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Is my TSH normal, or somewhat elevated?

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Thyroid Disorders
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Posted 4/14/2012 5:09 PM (GMT 0)
Ok. So. I'm 17. My symptoms include weight gain even when I'm exercising, fatigue, slightly high cholesterol levels (which is odd because i am young and only around 120lbs), general sadness and I've had chronic hives for nearly 3 months (as well as being hospitalized for them covering my entire body and then my lips swelling up) which is the absolutely most unbearable part. I went to an allergist and he did a blood test, he said everything came back normal. But I then went to my psychiatrist (unrelated, been seeing her for 4 years), she looked over the labs as well and told me well, technically your levels are normal range. 3.14. But then she told me for people experiencing mood symptoms they like to keep it under 2. And I've heard endocrinologists say the new norm is between .3-3. So even though the paper says its normal, is it possible my thyroid could be causing my symptoms and if so would it be unheard of to treat someone with a TSH of 3.14?

I have no clue what to do next, I just feel like none of my docs are on the same page.....and I would love to hear we could try treating me for hypothyroid, as opposed to shoving more prednisone and levocetirizine down my throat forever. It's my senior year, I don't want to be exhausted and miserable ad ugly anymore! I'd just like to be able to wear short sleeves one day! Haha

What were your symptoms and levels when you were diagnosed with a thyroid problem?
Thanks,
Braelyn shakehead

Post Edited (Lulu94) : 4/14/2012 11:39:41 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 4/16/2012 12:47 AM (GMT 0)
Hi,
I've been having my TSH levels checked for almost a year now. It's was low to not existent and went to 6.25. Because of a thyroiditis, possibly viral. On the lab papers which I've been holding on to show normal ranges of .2 - 4.5 so guessing your still in average thyroid range. sometimes can still show symptoms though. keep the community informed. hope you feel better.
Posted 4/19/2012 3:53 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Lulu,

You can definitely have hypothyroid symptoms with a TSH of 3.14.  The old "normal"

range for TSH was about .5 to 5.0  but in 2003 the American Association of Endocrinologists

changed the normal range to .3 to 3.0. However  a lot of labs still have not adopted the new

standards. And actually, most people feel better when their TSH is below 2.0. In fact there

is a lot of disagreement over how useful the TSH lab test really is.  For a discussion of this

refer to the following website:  http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/tsh-why-its-useless/

My TSH level has fallen to below 1.0 but I still have hypothyroid symptoms. Have you had your

free T3 and free T4 levels checked?  Have you had the two thyroid antibodies lab test to see

if you have Hashimoto's? I would insist on these tests and I would try to find a doctor more

knowledgeable about thyroid disease. You might even consider a naturopath or fuctional medicine

doctor.You definitely have hypothyroid symptoms and you need to find someone who will treat you

accordingly.  High cholesterol and depression are both symptoms of hypothyroidism.

Dr. Alexander Haskell has an video series that does an excellent job of describing Hashimoto's.

If  you get time, I highly recommend it.

http://hopeforhashimotos.com/hashimotos-video-series/

If you have any questions I would be happy to try and help. Oh, and you might try going gluten free

and seeing if that makes any difference. You sound like you are suffering from an autoimmune disease

and oftentimes gluten seems to be a trigger.

 

Posted 4/19/2012 5:01 AM (GMT 0)
Maggie may thank you so much for your response. I brought up the thyroid to my allergist and I mentioned new swelling and pain and he agreed to do further thyroid/autoimmune testing, because he said those sounded like evn more autoimmune symptoms and he was nt aware that my TSH was a 3.14 in February....which was a month before the hives started, so that means levels could have even gone up since, right? I think the lab sheet says "thyroid panel" and something like "thyroglobulin"? (am I making that word up? Lol) are those the right tests to find out?

He also put me on an antibiotic with "anti inflammatory properties" on top of the levocetirizine and singulair and back on prednisone after another major miserable outbreak even on the gluten-free diet.
What did concern me about this doctor though is he said that even if I do have a thyroid disorder, he may just continue to treat me the same way he is now and wait for it to "go away"...why would he treat symptoms with all of these so many pills as opposed to just treating whatever auto immune disorder I (if confirmed by the blood tests tomorrow) have ?

Post Edited (Lulu94) : 4/18/2012 11:10:26 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 4/19/2012 5:03 AM (GMT 0)
I don't want to be on prednisone anymore. It makes me more emotional than usual and with starting a new job soon that is not ideal..
Posted 4/21/2012 4:17 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Lulu,

I'm so sorry that you are on prednisone. My daughter has Crohn's disease and is periodically

prescribed prednisone when she flares, so I know how horrible the side effects can be.

I'm also glad that your allergist is going to do more testing. Autoimmune diseases are so

difficult to treat.  I'm not sure if you are having any intestinal problems but there are a

number of researchers who are thinking that a number of autoimmune diseases are caused

by "leaky gut syndrome" or hypermeability of the intestinal track. You could have an allergy

to certain foods, the main culprits being gluten, wheat, and dairy products. Also, sugar seems

to be a big offender because it is so inflammatory. So as difficult as it may be, you could try

going gluten, dairy and sugar free for several weeks and see if you notice any difference.

There is also a medication that has very few if any side effects that is helping a lot of people

with autoimmune disease. It is low dose naltrexone (LDN) and you can find out more at this

web site:  http://www.lowdosenaltrexone.org/  Also do a search on Healingwell and you will

find all sorts of people who recommend it. It's a hot topic on the Crohn's and UC forums.

I'm so glad that your allergist is going to do more testing and I hope you get some relief soon.

The teen years are hard enough without having to deal with autoimmune diseases.

Posted 4/21/2012 4:20 AM (GMT 0)
Oh, and one more thing, if you are on antibiotics it is really important to take probiotics, not at the

same time as the antibiotics, wait several hours, in order to repopulate your gut with healthy bacteria.

If you have any questions let me know.

Posted 4/23/2012 11:26 PM (GMT 0)
Soooo, the allergist's nurse called back today and told us my TPO came back 279 (she said that was high bu I'm not sure how high?) nd they want me to go back to my general care doctor with these results so she can refer me to a specialist. I will probably see an endocrinologist, right? And what will he/she tell me to do most likely...??? (really hoping I can get an actual diagnosis treated so I can stop taking all the other drugs soon?)
Posted 4/24/2012 12:31 AM (GMT 0)
Lulu--

I'm no doctor, but I do have Hashimoto's, and when your TPO antibodies are high (and 279 is high; it does't matter "how high" I don't think), you're likely looking at a Hashimoto's diagnosis. For me, I did not even end up seeing an endocrinologist for my Hashimoto's-caused hypothyroidism. My primary care doctor just put me on Synthroid, we found the right dose, and I've been on it and doing fine (thyroid-wise) for years. I get my levels checked regularly, and I sometimes have to get my dosage tweaked, but I don't have thyroid-related symptoms.

I bet you'll be able to get off prednisone if your symptoms are all related to your thyroid. But it may take 6-10 weeks for the Synthroid to do its job and to get you feeling better.

This is just my experience, but with patience, a smart doctor, and a little Synthroid, I bet you'll be on track to feeling a lot better soon.

(And just so you know, my doctor considers a TSH of 3.14 high, and adjusts my Synthroid whenever I'm getting around 3.)
Posted 4/24/2012 7:59 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Lulu,

I'm so happy that they found that you are suffering from Hashimoto's and they are referring you

to a specialist. I assume that they will be referring you to an endocrinologist also. It might take

a while to get you on the correct dose and type of thyroid hormone replacement but working

with your doctor you should start feeling better. When is your appointment? Let us know how

you are doing.

Posted 4/27/2012 8:03 PM (GMT 0)
Well, I saw my general care practitioner yesterday. She looked over the labs that the allergist ordered and then told me, well, he tested you for antibodies and they are high; which could indicate a thyroid condition, but he didn't test your TSH (genius..thanks man), so she just took more blood and told me to keep taking the medicines I currently am (4 xyzol daily, singulair and dapasone at night, I have been off prednisone for 3 days) and she'd give me a call when they see what my TSH is.

She said that if my TSH is not high though, and/or my hives don't come back (they will, give it one more day I bet), they will just keep me on the allergy medicines and "keep an eye" on my thyroid...Not treat the thyroid.

I don't know. I really hope my TSH comes back elevated so that we can start hormone replacement therapy. I just really have a feeling that's what's causing all of this, but no one seems to be able to say for sure!
Posted 4/27/2012 8:04 PM (GMT 0)
And she did not give me a referral to an endocrinologist, she said if I have a thyroid problem she'll just treat it herself...
Posted 4/27/2012 8:42 PM (GMT 0)
Oh, Lulu, is there any way you can change doctors? In my opinion, you definitely need a

different doctor who understands thyroid disease.

Posted 4/27/2012 8:48 PM (GMT 0)
I should have added, you can have a TSH in the normal range and still be suffering from

Hashimoto's. You need to have your free T3 and free T4 checked at the same time

as they check your TSH.  In fact, I wonder if you can contact your allergist and explain

what your GP told you and see if he would be willing to refer you to a specialist.

Something else that might work is to make an appt with a naturopath. I have gone to

3 doctors and 3 naturopaths and the naturpaths have definitely been much more

helpful than the MDs.

Posted 4/28/2012 1:26 AM (GMT 0)
Yeah, I'be been seeing this woman since I was a kid, my mom likes her a lot but she seems to pick the easy way to me a lot, it seems. She is pretty good about listening to my needs though so if she calls an says "Oh, well, your TSH is fine so we'll just keep an eye on it", I'll ask her to please at least call an endo and get a second opinion. Because really, one pill daily v. 6-12 just for symptoms not a cause would be so much better.

Because of our insurance, I must get the referral from primary care, not the allergist. So, we'll see.
Posted 4/28/2012 1:27 AM (GMT 0)
What did the naturopaths do for you? I would be open to trying that.
Posted 4/28/2012 1:28 AM (GMT 0)
Oh, I believe the allergist did check my T4 though and it was normal...bizzare huh?
Posted 6/10/2012 9:21 PM (GMT 0)
that's the funny thing about the thyroid.. you can have a "normal" T4. T3(thyrogloulin, you were right, I don't remember the spelling sorry I have MS too brain problems sometimes lol) but an abnormal TSH.
Posted 6/13/2012 6:17 PM (GMT 0)
I've had hypothyroid for about 12 years now and at 3, I have tons of symptoms of low thyroid. Mine had crept up to 3 recently and I felt so bad, muscle aches, tiredness, moody. My doc upped me to the next dose and I feel like a new person. I'd get on meds if I had symptoms and a TSH of 3.
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