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can virus or environment cause high TSH?
Hi,
I have two questions actually:
1) can a virus cause TSH level to be high? I had some very strange symptoms that sent me to a neurologist, had some MRIs done and lots of bloodwork. My symptoms were: skin pain-- like a sunburn but no visible redness (and I had not been in the sun) that started in the mid-back (below scapulae) and gradually moved down to my lower back/hips); this was bilateral. Also had general feeling of shakiness. Symptoms lasted about 3.5 weeks starting with the skin pain (and a few days later the shakiness started). I'm wondering if this could have been a form of herpes zoster, or another virus that affected my nervous system in some strange way...and maybe this caused my TSH level to be high (the MRIs came back normal, only thing found was a large--2cm-- lymph node in neck and high TSH--6.77)
2) My doctor put me on 75McG of levothyroxine-- my husband takes this much, and his TSH level was 18-- is this too high of a dose for me? (I've been taking the meds for about 1.5 weeks and woke up feeling shaky this morning). I also wonder if the TSH level was just high because of what was going on with my body at the time of the bloodwork, and maybe I don't even have to be on medication?
**sidenote: my husband was diagnosed with thyroiditis about 10 months ago...we are both in our early 30s...can something in our environment be causing this??
Thank you for your response!!!
I have two questions actually:
1) can a virus cause TSH level to be high? I had some very strange symptoms that sent me to a neurologist, had some MRIs done and lots of bloodwork. My symptoms were: skin pain-- like a sunburn but no visible redness (and I had not been in the sun) that started in the mid-back (below scapulae) and gradually moved down to my lower back/hips); this was bilateral. Also had general feeling of shakiness. Symptoms lasted about 3.5 weeks starting with the skin pain (and a few days later the shakiness started). I'm wondering if this could have been a form of herpes zoster, or another virus that affected my nervous system in some strange way...and maybe this caused my TSH level to be high (the MRIs came back normal, only thing found was a large--2cm-- lymph node in neck and high TSH--6.77)
2) My doctor put me on 75McG of levothyroxine-- my husband takes this much, and his TSH level was 18-- is this too high of a dose for me? (I've been taking the meds for about 1.5 weeks and woke up feeling shaky this morning). I also wonder if the TSH level was just high because of what was going on with my body at the time of the bloodwork, and maybe I don't even have to be on medication?
**sidenote: my husband was diagnosed with thyroiditis about 10 months ago...we are both in our early 30s...can something in our environment be causing this??
Thank you for your response!!!
If its any consolation...everytime I get severe stress or sick...my TSH rises to over 7.0 and my FT3 drops.
I have Graves Disease and had RAI and TT (2008) and doing well now.
I have Graves Disease and had RAI and TT (2008) and doing well now.
Hi,
virus or environment don't cause high TSH directly. High TSH is usually a sign of hypothyroid.....
You need to have some further tests FT3, FT4 to check your active thyroid hormone levels. Your dose and your husband's dose are completely separate, so your dose and levels will need to be determined for you (without comparing to his).
Your starting dose may have been to high. I'd talk to your doctor about retesting earlier and/or about dropping your dose to 50 mcg/day.
Some environmetnal things can contribute to hypothyroid though - including high intake of soy products, exposure to radiation can damage your thyroid and make it work less efficiently.
virus or environment don't cause high TSH directly. High TSH is usually a sign of hypothyroid.....
You need to have some further tests FT3, FT4 to check your active thyroid hormone levels. Your dose and your husband's dose are completely separate, so your dose and levels will need to be determined for you (without comparing to his).
Your starting dose may have been to high. I'd talk to your doctor about retesting earlier and/or about dropping your dose to 50 mcg/day.
Some environmetnal things can contribute to hypothyroid though - including high intake of soy products, exposure to radiation can damage your thyroid and make it work less efficiently.
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