To Low or to High Thyroid

[jjc8132]

Hi, I was wondering if meds are even necessary for Hypothyroid and Hyperthyroid when it is borderline. When I was heavier I had a borderline to low thyroid and the doc put me on meds, which I stopped taking a Year and a Half ago. I signed up for a gym in December 07 and ate healthy and I have lost all my weight. They did a routine retest 2weeks ago and now they say my thyroid is borderline High. I think this is just my bodys natural way of changing. and that I don't need the meds to higher it or lower it. any comments would be appreciated. Thanks

[peggy64]

JJC, I would recommend that if you do not want to take any meds, get this rechecked in about at month. Also, ask for copies of your lab work. It is your right.

I totally agree with AR, the longer this goes untreated, the more the devestation. Don't want to alarm you, just speaking from experience.....

[jjc8132]

Thank you for all your input. It helps so much. I don't take any meds and just changed my whole way of eating and joined the gym. And I don't have any symptoms. So, I am going to just let it go unless I have symptoms. The Docs said I was slightly high. And before they said I was slightly to low. Again, I think its just my bodys way of changing naturally from what it was before. Thanks

[climber09]

Personally I would hold off on treatment unless you are experiencing some of the more serious symptoms of hyperthyroidism. The reason I say that is because. I was way high and wasn't experiencing any symptoms and I decided to go on Methimazole and have RAI. Big mistake I used to be a little petite person and the meds made me gain weight and I am a pretty healthy person and I always have been active and still am. I am only 23 and in it so deep.

My thyroid levels were TSH 0 normal is 0.4-4.7, FT3 15.7 normal is 2.2-4.0 and FT4 3.1 normal is 0.7-1.8. I wish I had waited but I was scared into treatment by bad stories from people. I didn't have symptoms with the exception I was having trouble sleeping and a slight goiter.

Again personally having gone through the experience I would wait especially if you went through the whole weight loss thing because that is something to be proud of and is a lot harder when you are in a hypothyroid state. You have to change a lot just to lose very minimal and yet gain a lot of weight. Like I said I am healthy and still a little over weight and have been on a medical diet plan for three years. I only lose maybe 10 to 15 pounds a year but I go off my diet and gain that and more back in a week.

[AR-10]

It depends on your age and sex, for one thing.
Other meds you may be taking can have an affect on your thyroid hormones, too.

It also depends on what the heck they mean when they say your thyroid is borderline high. Are they talking about your TSH? That would indicate you are slightly Hypo. Are they talking about your Free T4? That would mean you are slightly hyper.

Ask for thyroid antibody tests. Ask for two or three different ones. Then you will have a better idea of what is going on.

Your thyroid hormones are very important. You don't want to go untreated for years if you need meds. But as you say, you don't want to take meds you don't need. That can make things worse.

Maybe you're on birth control or maybe you are going through menopause. Maybe you've had an illness that has upset the balance. Lots of maybies.

Maybe you have Hashimoto's and your levels are going up and down through the year. Further testing to confirm or rule out a problem would be a good idea. Then you will have better information you can use to decide whether medication is a good idea or not.