Problems with TSH level

[tbrady601]

I am a 41yr old female. I have taken  the radiation some years back and have been on synthroid ever since. Upon my recent blood work my TSH lever was off and my dr has taken me off my medication for a few weeks. Today I woke up feeling fine, took my son to school, came home and did some house work, then all of a sudden I felt like  my whole body was about to crash. My energy level dropped, I felt light headed, nausiated, and like I was going to pass out. Is this because my TSH level or something is off. I called my dr and she suggested I go to the ER but I have no insurance. Help!

[kks72]

Were you feeling bad before he took you off the medicine. Maybe he needs to put you back on. Or change it.

[Super_sally888]

Hello,

Your doctor is crazy!  You have had radiation treatment.  This means that you don't produce thyroid hormones.  If you don't take your thryoid medication your body will crash.  If you continue not to take meds, you will die.

First thing you need to talk to your doctor and remind him that you don't have a thyroid.  How can he take you off the meds?

Second you need to get back on your meds, immediately.

Then your doctor needs to know that sometimes TSH is not the best way to know if a patient is well medicated, particularly when they have been on thyroid meds for many years.

The best way to check thryoid status is to test FT3 and FT4 which are the active thyroid hormones.  These should generally be at least mid to upper half of the range AND you should be feeling good with decent energy.

[gimel]

Using TSH as a diagnostic to medicate a thyroid patient just does not work.  TSH is a pituitary hormone that is affected by so many variables that at best it is an indicator to be considered along with more important indicators such as symptoms, and also the levels of the biologically active thyroid hormones, Free T3 and Free T4 (not the same as Total T3 and Total T4).  In addition, when taking thyroid meds, TSH is frequently suppressed, making it even less useful.  

A good thyroid doctor will treat a hypo patient clinically by testing and adjusting Free T3 and Free T4 as necessary to relieve symptoms, without being constrained by resultant TSH levels.  Symptom relief should be all important, not just test results.

If you want o know more about clinical treatment, try this link.  You'll quickly see just how different your treatment is and why it has been ineffective for you.

http://hormonerestoration.com/files/ThyroidPMD.pdf

I think you have two alternatives.  One is to give a copy of the link to your doctor and discuss your intent to be treated clinically by testing and adjusting FT3 and FT4 as necessary to relieve symptoms.  The second is to just find a good thyroid doctor that will treat you in that manner.