too high or too low and linked to both hypo and hyper symptoms.

If your doctor is not testing your FT3 and has no idea where you really are at then its not an educated dosage change and you could be headed into worse symptoms if you are not monitored correctly.

Both hypo and hyper are linked to anxiety and heart palps all due to the FT3 testing...

If you are approaching your doctor with the right resources on getting the FT3 test - with the FT4 and TSH - then s/he has no real say on refusing your request to get it done.

Another thing here could be a conversion issue based off the T4. It sounds like you have been up and down in dosages for some time and still.... your situation has not improved as you would like it. Holding back conversion and even storing T3 hormone can happen at any time of thyroid treatment if the other glands and organs are lacking somewhere. To test for that the ratios of FT3 and FT4 must be looked at with past tests and see if anything is consistant between those too along with maybe requesting an RT3 blood lab and see where you are at there.

Some liver testing too could help look at a lack of conversion.

[goolarra]

So, you've been on 100 mcg for eight weeks.  After six of those weeks, FT4 should have leveled off to stable levels.  However, often what happens is that FT4 levels, then FT3 continues to rise for sometime afterward as conversion ramps back up.  So, my guess (and it's just that - a guess - without seeing FT3) is that's what's happening to you.

A decrease is probably in order (at least to see if your anxiety is relieved).  However, a drop to 50 mcg from 100 mcg is WAY too much.  That kind of change will have you flipping right back over to hypO most likely.  Do you think your doctor might consider dropping your dose just a little...maybe to 88 mcg per day, or even alternating 100/88?  Meds changes have to be made very slowly, or you will swing back and forth, which is no fun.  

[marymary820]

hey thanks so much for replying, they won't test my ft3. My meds were re adjusted 8 weeks ago to 100mcg its in the last two weeks i have started to feel really anxious. My doctor has told me to put it down to 50mcg and wait to see what my consultant says when he gets back is that right to do so? i don't really trust my doctor he is not that great at thyroid stuff! i have had no other hyper symptoms.