TSH jump in 3 months?
Posted , 6 users are following.
Hello, everyone 
22 year old female recently diagnosed with hypo. I've been on 50mcg for about 3 months with a TSH of around 13 and below range free T4. I felt better taking it.
Recently I went for a check up, and my TSH has jumped to 29 and free T4 within the normal range. (1.08 range 0.82-1.77) and swelling in my neck. I was prescribed 75 mcg a couple of days ago.
I know conversion from T4 to T3 might be an issue that I'll talk to my doctor about in 2 months.
But what I want to know is, why did it jump so much after I've been taking meds? I've never missed a day and I take it in the morning right after I brush my teeth. I do wait more than half an hour to eat. Wouldn't it atleast reduce it to some degree?
I've also been thinking of taking 100mcg instead of 75mcg which may be risky. I really just want to find my ideal dosage without all these steady increases. And this goiter is really bothering me at times even though it's not that noticeable.
Thanks for reading this I'm a science student so I love detailed explanations but I appreciate any response.
0 likes, 5 replies
dave64969 Crystal_Violet
Posted
Crystal_Violet dave64969
Posted
Yes, when I went for a check up, he noticed a slight swelling. It's not obvious but I can feel it. A week later, I got my blood results and he told me to increase from 50 to 75.
I've been on the new change for maybe 2-3 days. I'm hoping it will resolve itself. If not, I'll schedule an earlier appointment.
MtViewCatherine Crystal_Violet
Posted
Hi Crystal, I've noticed for myself, this medication really seemed to trigger autoimmune disease and actually caused my cyst to grow like crazy. Another post I saw here, claims the meds induced Hashimoto's.
If you're reasonably healthy in addition to your young age, your body can bounce back a lot easier than us old folks... Really good, except your symptoms could be greatly reduced or minimized, which could mask a problem that would show up in someone with a lower constitution.
Do you have any other symptoms besides the swelling in the neck? Headaches? Bloating? Muscle/ joint pain?
If you feel better taking the levo, that's something, at least.
Is it possible, the meds have triggered a massive autoimmune response?... Enough that your body is attacking your own thyroxin to the point of depleting it so that you have a massive jump in TSH?
Do you have stomach problems that would indicate a severe conversion problem, that would result in enough of an imbalance that your TSH is spiked in an effort to increase T3? The body is going to want a certain ratio if T3/T4. If one is too low, the body will respond by trying to stimulate production.
What is your T3? That might give you some answers.
Of course it's always possible there was a testing error.
My experience was that my TSH decreased on all the meds to nearly zero. So a spiked TSH is something I only experienced without meds. The point being that not all thyroid disease presents in the same way, and not everyone responds the same way to the meds.
Hooe that gives you a little food for though.
Crystal_Violet MtViewCatherine
Posted
I definitely felt better after taking the levo. I could actually stay up for once! Haha.
No to bloating and muscle/joint pain. I get headaches when I don't eat for the day.
No stomach problems either.
My initial tests were for TSH and T4 (not free). TSH was 13.810 and T4 was 2.9 (range 4.5-12.0)
And then, of course, I got the second test and this time he tested for free T4.
So what I can guess is that maybe my free T4 aren't binding efficiently. I will ask for them to test T3 next time though.
shellyC19 Crystal_Violet
Posted
Hello Crystal Violet:
My name is Shelly and I am a nurse in the USA. I have Hashimoto's thyroid disease since 1987.
Theory #1- In some people as you build a level the TSH can go higher. Some of it is excreted via urine and feces and some remains in the blood. You take another dose and build on the half life of the other dose, and this repeats slowly. Also it should settle as your body become used to the med. It is slow in the body and a proper level can take 6 to 12 weeks to build up to.
Theory #2- Any autoimmune disease like Hashimoto's can make it harder to lower the TSH. It will come down as long as the right dose is taken. Normally some doses are low and the doctors wait to see if the body is responding and then they add more of a dose and the process repeats.
Theory #3- Some people do not absorb the med well and have a malabsorption process going on. Loose bowels can excrete too much and or the body will not convert it into the useable hormone T3. this is common and people have to switch thyroid meds.
So these are some things that can happen. All thyroid meds must be taken on an empty stomach and food blocks the med and you must wait 1 hour as food will block the receptor site in the bowel.
It has to bind in an empty bowel and be absorbed for 1 hour. No milk or dairy for 1 hour. No antacids or viatmins for at least 4 hours after, etc.... Some people take it at bedtime, you may try that.
Any questions just ask, I hope this helps.
Shelly