TSH 7 - Should I be worried?

[dreeftwppd]

Hey Folks,

I got my blood work back that showed tsh level 7. I think the t3 and t4 were normal.
In addition my vitamin D was in the 20's.

Doc wants to put me on Synthroid.

Short of the long - I had a injury working out and then when to a crazy quack chiro that twisted me. Have had muscle problems in my trap/neck and back, chest etc. Basically all my problems are muscular.

Reading back on the symptoms, it is hard for me to say that, yes I have had a few of those symptoms, but I could say it is because of this and that, not TSH?

I do understand that the normal range, for most labs doesn't go above 5 so is me being 7 really a need to go on this medication?

Thanks for taking the time.

[Lilsmom86]

Your post is old, but I will give it a shot...What do you mean treating thyroid based solely on TSH is ridiculous? Does the treatment vary? My TSH is out of whack but T3 and T4 are considered normal.

[naveenmac]

Hello.. my investigations results will be

T3 - 119.54ng/dl

T4- 9.5 micro g/dl

TSH : 7.60 Micro IU/mL please suggest the treatment if necessary

[LazyMoose]

All is possible. But so are injuries happening becuase of muscle weakness from the low thyroid. And injuries will take longer to heal and linger on with low thyroid - fact.

Ask this new doc to test free T3 and free T4, which, you are now aware is the most important for thyroid testing. If you had the antibody testing, It would be clear if you have Hashimoto . Good to know since Hashimoto will never go away. Non-hashi, low thyroid can, at times go away. Need to know what you have. Waiting has its place, but why pro-long things if you can have a possible answer right away?

[jtlmom1577]

Have the doctor order the complete thyroid panel now (see tests listed above) and then determine with him what course of action to take.  Treating thyroid disease just based on TSH is ridiculous.    If you like this doctor and he is willing to work with you then move forward.  

I think we all go through the idea "If I just do xxxx then can I get off the medicine"  Bottom line is this...your thyroid is dying and you will need thyroid medicine for the rest of your (long) life.  It ***** but it isn't the end of the world and thyroid medicine is cheap.

Good luck

[dreeftwppd]

Hey folks, I found a doctor that I like. finally.

He was also able to figure out my injury and described it as a neuropraxic injury. Specifically to the long thorasic nerve.. And apparantly those can be crazy difficult to treat.

I also talked to him about the tsh 7 level. He asked if I had done some other tests etc and said it was a good idea to do so.

I am not sure if the thryoid is specifically related to this injury and muscular problems, doc seemed to think not, untill I described some other symptoms.

If it was him, he said he would take the medicine, but if I wanted to wait and retest in a month it would be ok, and if it was high, then I could start the meds.
Apparently thyroids sputter a little form time to time.

Also, if I got on them, stabalized everything, I could then try after a while to get off the meds to see if the thyroid can function.

Any thoughts?

[dreeftwppd]

that was a joke :)

[LazyMoose]

Hold on!! Are you serious? . ER...?.....this is not life threatening at all.

Part of the reason medical costs are so high is people going to ER for non emergency situations.

You need just a doctor appointment - not the emergency room or hospital.

[dreeftwppd]

agreed, I am off to the er to fake a need for a thyroid full test!!!

[LazyMoose]

Endos really aren't that much better than GP's, sometimes worse due to close mindedness.  So if you don't want to wait, Is there another GP that you have seen in the past, that would be open to more tests? One that uses modern ranges is better than what you've had.

I really dont know why docs prescribe med before doing a FULL thyroid test panel.

If you have not started meds yet, it would be good to no what your 'baseline' is now without meds.

[dreeftwppd]

Thanks!

Does this mean I should wait before starting the meds? 50mcg of Levo?
I made an app to see an Endo but that is a month out so am wondering what I should do in the mean time.

[jtlmom1577]

Most of the people on this forum are awesome and a great source of information.  I too suffered from vague symptoms for many years before being diagnosed in March 2010.  I am still in the process of tweaking my levothryoxine -- up to 100 mcg now.  

The first piece of advice....calm down.  This is not the end of the world and you actually might feel better.

Second...tell your doctor you want the following 5 tests:  TSH, Free T3, Free T4, TPOab, TGab.  The last 2 tests are for the thyroid antibodies which will tell you whether or not you have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis.  Hashis is the autoimmune thyroid disease where the body is attacking your thyroid.  You need your T3 tested to see if you are converting t4 to t3....

Just call the doc and ask for the additional tests now.  If your doctor is insulted, get a new doctor.  All patients should be proactive in their own medical care and actually all doctors should welcome patient input and collaboration.

Good Luck

[LazyMoose]

Outdated TSH range, and need free T3 tested.

[dreeftwppd]

Here are the lab results

9/16/2010
TSH REFLEX = 6.15 (using a reference range of .5-6.)
Free t4 = 1.37 (using a reference range of .71-1.85)



10/20/2010
TSH REFLEX = 7.72 (using a reference range of .5-6.)
Free t4 = 1.59 (using a reference range of .71-1.85)

[dreeftwppd]

yeah, I heard D-3  was the one. we'll see I suppose.

Sigh, I get scared even taking vitamins :(

[LazyMoose]

Yes. Good Magnesium is best taken at night, can make you relaxed and sleepy. And it must be separated from thyroid med by 4 hrs. 400 mg is a good start, you might wake with less pain after a few days. There is a test for it too called a blood cell magnesium test from Quest Labs, as opposed to a standard magnesium test. I was in range, but in the low end and still feel better taking Mag at night. I can tell.

As far as the D goes you will need to increase as you get tested again to find how much you need. Many people here get D injections with an appointment. I am not well versed as some here on getting D levels up. Might as well try the simple method first.

[dreeftwppd]

wow.

SO I got magnesium citrate and also Vitamin D3

Is that the right ones?

[LazyMoose]

It your right. You paid for it. I have 12 years worth in a folder.

[dreeftwppd]

Happy Sunday to you too LazyMoose!

Yes am male, 33. I will stop by the hospital in the AM and get a copy. Not sure how complicated it is to get a copy.. I don't want to offend the doc either.. but he should be ok with it.

[LazyMoose]

Lets focus. You are over analyzing at this point.  We havnt even seen you "frees" yet.

Re-read what we went through. This 'normal' range is still confusing you. If you are on the low end of normal, you will still have some symptoms. There is no black and white boarderline in ranges, its gradual. That said, you can see ranges should only be a guide.

Hairloss is part of this , but so is being male ( it says your male).

I suggest again posting your Free t3 and free t4 when you get them for some very experienced members to comment on. Until then calm down. If you are hypothyroid, you will only get better (99% do)..........

Happy Sunday

[dreeftwppd]

if gradual hair loss is normal. Does it reverse?

[dreeftwppd]

Is thyroid situation black and white. Meaning if its high its high, there are no variables that can account for it being off? Would it not make sense to first moitor it for a month, rtest a couple times and see where it is settling down at?

Or when its high like that it is pretty cut and dry.

This was why I was asking about the stress and so on.

yea that makes sense about the negative comments. I wonder how long I have this. The muscle thing only eight months, but the other symptoms have been for the last 6 years. I just thought it was normal part of life. And they were very very subtle. It is like this injury set something off.

I am getting closer to taking these meds.

I am hoping that I can get the results tomorow then post here and then possible see and endo and then see where I fall.


IF - the T3 and T4 is normal range (which sounds supect since the symptoms) what would that mean?

[LazyMoose]

"Can stress cause high TSH?"

- I have read the opposite, stress can cause low TSH. Either way an unbalanced thyroid will make stress harder to manage.

Synthroid (a T4 med) works for most people that dont need additional T3. This is the logical first step and the easiest as its only one med to take , once per day. There are other brands of this type and even a new gel cap brand of T4. It can take up to 6 months to one year to fully recover from a hypo state when taking thyroid meds. Its a very slow process for some people - it tests your patients. The thing is, you wont see people on a website complaining that their med works great!  So web sites lack the positive side of getting better. Only makes sense right? Chances are that if your 'frees' are low you will notice improvements on Synthroid. If not, there are others to try.

Your examples of muscle pain and duration are not that unusual for someone with low thyroid levels, I have experienced the same in the past. I limped for one year. Had lasting back pain from stupid things. Shoulder pain. Carple Tunnel. Foot pain. Shoveling snow was very scary at times in the past. The odd thing about this disease is the main #1 symptom for individuals can very among a long list that most have had when hypo.  Some have more joint pain than muscle pain. Some have major brain fog, and or depression. Most gain weight, while a few actually lose weight.

[dreeftwppd]

yeah it really made me sick all the drugs, all mind altering they were trying to make me take. I just felt that it was not the right thing. I just could not beleive that for me it could cause that much pain. And it was key that the anxiety always developed after being in pain for say 8hrs straight. I would get a muscle spasm in my left or my shoulder and it would last for eons.

The doc did say they tested for all the stuff, RA, Lupus etc. ONly thing came back was the low Vitamin D and the TSH.

I can say for sure one thing I have always had is anxiety, But its just how I was I supposed. You never think that its actually medical. Just how it is. I am high strung and I worry alot.

One thing that does bother me and this is part of the distrust I have with docs and even this diagnosis is that they just don't listen. At all. UGH.

I looked on the bottle and it's the oxide stuff. So will be getting the citrate.

I have to be honest and say that I am still having a hard time accepting something so definitive yet so ambiguous. I mean to you it's so so clear, and to me it seems so odd. I was sure all along that something was not right and for it to be this.

I do not think other then the muscle injury, the other stuff I would have ever minded this.

My other question is this: Can stress cause high TSH? The reason I asked is cause the doc's kept asking me how my personal life was etc. Over the last two years I have had an extremely rough time. Very stressed. I got my life together and was doing the best I had ever done. Then 6month slater boom this injury. THen the three months later I was expremely stressed, depresed and tons and tons of anxiety. I never took drugs and worked my way here 8 months later.
The stress anxiety is a tough thing for me cause I have always worked hard my life made something of myself when starting out with nothing. I mean that I usually work 60hrs a week. Very driven, tough jobs etc. While there are many things in my life that make me sad and sometimes depressed, I am not really depressed. So its hard when the doc asked me how my life was (basically just looking to give me happy pills), and its like well compared to what? In other words, I have been through far far far worse mentally and never had an ache, not even a headache and now all of a sudden I ache all the time. My left fore arm just locks up, like it wants to do as I type this. Today I walked around like I had fallen on my back and was rough housed in a soccer game. And they say it is because of bad posture and stress for example.


Now I am kinda scared to do the synthroid - The list of side effects is like the same as the actual condition its treating.???????  TO have to take medication for life when I can not even take an aspirin :(

Do you ever get this: I would mow my lawn and then hurt for 3 days????? I did 3 pullups  regretted it for days. I mean I feel strong, but any time I engage the muslces its like I disturbed a hornets nest.

Sounds like you have been through hell and am sorry. Am very thankful that you can help me out.

[LazyMoose]

"I am sure they tested the T3 and the T4" - make sure it was called Free T3 and Free T4, the most modern tests.

A word (lesson) about so called normal ranges:
    I, and many will still have hypo symptoms when 'frees' are in the bottom half of the 'normal' range. Fact is many have muscle pain digestive issues and fatigue if Free T3 is not in the upper third of the range. The ranges need to be 're-written'. This is a common topic amongst knowledgeable 'thyroidians'. They did re-write the TSH range in 2003 to .3 to 3.0, but left the free ranges alone. The way the pituitary to hormone signal 'loop' works, adjusting only TSH back in 2003 makes no sense. I was hypo for ten years in the wrong part of 'my' range. Our bodies have a preferred range somewhere in those average ranges provided, its our job to figure it out, as doctors do NOT get this part.

Anxiety is so common when hypo, all your list of symptoms are. But docs just love pushing 'happy drugs' dont they?

Low thyroid magnifies existing and past health problems, and injuries, and prevents new ones from healing, fact. If your free T3 is low but in range these problems will persist and new injuries will be sure to come. I know.

There is always the possibility of other things to, like Lyme disease, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Ankolosis Spondilitis Ect, Celiac disease, all can be ruled out by a simple blood test. But your list of symptoms on your second post are so classic hypothyroid.

And about Magnesium, look on the back label, if its just Magnesium oxide from the drug store, it will not work. You need mag-citrate, -glycinate or -malate from a vitamin / health store to heal muscles and nerves. This, again is tried and true information.

The only thing I will guarantee is I've been through more he// than you the last 20 years (first ten where not Dx'd properly.  I dont like seeing this happen to others.

Thyroid med really is not a medication. Its a consumable hormone, not a band aid (what drugs are).