Three months Lab results - please review

I am a big advocate for the thyroid. I have hashimoto's disease and I had to twist my PCP's arm to get a referral but it was worth it. Also normal levels are no longer measured with the ranges of ".34-5.6 ", this has been changed! Normal levels are measured between ".3-3 ". A good endocrinologist prefers the "sweet spot" of the TSH between .3-1.2
I will tell you a little about my history...
I had a wellness screening through my job and found my TSH level was 3.49 which is slightly high on the "right" measurements. I asked my PCP about it and she actually gave me a perscription for it (that is only with it being a little bit over normal). My PCP got me down to TSH of 1.5. She was only aiming for normal range.... and left it as is. Even though I still complained of sore legs, depression, and fatigue. She said I was in normal levels and would not help me past that. After complaining enough to her my symptoms did not improve, she took my TSH levels again.....guess what? they were at TSH of 9! She adjusted me again and got me to "normal" range of 2.2. I was still suffereing from very sore throbbing legs, hair loss, fatigue, dry skin, brittle nails, etc. After suffering over a year I got her to refer me to a endocrinologist.

If you doctor just aimes for normal range... then they are not doing you any justice. Symptoms still happen in normal ranges. PCP's might say they can handle the thyroid but I am a big advocate of a good endo. I have been adjusted soooooo many times and still at only TSH of 2.25 and my endo is not happy with that level. My thyroid is giving out so fast he can't keep up with it. I have another appointment this friday and I know he is going to up my dose aggressivly with this level because he knows it will rise again. My treatment is 10 times better with my endo!

I am not saying you have hypothyroidism or hashimoto's but I think you should check out symptoms online and see if you have any of them. Also check in an endo for solid advice. Good luck :)

Thanks,  I will become a pain in the a*** to my PCP until I get that referral because I feel I need to see a specialist.

Thanks
Ruby

I will let everyone else touch on the vitamins  = I will only deal with your TSH.  The new range from the endocrine society is .3 - 3.0 - so you are definitely on the low end   Are you on synthroid or any other thyroid medication?  Do you have any symptoms of hyperthyroid?  Rapid heartbeat, sweating, - other common symptom which is hard to tell for you is weight loss.  If you are already on a thyroid medication, then you might just be on too much and need to have your dose cut a tiny bit.  If you aren't on any thyroid medication, then you need to see an Endocrinologist ASAP because Hyperthyroid is very rare and needs to be tested as to why and treated properly.

I personally feel best when my TSH is betwen .5 and 1.0, if it gets over 1.0 - I get really exhausted.

Thank you for your reply.

I have had hypothyroidism since probably when I was born.  I have been under medication since I was 8 years old.  I take levothyroxine 150mcg a day and that has been my perfect dosage for over 20 years.  My TSH levels have never been this low which is why I am so concerned.  I am demanding a referral from my PCP to an endocrinologist because I have not seen one in a while just because my levels have always been fine until now.

Thanks
Ruby

I am glad you are going to see an Endocrinologist.  You are the first person I have heard that was hypothyroid since such a young age.  I was suspected but since thyroid testing was so bad back then, I was never diagnosed.  It wasn't until the TSH test came out and I finally saw an Endocrinologist that I finally got put on Synthroid - before that I was always considered borderline. Luckily my Endo feels borderline patients can get alot  of help from synthroid and just starts at a low level. I immediately lost 35 pounds and felt so much better. This was back in the late 90's.

150mcg is a very large dose and you should probably be monitored by an Endo anyway but now that you are post op, it is even more important.  It is very common for us to need adjustments during the first year to our synthroid doses - the strange part is - some need more and some need less, there is really no rule of thumb.  Some say you lose weight and need less but to me that makes no sense since just because you lose weight doesn't mean all of a sudden your thyroid is going to function again.  Then the other theory is due to our malabsorbtion, we need more to make up for what we dont' absorb.  This has always been the case for me.  I was at 50 mcg for years preop, never changed.  Then post op, I went to 75mg and then 88mcg where I am now.  I also added last year - at first 2.5mcg of cytomel and then up to 5mcg - and now I am off the cytomel. I bounced around alot.

I also have hypopituitary which makes it hard for my body to produce TSH, so monitoring my thyroid function is harder than most.  My TSH is much lower than most but still a sign of hypothyroid.  We try to keep me between .5 and 1.0 if possible but if I hit 2.0, we immediately increase my dose - the lowest I have gone is .31 but that is stil normal.

Just wanted to let all of you know that I just got my referral to see the Endocrinologist; I also demanded a DEXA scan because I have been taking thyroid medication for so long and with issues absorbing calcium I just want to be in the safe side.  I am having the DEXA scan tomorrow and calling right now the Endocrinologist for an appt.

Thanks again for your replies and advises.

Ruby

I am really glad that you got the referral to the Endo and are going for the DEXA.  I just had my DEXA done last month at  my Endo's office, she does it right in her office - her tech is from an highly skilled Osteoporsis Center.  I was diagnosed with Osteopenia.