opinion regarding thyroid level
Posted , 4 users are following.
got my results back yesturday and my tsh level is 5.7 and some places recommend 4.0 to be the highest but my doctors recommend 5.5, my doctor is saying 5.7 is not too bad yet he knows ive been suffering with bad depression for a few yrs and maybe thats whats been coursing it. does anyone have an opinion regarding this?
cheers
ash
0 likes, 7 replies
jayneejay reefy86
Posted
heres some useful info they may be beneficial to you..
During diagnosis, most doctors use the TSH test to evaluate your thyroid function and determine the optimal course of treatment. [NOTE: however, that some practitioners feel that relying solely on TSH -- a pituitary hormone -- without also evaluating the circulating levels of actual thyroid hormones T4 and T3 -- may not be able to detect more subtle thyroid problems, or conditions that are resulting from improper conversion of thyroid hormones. TSH is also not necessarily sufficient to monitor hypothyroidism during pregnancy. For these reasons, some practitioners also include other valuable blood tests, including T4, T3, Free T4, Free T3, Reverse T3, and antibodies tests.]
A major hitch in this connection of TSH to hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism is an ongoing disagreement in the medical world.
As of 2008, at most labs in the U.S., the normal reference range is approximately 0.5 to 5.0. So levels below 0.5 are considered possible evidence of hyperthyroidism, and levels above 5.0 would be considered possible evidence of hypothyroidism. There is, however, an ongoing, five-year dispute among thyroid experts, because as of late 2002, some endocrinologists believed that the range should be narrowed significantly, to 0.3 to 3.0.
Endocrinologists have not yet reached agreement about a standardized normal reference range for the TSH thyroid test, despite the fact that they consider this test the gold standard test to use in diagnosing and treating many thyroid problems.
When you are being treated for hypothyroidism with thyroid hormone replacement drugs, doctors will typically attempt to medicate you into this so-called "normal" reference range -- of a TSH from .3/.5 on the low end, to 3.0/5.0 on the high end. (Patients who have had thyroid cancer, however, are often given suppressive doses that maintain TSH near to 0 in order to prevent cancer recurrence).
So, when you've gone for a checkup, and your TSH comes in below normal (and your doctor does not have you on a suppressive dose of thyroid hormone), they may want to REDUCE your dosage of thyroid hormone, because levels below normal are considered potentialy "hyperthyroid" (overactive.)
jay x
reefy86 jayneejay
Posted
barbara98940 reefy86
Posted
The next bit of this post is not relevant to you right now, but may be once you are on thyroxine, if after 3-6 months on the corect dose you contine to have hypothyroid symptoms but your blood test results are classed as being in the 'normal' range. I am one of the people whose body doesn't convert T4 to T3 properly. This was found out by accident when I stopped the thyroxine (aka T4) tablets for 8 days then had a blood test - T4 was in range but T3 was below the lower limit of the range. I am now on a medication that replaces T3 as well - a natural desiccated thyroid called ThyroGold.
LAHs reefy86
Posted
I would not medicate to TSH, that presupposes a perfect pituatory and the ability to convert T4 to T3 (It's T3 you need to feel OK). Regarding the latter that is another long story - you have to make sure that you have all of the catalysts present in your system plus a good working liver, plus (my own pet theory) that the current synthetic T4 medication is "convertable". i.e. bad conversion may not be the patient's fault - it might lie in the manufacture of the drug, or in one brand of drug (the one you are on).
Read, read and read some more, make sure you are in the driver's seat otherwise you are looking at another few years of depression, dont' be afraid of changing doctors if the one you have will not listen to your symptoms.
barbara98940 LAHs
Posted
LAHs barbara98940
Posted
That is very interesting. We (my GP and I) had practically no input from the endo (who was supposed to be the specialist). My GP and I shared logical minds and had only a little knowledge on this subject. I have to admit that I didn't feel 100% confident that cranking up the T4 was the right solution, but we had no other input to my situation. I don't think I have experienced any harm, maybe I was just lucky.
My next problem to solve is, "Why is all this making me fat?!"
Any suggestions from any quarter would be appreciated.
barbara98940 LAHs
Posted