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Is an increase in TSH over a year, 3 tests normal?
Hi. In the last year, my TSH has been tested 3 times. Is is WNL but has increase each time. I initial was 1.8 and now I'm up to 2.03. I am wondering if this is normal? I read that tsh does not usually fluctuate. I have recently been suffering major joint pain, fatigue and muscle weakness. All other labs came back normal. Many years ago an endocrinologist told me that I may have hashimotos as I tested positive for antibodies. He said that the next test showed no antibodies and that's never the case. Anyway, is the increase of tsh indicative that this still could be hypothyroid?
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He is about 20 miles from me. I will have to see if u can get in his books. I see that he is holistic.
COMMUNITY LEADER
When you ask for further thyroid blood work, be sure to ask for FREE T4 and FREE T3. I know that sounds nit-picky, but if you just ask for T4 and T3, you'll get Total T4 and Total T3, which aren't the same thing and don't tell what we need to know... Always be sure to specify "Free" prior to T4 or T3...
The antibody tests you need are Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies (TPOab) and Thyroglobulin Antibodies (TgAb). Make sure you get them both.
ALP is an enzyme that helps break down proteins. It plays a big role in liver function and bone development.
"Having lower-than-normal ALP levels in your blood is rare, but it can indicate malnutrition, which could be caused by celiac disease or a deficiency in certain vitamins and minerals."
Zinc deficiency can show up as low ALP level. According to pharmacist, Isabella Wentz, most people with hypothyroidism are deficient in zinc, which helps with the conversion of T4 to the usable T3.
It's important to note that zinc depletes copper so if one takes a zinc supplement they should also take a copper supplement.
A 2-month wait for an endo isn't bad. When I had to go to a new endo, I had to wait 6 months for my first appointment and it was a waste of time; I've fired her already...
If your primary won't do the tests, I'd recommend a different doctor.
While you're asking for tests, I'd recommend that you ask for Vitamin B-12, Vitamin D and ferritin. Most of us with hypothyroidism are deficient in B-12 and D and deficiency in both can cause a lot of hypo-like symptoms, plus both are needed for proper metabolism of thyroid hormones. Ferritin is the iron storage hormone and iron is also necessary for proper conversion of T4 to the usable T3.
The antibody tests you need are Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies (TPOab) and Thyroglobulin Antibodies (TgAb). Make sure you get them both.
ALP is an enzyme that helps break down proteins. It plays a big role in liver function and bone development.
"Having lower-than-normal ALP levels in your blood is rare, but it can indicate malnutrition, which could be caused by celiac disease or a deficiency in certain vitamins and minerals."
Zinc deficiency can show up as low ALP level. According to pharmacist, Isabella Wentz, most people with hypothyroidism are deficient in zinc, which helps with the conversion of T4 to the usable T3.
It's important to note that zinc depletes copper so if one takes a zinc supplement they should also take a copper supplement.
A 2-month wait for an endo isn't bad. When I had to go to a new endo, I had to wait 6 months for my first appointment and it was a waste of time; I've fired her already...
If your primary won't do the tests, I'd recommend a different doctor.
While you're asking for tests, I'd recommend that you ask for Vitamin B-12, Vitamin D and ferritin. Most of us with hypothyroidism are deficient in B-12 and D and deficiency in both can cause a lot of hypo-like symptoms, plus both are needed for proper metabolism of thyroid hormones. Ferritin is the iron storage hormone and iron is also necessary for proper conversion of T4 to the usable T3.
2 Comments
I could certainly be Zinc deficient. I do not eat fish or shellfish and not much in the way of dairy. Recently I cut back on my almond intake, just sick of them. My MV doesnt have zinc. I'm going to start having a bowl of fortified cereal for the zinc. I just really dont like carbs. I dont mind dairy but I just dont have much milk. I do not think I can live like this for 2 months. I will drive myself nuts. :( I do not have much faith in medicine either and feel like care is never comprehensive. That's what happens when you work in healthcare and hear and see the horror stories for 20 years. I am going to ask for all of those tests. Thank you for taking the time to explain all of this to me.
I don't work in healthcare but I don't have much faith in most doctors either because of what I've seen here and what I've experienced with my own health journey. I've found that most of the time if you look toward a Functional Medicine or Naturopathic doctor, you'll have better luck than with one who practices strictly conventional medicine. The problem is that many Functional or Naturopathic doctors don't accept insurance and can be quite expensive, but there are a few of them that are practicing as primary care doctors now. In some states, Nurse Practitioners and/or Physician Assistants can have their own practices, too and many of those are better than many conventional doctors also...
Actually, you might be better off taking a small zinc/copper supplement than going with the cereal since some of us have trouble with gluten and dairy. Malabsorption is one of the causes of zinc deficiency and gluten and/or dairy sometimes contribute to malabsorption issues.
I see you posted your Free T4 result. That's way too low in the range. Most of us tend to feel better with Free T4 about mid-range; yours is only at 13% of its range which indicates your thyroid isn't producing enough hormones.
With Free T4 as low as it is, we'd actually expect your TSH to be higher than it is because the pituitary should be producing TSH to stimulate the thyroid. Since there's not more TSH, this could indicate a problem with the pituitary or hypothalamus glands instead of the thyroid.
I see you had a magnesium test, also - what was that result with reference range? Too little magnesium can cause muscle/joint weakness and pain, too. I know you said the result was within range, but where in the range?
Actually, you might be better off taking a small zinc/copper supplement than going with the cereal since some of us have trouble with gluten and dairy. Malabsorption is one of the causes of zinc deficiency and gluten and/or dairy sometimes contribute to malabsorption issues.
I see you posted your Free T4 result. That's way too low in the range. Most of us tend to feel better with Free T4 about mid-range; yours is only at 13% of its range which indicates your thyroid isn't producing enough hormones.
With Free T4 as low as it is, we'd actually expect your TSH to be higher than it is because the pituitary should be producing TSH to stimulate the thyroid. Since there's not more TSH, this could indicate a problem with the pituitary or hypothalamus glands instead of the thyroid.
I see you had a magnesium test, also - what was that result with reference range? Too little magnesium can cause muscle/joint weakness and pain, too. I know you said the result was within range, but where in the range?
What were the actual results from your tests, and their reference ranges?
1 Comments
ALP 32 u/l (34-104)
8/18 tsh 2.32 (.27-4.2)
4/4tsh 2.06
Free t4 .69 (.55-1.6)
8/5/17tsh 1.89
He also ran a metabolic panel,CBC, magnesium, c reactive protein, glomerular infiltrate and a lipid panel. All done 8/18. All WNL.
8/18 tsh 2.32 (.27-4.2)
4/4tsh 2.06
Free t4 .69 (.55-1.6)
8/5/17tsh 1.89
He also ran a metabolic panel,CBC, magnesium, c reactive protein, glomerular infiltrate and a lipid panel. All done 8/18. All WNL.
Being an Endo doesn't guarantee a good thyroid doctor. Many of them specialize in diabetes, not thyroid. Also many of them have the "Immaculate TSH Belief" and only pay attention to that. That is very wrong. If they go beyond TSH and test for FT4 they will use "Reference Range Endocrinology' and tell you that any test result that falls within the reference range is adequate. That is also very wrong.
What you need is a good thyroid doctor that will diagnose based on symptoms first, and then run extensive tests to confirm symptoms evaluation. If you are interested I think I can find a doctor or two in the Chicago area that has been recommended by other thyroid patients.
What you need is a good thyroid doctor that will diagnose based on symptoms first, and then run extensive tests to confirm symptoms evaluation. If you are interested I think I can find a doctor or two in the Chicago area that has been recommended by other thyroid patients.
1 Comments
I would appreciate a good thyroid doctor in the Chicagoland area, if you have any leads. I live in Park Ridge. This is very frustrating. I've gone from exercising 5 days a week and running 20/25 miles a week to zero anything right now. My joints and muscles hurt, and it migrates. I'm exhausted. I'm mentally fuzzy. I'm cold. My diet has always been healthy and my recent blood panel showed no deviation from normal including RA testing.
COMMUNITY LEADER
It's incorrect that TSH doesn't fluctuate; it can actually fluctuate up to 70-75% over the course of a single day. That doesn't mean, of course, that you don't have a problem, particularly, since you've tested positive for thyroid antibodies AND you have symptoms that often accompany, both, Hashimoto's and hypothyroidism...
The problem is that your doctor is, apparently, only testing TSH, which is a pituitary hormone and does not tell the whole story. TSH, alone, cannot diagnose hypothyroidism. S/he should be testing Free T4 and Free T3, which are actual thyroid hormones, as well. Hypothyroidism is the lack of actual thyroid hormones, specifically, lack of Free T3 at the cellular level, so testing only TSH is a long way from having a diagnosis.
As far as the antibodies - there are 2 antibodies that can diagnose Hashimoto's; did you have both of those tested? If not, which one did you have and can you get the other one tested? It's not true that antibodies can be positive once, then negative... Mine has done that more than once!!
The problem is that your doctor is, apparently, only testing TSH, which is a pituitary hormone and does not tell the whole story. TSH, alone, cannot diagnose hypothyroidism. S/he should be testing Free T4 and Free T3, which are actual thyroid hormones, as well. Hypothyroidism is the lack of actual thyroid hormones, specifically, lack of Free T3 at the cellular level, so testing only TSH is a long way from having a diagnosis.
As far as the antibodies - there are 2 antibodies that can diagnose Hashimoto's; did you have both of those tested? If not, which one did you have and can you get the other one tested? It's not true that antibodies can be positive once, then negative... Mine has done that more than once!!
1 Comments
Thank you for your help here. I am going to ask him to test my t3 and t4, and antibodies. I do not remember which he tested for. I also have a low ALP and my friend who is a PA said that can be because of the thyroid. I'm frustrated because my primary will see that my tsh is normal, and probably not agree to test more. I cannot deal with the symptoms. I want to make sure when I talk with him tomorrow that I get him to order all the right tests to diagnose. Tried to get an appointment with the endocrinologist and it was a 2 month wait.
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