Question:
what is normal thyroid tsh
I AM SCHEDULED FOR RNY SURGERY ON SEPT 22. MY INS CO HAS DECLINED IT. HEALTH AMERICA/HEALTH ASSURANCE, BASED THEIR DICISION ON THEIR MEDICAL NECESITY DEFINITION FOR EXCLUSIONS AND LIMITATIONS "ANY SERVICES THAT ARE NOT MEDICALLY NECESSARY (AS DETERMINED BY THEM), ARE NOT COVERED SERVICES. I DON'T MEET THIS BECAUSE MY REQUEST DOES NOT MEDICALLY NECESSARY BECAUSE IT REQUIRES A NORMAL TSH LEVEL. MY BMI IS 51, HAVE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, HIGH COLESTROL, SEVERE SLEEP APNEA, GERD,JOINT HAND KNEE AND BACK PAIN, AND DO HAVE A THYROID PROBLEM. I DO TAKE MEDS FOR THE ABOVE, AND THE DOC HAS UPED MY THYROID MED., BUT THERE MAY NOT BE ENOUGH TIME FOR THE LEVEL OF TSH TO GET NORMAL. WHAT THE HELL IS THIS TSH THAT IS BLOCKING MY SURGERY? — harvey S. (posted on August 26, 2003)
August 25, 2003
TSH is "thyroid stimulating hormone". It is my understanding
that if your TSH levels are high, then your thyroid isn't functioning well,
and the hormone is out of whack. I have that myself. My TSH levels are
now under control with the use of synthroid .112. I don't think it's a
life threatening problem that would cause them to deny your surgery, I
think it's bull! With all your co-morbidities, they are just nit-picking.
— Happy I.
August 25, 2003
TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) is only one factor in thyroid disease,
but it's the one most doctor's look at first and foremost. (And sometimes
that is unfortunate.) Nevertheless, most women feel best when their TSH is
between 1 and 2, even though "normal" is usually up to 5.5. My
normal TSH was around 1.17. After I had part of my thyroid removed, my TSH
started to go up. I felt like death warmed over, and had a hard time
getting a medical person to believe how bad I felt. My TSH only went as
high as 2.94. I was very lucky to find an understanding (female)
endocrinologist who put me on medication and I was feeling normal again
with in a few weeks. My symptoms: unbeleiveable fatigue, aches and pains,
depression, withdrawal from social situations, dry, flaky skin, and brain
fog. Not to mention that I gained back 25 of 35 hard lost pounds in about 4
weeks (took a lot longer to lose it!)Your thyroid has a lot to do with how
your metabolism functions. It might be best to get that under control
before you have surgery. Your pituitary gland in your brain pumps out more
and more TSH to get a sluggish thyroid gland to produce more T3 and T4, so
the higher the TSH, the slower your thyroid is working.
— koogy
August 26, 2003
Hi Harvey, your thyroid also controls a number of things in your system
including heart beats and blood pressure. Good thyroid levels are
important. Once you are on the newer dose of meds, the thyroid should level
out quickly. I have mine checked regularly and my level usually changes
after taking only a few days worth of a new dose. Best wishes -
— M B.
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