Question:
What happens now? I went to my PCP on August 12th...

this year to have my one year labs done since my LAP RNY on 9/3/02. Just last week, my PCP sent me the results!! Not good, BUT, they weren't entirely bad either. We discovered that my thyroid or my pituitary gland is malfunctioning or something. My TSH was 0.33 (yeah, sure was), and from all indications, my thyroid test is LOW. My Vitamin B12 level is STILL >2000 (I've been drinking the Tahitian Noni Juice and those "Power Drinks"-you know the ones), but not entirely like I should. I drink 15cc in the morning, then 15cc's in the evening at bedtime right before my head hits the pillow. It's funny, my Vitamin B12 was high at 6 months, and I don't think I was drinking it then. Anyway, I know that when I go for my appointment w/my surgeon, there may be something said about it. The main thing is, I FEEL GREAT!! Not sluggish, just right!! I'm walking faster and everything. I still take my vitamins, but they are no longer Flintstones Chewables. I don't take the B-12 injections as often, BUT as needed, when I feel tired, I'll call my PCP and get it. There is ssoo much being said to me about what I should and should not take and do and should not do from my PCP and my surgeon. It's making my head spin! I'm concerned, now, what my surgeon "may" say. I've taken the advice from YOU, my AMOS family about a lot of things including the type of vitamins to take, whether I should have taken Vitamin B12 injections and how often, how much calcium to take, yada, yada, yada....etc., and because of this advice, I'm feeling GREAT~PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY and SPIRITUALLY!!My PCP wants me to come back and do MORE tests (just because of the low tyroid numbers, they should be higher than "0.33". According to Quest Diagnostics, the company that done the lab testing for the TSH, the range is: 0.40-5.50 for female adults >20 years "young". These are the results of the others: Total LDL-C: 93 (desirable is <130mg/dL); Total HDL-C is 68 (desirable is >40mg/dL); Total VLDL-C: is 4 (desirable is <30mg/dL); Total Cholesterol: 164 (desirable is <200 mg/dL); and my Triglycerides: 39 (desirable is <150mg/dL). So, tell me, what is so bad with those figures??? I must say, I am concerned about the thyroid values..you think that's another reason why my hair is STILL falling out??!!A nurse on this site suggested that I have the test done and sure enough, that may be the reason. What do you think my surgeon will say about the B-12 values? I'm NOT going to stop drinking the Noni Juice!! I have an appointment w/my surgeon on 9/11/03...I can imagine what's going to be said...I can walk, play tennis, can move faster now than I ever have...and I don't have to use a cane anymore, PRAISE GOD!! Shouldn't they BOTH just be happy that I'm NOT feeling bad in ANY way and not complaining? Heavens, yes!! I appreciate everyone's input! Thank you! (sorry for being so longwinded here). LAP RNY 9/3/02 265/149/115-126, off the plateau and -116 lbs!! Hadiyah, a.k.a~~    — yourdivaness (posted on September 3, 2003)

September 3, 2003
I do not see why you are freaking out. Just because some numbers are low it's just a matter of making some adjustments or adding a supplement etc. to balance it out. However, I am not familiar with Noni Juice so I do not understand how that plays into the picture. Low thyroid can be controlled with a tiny medication. Not a big deal to take. How about going to B-12 sublingual since it's easy to take and doesn't require a trip to the doc. You cholesterol and triglicerides look great. You will likely be surprised how much better you will feel with your thyroid at normal, so don't fight it. Other than not taking the B-12 regularly what does the surgeon have to be upset about and this one is easily solved. You need to realize that the B-12 is important. If your iron stores get too low it is very serious and you won't see that for about another year yet. <p>I suspect your surgoen will be pleased with your progress and just say you need to get in the B-12 and get the thyroid resolved. Unless I am really missing something here I don't see a huge lecture coming.
   — zoedogcbr

September 4, 2003
Having dealt with hypothyroid hell in the past, I can tell you that your numbers look fine to me! Let me explain here: your pituitary gland produces TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone). It senses the amount of thyroid hormones circulating in your blood. So, the lower the TSH, the more thyroid hormones you have swirling around in your blood, which means your thyroid is working fine - or even a little harder than need be. Your pituitary is getting the message that it needs to put out less TSH, since your thyroid gland is working well, producing plenty of hormones. (Lower numbers = hyperthyroidism, higher numbers = hypothyroidism) From my research in the past, I learned that most women feel best with a TSH between 1.0 and 2.0. Personally, my remaining lobe of thyroid tissue needs to be suppressed with medication, so my TSH has been as low as <0.02! Hyperthyroidism can be dangerous - it can affect your heart. I have my thyroid hormones checked on a regular basis, since my medication has to be adjusted. A TSH above 1.17 for me means increased fatigue, joint aches, depression and brain fog. I prefer to have energy and a clear mind! I would really recommend you do some research and ask your PCP to check your free T3 and free T4. (He may resist doing this as they are not the normal things they like to check. Or just ask him to recheck your thyroid hormones in a few weeks.)A TSH is only one piece of the puzzle, and yours is not that much below "normal". It's like only looking at a cholesterol level instead of a complete lipid panel. (Yours is great, by the way!) If you feel good, leave things alone. Your TSH is not that much below "normal". By the way, the normal range was determined years ago by testing a population at large. Now, in that population, it stands to reason that some people who appeared "normal" were actually hypo- and hyper-thyroid (and not diagnosed as such), and that's where the high and low ranges came from. If you ain't broke, don't get fixed! (Also, this is probably not the reason your hair is falling out - that usually happens with hypothyroidism - a high TSH, meaning the thyroid gland is sluggish.)Thyroid function does affect metabolism, so with yours functioning just a slight amount above normal, it may have kicked you off a plateau!
   — koogy