Aa
TSH/Hypothyroidism...what?
I had a blood screening on a few weeks ago at my job (health initiative...). Expecting perfect results with no concerns....I tested with a TSH level of 7.96.
Do I have hypothyroidism?
Could I have been "hypo" for years and not known it? (I've been in treatment for depression/bulimia with medication and therapy for 13 years...) I've always lost a lot of hair...have weird skin (too many skin cells...)
Could it have been a fluke that I got this number?
Why do some people have levels like 200?!?! Does that mean they have it worse?
My test was at 6:15 am...are TSH levels higher in the am...at a certain time of the month?
Help, I'm clueless....
Do I have hypothyroidism?
Could I have been "hypo" for years and not known it? (I've been in treatment for depression/bulimia with medication and therapy for 13 years...) I've always lost a lot of hair...have weird skin (too many skin cells...)
Could it have been a fluke that I got this number?
Why do some people have levels like 200?!?! Does that mean they have it worse?
My test was at 6:15 am...are TSH levels higher in the am...at a certain time of the month?
Help, I'm clueless....
Hey Kitty. I have to go to work now, but will try to answer your question when I get home. I work at a museum and we have an "Open House" tonight so I have no idea how long I'll be there this evening, Santa is coming to Old Town LOLOLOL
If not this evening, I'll write it up tomorrow morning.
It's a long story.
If not this evening, I'll write it up tomorrow morning.
It's a long story.
But there are just as many articles wriiten for changing the reference range as there are for keeping the higher level.
We are talking about people who complain of symptoms, have every other test in the book and have seen a number of specialists who say they are in perfect health. Then their TSH tests mildly high, have + antibodies, family history. This has to mean something.
I have read at least a few articles that say that our personal TSH remains within 0.75, which is a very narrow window. When you see results of TSH that bounce from 4.7 to 3.5 to 6.0 to 4.5( this is chronologically), they are not within that narrow range and this signifies a problem- at least according to the experts that wrote the articles.
There is nothing I can do to prove it, but I believe it will eventually be the accepted view.
I am sorry that you had the bad experience you are going through. Would you mind sharing the dose you started out on and how you progressed to being hyper? Do you know why it happened? Maybe it would help others who may wind up like you.
Wishing you well.
We are talking about people who complain of symptoms, have every other test in the book and have seen a number of specialists who say they are in perfect health. Then their TSH tests mildly high, have + antibodies, family history. This has to mean something.
I have read at least a few articles that say that our personal TSH remains within 0.75, which is a very narrow window. When you see results of TSH that bounce from 4.7 to 3.5 to 6.0 to 4.5( this is chronologically), they are not within that narrow range and this signifies a problem- at least according to the experts that wrote the articles.
There is nothing I can do to prove it, but I believe it will eventually be the accepted view.
I am sorry that you had the bad experience you are going through. Would you mind sharing the dose you started out on and how you progressed to being hyper? Do you know why it happened? Maybe it would help others who may wind up like you.
Wishing you well.
AR- There clearly is a controversy and either viewpoint is worthy of respect when it is expressed.
I know you have suffered from your levels being unstable and I am very sorry for that. BUT, just so you know, they saw my mildly elevated TSH (6) and antibodies and immediately put me on meds (they didn't spare any time- did ALL the tests right away) and they checked me every 6 weeks. Guess what?
I got and still have thyrotoxicosis (last test less than 0.04). Have been off meds for many weeks now. I am as thin as reed, my HR has been irregular I have horrible digestive problems and rarely sleep more than a few hours a night. Treating people at low levels of elevation CAN cause real harm. The speed of the testing certainly contributed to harming me.
We are all entitled to our opinion about treatment and should be able to express it without attacking people who have perfectly justified points of view as if they have dared to attack motherhood, God and apple pie.
I think a great many subclincial people are looking for a simple answer to more complex issues that they may have and that is why, even at a TSH of 1, many people are still complaining of the same problems.
In many cases it's simply not their thyroid.
I know lots of people who are hypo, they take a pill each day and they lead normal lives. I had no idea they were hypo until I told them I was.
kitty- Dr Lupo flat out said there is no compelling data that treating a TSH below 10 is necessary.
If people are complaining of symptoms or have other indicators of disease yes, he puts them on the med. He says that frequently as well.
If they are subclincial, not complaining and simply don't want meds he tells them the truth- they don't need it. It's not currently considered medically necessary before a TSH of 10. He has suggested that people at 8 or 9 go ahead and start because they will be 10 soon anyway, but still stated it was not necessary. I can remember that one without looking ;-)
If people are at normal TSH and they write him asking " why can't I have meds?" he also often says his opinion is that a trial of meds "wouldn't hurt".
That is not the same as them being needed and he has also occasionally implied that there may be a certain placebo effect involved. I've read him regularly since May.
It is my opinion and only hard scientific data that is successfully replicated and implemented as professional policy will affect it.
I don't personally care if people take treatment prior to 10, I merely maintain it's not necessary and the professional guidelines not only here, but all over the world back that up.
I know you have suffered from your levels being unstable and I am very sorry for that. BUT, just so you know, they saw my mildly elevated TSH (6) and antibodies and immediately put me on meds (they didn't spare any time- did ALL the tests right away) and they checked me every 6 weeks. Guess what?
I got and still have thyrotoxicosis (last test less than 0.04). Have been off meds for many weeks now. I am as thin as reed, my HR has been irregular I have horrible digestive problems and rarely sleep more than a few hours a night. Treating people at low levels of elevation CAN cause real harm. The speed of the testing certainly contributed to harming me.
We are all entitled to our opinion about treatment and should be able to express it without attacking people who have perfectly justified points of view as if they have dared to attack motherhood, God and apple pie.
I think a great many subclincial people are looking for a simple answer to more complex issues that they may have and that is why, even at a TSH of 1, many people are still complaining of the same problems.
In many cases it's simply not their thyroid.
I know lots of people who are hypo, they take a pill each day and they lead normal lives. I had no idea they were hypo until I told them I was.
kitty- Dr Lupo flat out said there is no compelling data that treating a TSH below 10 is necessary.
If people are complaining of symptoms or have other indicators of disease yes, he puts them on the med. He says that frequently as well.
If they are subclincial, not complaining and simply don't want meds he tells them the truth- they don't need it. It's not currently considered medically necessary before a TSH of 10. He has suggested that people at 8 or 9 go ahead and start because they will be 10 soon anyway, but still stated it was not necessary. I can remember that one without looking ;-)
If people are at normal TSH and they write him asking " why can't I have meds?" he also often says his opinion is that a trial of meds "wouldn't hurt".
That is not the same as them being needed and he has also occasionally implied that there may be a certain placebo effect involved. I've read him regularly since May.
It is my opinion and only hard scientific data that is successfully replicated and implemented as professional policy will affect it.
I don't personally care if people take treatment prior to 10, I merely maintain it's not necessary and the professional guidelines not only here, but all over the world back that up.
Per your first post, I don't know how you can justify it.
Re (hyperthyroid): "Normally, trestment is suggested with TSH below 0.1, unless have Graves or nodule, and agree." Your words.
Of a person who is out of range (hypo side) and being Hashimotos is well known to be common amongst hypothyroids-how is it that you will acknowledge this amongst Graves but not Hashi? I think BOTH are bad news and have empathy for both.
If it makes sense to treat Graves, who are borderline/out of range...it certainly makes sense to apply that to Hashi, who are borderline/out of range. With or without goiter.
Re (hyperthyroid): "Normally, trestment is suggested with TSH below 0.1, unless have Graves or nodule, and agree." Your words.
Of a person who is out of range (hypo side) and being Hashimotos is well known to be common amongst hypothyroids-how is it that you will acknowledge this amongst Graves but not Hashi? I think BOTH are bad news and have empathy for both.
If it makes sense to treat Graves, who are borderline/out of range...it certainly makes sense to apply that to Hashi, who are borderline/out of range. With or without goiter.
Yes, you can be hypo for a long time, even for YEARS and go undiagnosed and untreated!!! That is what happened to me!!!! It wasn't until my TSH was over 10 and I began to develop many awful symptoms that MD ran the full range of thyroid tests and took my symptoms seriously!!!! He discovered then that I had thyroid antibodies/hashimotos and sent me to an endocrinologist who told me that I probably had it for YEARS but was undiagnosed and thus untreated! If you read more about hypo on this forum and elsewhere, you'll see that it can cause depression!!!!! And also hair loss/shedding. I don't know if hypo has been lineked to bulimia, but bulimia can also aggravate hair loss.
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