Advice Regarding Thyroid Test Results

Updated on December 13, 2009
L.G. asks from Santa Ana, CA
19 answers

Hello Ladies,

I have some questions about the results of tests I recently had done. My doctor, an internist, ordered a bunch of blood tests recently, just to see how I am over all. He wasn't looking for anything. Included was the TSH test. Well, it came back high, 70.76 where standard is .35-4.00. That was on 11/10. I asked him if certain things could have affected the results, like stress (my dad had had bypass surgery two weeks prior), illness (I had been sick and still had chest congestion/cough), or the fact that my son had weaned a few days prior. He said stress is unlikely and didn't answer about my having been ill. In regard to the breastfeeding he explained the hormones involved and said that one should not impact the other. Yet, he still thought I should take another test. So, on 12/1 I was retested. My TSH was 36.00, my Free T4 was .64 where standard was .81-1.48, and T3 was 88 where standard was 58-159. I was thinking (or at least hoping) that since the TSH had come down quite a bit this was a good sign, eventhough it was clearly still high. He said since my TSH is still high and the Free T4 low that I am hypothyroid. He said he spoke to an endocrinologist who recommends that I start daily Levothroid medication and retest in 6-8 weeks. He said I likely had a condition called thyroiditis that led to this.

So, I am reaching out to any of you with personal or professional experience involving the thyroid. First, I want to know if you agree with the endocrinologist and would recommend the same thing. Does the fact that my TSH came down so much the second time mean that something temporary could be going on and that further testing is warranted? Could the breastfeeding have affected my results and could it still be affecting them since it takes a few months for the milk to dry up? I have done some internet research and understand that there are different types and causes of hypothyroid conditions which determine treatment. If that's the case, then how do they know what to recommend for me without knowing the cause? Also, my doctor didn't indicate whether they think this is a permanent condition or if it could be temporary. I do plan to ask him. But what can you tell me?

I thank you very much for any help here. I am trying to take care of myself. I just don't want to start taking this medicine if it may not be the right thing for me.

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So What Happened?

I just want to say THANK YOU very much to all of you for sharing great information and for your feedback. The support alone is worth so much! At this point I am planning to see a GYN (under new insurance and have to see a new doctor) for a check up and to discuss my situation.

I wish you all happy and healthy holidays and the best in the new year!

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A.R.

answers from Los Angeles on

You pay are paying a professonal dr. Who is giving you advice was he right other times if you want another adivce you can always to get another opinion asking strangers who dont know you is not very clever . A retired rn A. no hills good luck i take thyroid med ai am86

C.M.

answers from Los Angeles on

I am hypothryoid. I found out about a year and a half ago when my son was about 6 months old. I asked to be tested because I was still loosing a TON of hair after the birth and I was exausted (that doesn't even describe it) all the time. So, I have been on synthroid ever since then. I feel 100 times better! SO much more energy. I was told that I will be on it for the rest of my life. My dr. said that right now with the meds my levels are where they should be, so if I ever stop taking it, then my levels will sky rocket! So, I hope that helps you! The meds are really not that bad. I've had no negative side effects at all.

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M.M.

answers from Los Angeles on

I think your instinct is right on questioning whether or not this is the right diagosis. My thyroid shot up right after childbirth & was all over the place. It did come back down. Months later, I found I had a hormones imbalance which I treated with natural progesterone.

I don't agree with your doctor's statement that hormones do not affect on another - this is totally wrong. There is a domino affect. This is a good article about hormones: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2000/1...

Here's an excerpt:
The thyroid gland is also adversely affected by chronic stress. This gland's roles include regulating calcium metabolism and glycolysis, the breakdown of glucose for body energy fuel. Under normal conditions, the fight-or-flight response causes the thyroid to increase glucose breakdown. In conditions of chronic stress, however, the thyroid is continually overstimulated and eventually becomes depleted. Thyroid function is also disrupted by excessive estrogen, but this can be prevented by adequate progesterone levels.

Also, Dr. John Lee's book "What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Premenopause" is great. His website is www.drjohnlee.com 50% of women over the age of 35 have too much estrogen & it causes various symptoms & many misdaiagnoses. By the way, if you do get your hormones tested, you want saliva tests - blood tests are not the most accurate way to measure hormones levels.

Let us know what happens L.. =)

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F.H.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hi L.. What does your gut tell you? If you don't want to take the medication then don't. Tests and doctors don't always have the right answer for everyone. It's about how you feel. What would make your life happier right now? Remember too, that there are natural options for stimulating your thyroid. Check it out. Ask your local health food store. I've heard that once a person starts taking thyroid meds that they become dependent on them and aren't supposed to stop taking them. You might want to double check on that and wait until you feel very comfortable with them before starting, if you choose to. Good Luck! Oh, I read that iodine (found in seaweed) stimulates thyroid production. Good Luck!

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T.G.

answers from Los Angeles on

L., sorry this is so late (email issues), but ask your doctor about Armour thyroid. This is thyroid medication that is natural not synthetic. You can check out the website at www.armourthyroid.com. Unfortunately they are experiencing a shortage of the medication right now, but depending on the recommended dosage you may be able to find it at some smaller drugstores. Most doctors will not prescribe this medication, but I have used it for years and have never had any problems with incorrect dosing levels (many of synthetic drugs have numerous problems with dosing levels). Armour also helps with both the T3 and T4 hormones, unlike the synthetic drugs. If nothing else the website has a lot of helpful information (see the FAQs section). Hope this information isn't too late getting to you. If you have any questions, please let me know I would be happy to help.

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S.G.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hi
I have hypothyroidism and I am taking levothyroxine. It is a permanent condition. The medications made me feel much better. I took medicine throughout my pregnancies and breast feeding. Try the medicine and see if you notice any differences. If you decide to keep taking it, you will need regular blood tests to check your levels
Good luck

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L.T.

answers from Los Angeles on

If you have been diagnosed with thyroiditis, it is most likely Hashimoto's, which would explain why your levels are going up and down. With Hashimoto's, your thyroid is both over and underactive, so your levels, and symptoms, change constantly. I'm going through this right now and have been since last February. I'm finally, almost at a medication level where my thyroid is under control but it has taken several adjustments and I will find out today if I'm any closer to "normal". I taky Synthroid, which I personally don't love and will probably try to change after I get regulated, but now that I'm getting closer to "normal" I find the medication much easier to take. This condition is VERY common in women our age who have kids, apparently pregnancy and all that can cause the thyroid to go completely out of whack and medication (for life) is the only way I know of to correct it. Once you get to a regulated dose of whatever meds you take, you should be fine and will only need adjustments after long periods. You'll probably start a dose, see how you are feeling, then get tested every two months to check your progress. It's tough because you will probably continue to have symptoms but it's easily controlled once your personal dose is determined. You may also be asked to take a few tests, like ultrasound of the thyroid and a few other minor tests to rule out any other issues, but they are also common and typically negative. Do some research and see if you may have experienced some mild symptoms and not even realized it. That's a good sign, if you didn't know you were sick, because some women experience severe symptoms. Good luck, and don't worry, this is easily treatable and you should be feeling great soon.

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E.T.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hi L.,
I was first diagnosed with hypothyroidism during my second pregnancy (with my now 11 y.o.) and have been on medication ever since. I've never had any side effects. My initial symptoms were loss of hair, feeling cold all of the time, and absolute mind-numbing exhaustion. I would sit on the couch and just stare.

With medication, I have a normal balance of hormone, which is checked about once each year with a blood test. I have had to increase my medication a couple of times and each time have had a recurrence of the original low energy symptoms prior to the increase. It's not that being on the medication means that you'll be on medication for the rest of your life, it's that needing medication means that you'll probably need medication for the rest of your life because once your thyroid stops working as effectively, it rarely starts working again. My dose went down after my pregnancy, but has gone up since. It takes time for the medication to balance out, which is why they have to wait a few weeks to see how your body is responding to it. The rechecks also let you know if you need to reduce your medication. For my last increase, my T4 was actually just at the bottom of the normal range, but I was fatigued and symptomatic. When the doctor increased my dose, my T4 went right into the middle of the range and my mood and energy came back up! That is evidence that I'm on the right dose at this point.

Your thyroid is a really important gland that controls many of your metabolic functions. If it isn't working right, your body can't perform normally. At the extreme, you can go into coma (although your numbers are nowhere near that). The medication, whether the "natural" hormone or the synthetic, replaces the thyroid hormone that your own thyroid is unable to produce on its own. TSH is Thyroid Stimulating Hormone and it goes up when your body isn't making enough thyroid hormone (e.g. T4) as your body struggles to tell itself that you need more thyroid hormone. Your T4 is low, which means that your body is not making enough T4. Why your TSH would have gone back down is a question that you'd need to ask your endocrinologist, but the low T4 is what is treated, not the high TSH. The TSH measure is more of a screening, I think. I know that they did not start me on medication until they'd completed a more thorough screening of my hormones.

Good luck! You are definitely not alone: I've heard that 20% of women are hypothyroid. Oddly, my brother is also hypothyroid, although it's much rarer in men, and he had horrible symptoms prior to proper treatment.

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J.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

Do you research on the medication first... my granny went on that same one and she was unable to ever get off of it even though she was having negative side effects. She became COLD all the time... could be 80+ outside and she was dressed for snow. She was cold from the inside out so it didn't matter what she did....

I'd suggest consulting with a chiropractic internist (they can and do use blood tests and other lab work) before starting anything. If you are in the san gabriel valley area I have a great one for you.

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C.M.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hypothyrodism leads to fatigue and weight gain. If you Are having these issues then the medication will help. The thyroid effects your metabolism. The problem is more common than you think.

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L.V.

answers from Los Angeles on

Chiropractors can NOT fix this, and being hypothyroid and not taking medication can have dire effects on your health. Believe me, I tried everything, Acupuncture to Upper Cervical work and it's just something that unfortunately requires medication. If you are like me, and prefer something more natural, consider asking for "Natural Dessicated Thyroid" like Armour or Naturethroid. It is prescription only, and sometimes tough to get, but works well and is more natural. Your thyroid can effect your heart and blood pressure, cause weight gain, breakouts, fatigue and more. The good news is that the medication is easy to take, has very little side effects and works! This condition is almost always permanent, but is easy to treat. As many as 10% of all women have some form of hypothyroidism, so you aren't alone, and should try reading some of the articles at thyroid.about.com for useful information.

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E.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

Dear L.,

Your thoughtful questions, esp the one about the long-term prognosis and treatment, definitely deserve answers. I do not know where you will get them, but keep looking...even if it means getting a second opinion. Doctors can vary greatly in diagnosis and recommendations, as my husband and I have found out.
You see too often medicine is not an exact science...it may be that you may have to take the advice you like best, not even being 100% sure. You can carefully change course/doctors later, if things do not appear to be working out. Good Luck!

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M.H.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hello,
I have had low thyroid (Hypothyroidism) most of my life. When I was pregnant and on through breastfeeding my thyroid levels kept changing. This is due to all the other hormones that keep fluctuating as well. This is very common for women especially during pregnancy. Some times it regulates itself and sometimes it just means that you have developed hypothyroidism. After pregnancy my medication had to be adjusted 3 times and now I take a fairly high amount of synthroid. I feel fine now, but when it was low I was having all kinds of strange symptoms including muscle tightness in my back and shoulder, digestion problems and a bit of depression.

I would go ahead and start medication and just keep checking it every 6 weeks. There are really no side effects to thyroid medication (make sure you do NOT take the generic version because these do cause symptoms. Hormones are not something that should be generic.) See if you can get it regulated. Once it is regulated you can discuss with your doctor about trying to cut down to see if your thyroid can recover on its own. If not, you may need to take medication on a regular basis. It is not a big deal. If your thyroid gets too high from the medication you will feel it (common symptoms are heart palpatations, feeling sweaty, anxious etc.)

The other solution is to try to regulate it through natural homeopathic means , nutrition and maybe acupuncture. It all depends on how severe your situation is. Low thyroid is function of a suppressed immune system. If you don't get it regulated you can develop other more serious health issues. Don't mess around.

good luck.
M.

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B.L.

answers from Los Angeles on

My hypothyroid was diagnosed over 15 years ago, but 6 years ago I found an amazing endocrinologist who really explained everything to me. He believes strongly about looking at the numbers, but also to look at the symptoms. If you are having symptoms of hypothyroid (the worst of which feels like chronic fatigue and causes weight gain), then this would confirm what your doctor said.

I would wonder though how you have normal T3 with low T4. I would ask the doctor to do a reverse T3 test on you because that's a greater indicator of whether or not your body is actually using that T3, which might confirm that you need to be on medication, but not just T4 but also some T3.

Here's a bunch of really great information from my doctor about hypothyroid: http://www.holtorfmed.com/topics/thyroid

HTH,
B.

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M.D.

answers from Honolulu on

Hi L.,

I was just recently diagnosed with hypothyroidism and I was told it is a permanent situation where I will have to be on medication (Levothroid) for the rest of my life. I am super healthy & I do not liking to take drugs of any kind, so this was not good news for me. However, since I have been on the medication (2 months now), my thyroid level is now in the normal range, and almost all of my symptoms have disappeared.

I'm not a doctor so I can't second-guess what the endocrinologist suggested to your doctor. However, it is my opinion that the doctors just do "blanket" treatments because they just don't have the time to check out everything.

It sounds like you have already done some homework on this and are very concerned (as you SHOULD be) so maybe you should get a second opinion. That just might ease some of your anxiety.

I wish you the best!

M.

P.S. - If you're interested in continued, on-going good health, feel free to call me at 877-214-8101 (toll-free) and I can point you in the right direction.

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K.M.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hello. By all means, if you want a second test, then do it, but ..... having hypothyroidism isn't a big deal. The medicine does not have any wacky side effects but assures that you feel good - you are not sluggish, gaining weight for no particular reason, your skin is not unusually dry and scratchy, you don't have jello-y feeling legs. All the women in my family have it. My doctor refered me to an endocrinologist because she thought she felt nodules in my thyroid, thinking maybe cancer or something. I went to a great endocrinologist - Dr. Tong at Kaiser and he did the ultrasound twice - once while pregnant and once 6 months afterwards - said my thyroid just seems to be deformed, which explains everyone in the family having problems. I know there are a lot of people out there who question the doctors and medication, but you have to keep in mind - you are a parent who cannot afford to be sick and feeling off your game. If one tiny pill every morning an hour before breakfast can ensure you feeling good and healthy, why not? It just makes sure your thyroid continues to function properly - we aren't talking major surgery or hard core damamging meds. If you need to chat, feel free to contact me. I have had it for 6 years and have had 2 children.

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A.C.

answers from Los Angeles on

I have autoimmune hypothyroid, where my immune system is destroying my thyroid, so I have to take this for the rest of my life. Levothyroxine is NOT a medicine, it's synthetic thyroid hormone which regulates your metabolism. There is transient thyroiditis that does get better, and it would be good for you to look up on webmd.com about thyroiditis and the differential diagnosis. The TSH is a thyroid stimulating hormone, that your body releases to cause the thyroid to produce the hormones that make your metabolism function properly (temp regulation, digestion, efficient nutrient use, etc.) and if your thyroid isn't making the hormones, the TSH gets higher as the body desperately trys to communicate with the thyroid (like its blowing up the cell phone with text messages, "hello, need some stuff here") hope that this helps, I can tell you, having the correct level of thyroid hormone in your body will make a huge difference in your energy level, weight loss, sleep, skin condition, etc. :) A.

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T.N.

answers from San Diego on

I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism years ago and have been on a natural hormone supplement (Armour Thyroid). Once you start the medication for hypothyroidism, whether it's natural or synthetic, you are on it for life (unless you can find someone to help you treat it holistically). However, considering the fact that you just weaned your child and your hormones are going crazy trying to normalize, I wouldn't be so fast to accept such a diagnosis. When I was pregnant, my husband and I were trying to get life insurance and I was refused twice because my hormones were showing such abnormal values (from the life insurance physical). I did a lot of research and found that this is normal during pregnancy and breastfeeding. About a year after I quit breastfeeding, we applied for life insurance again and I passed the physical with no abnormal values and in excellent health. Just a word of caution....

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S.O.

answers from San Diego on

I am never on board for taking medication, unless it necessary. I have low thyroid issues and my Mom was recently diagnosed with Hypothyroidism. We both try to do thing naturally. I have been using holistic and natural supplements for my thyroid issues for almost 5 years now.

Your hormones will fluctuate daily depending on activity, stress, time of the month, etc. And just because your numbers fall within the "normal" test range, does not mean that it's normal for YOUR body. All of my results technically are "normal". But I know if I fall below 2.5 on the TSH, that I am really low and boy do I feel it! My results when I am off tend to be around 1-1.75. When I get up to 2.5-3 I feel great!

I first started working with a Naturopath based out of Carlsbad 5 years ago. Then when I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia (also can be related to thyroid issues) about 6 months ago, I started working with an Integrative Specialist in La Jolla. Her name is Dr. Roya Kohani of Revivamed and she is a trained MD also trained in holistic medicine. Kind of like getting the best of both worlds. And if you have PPO insurance, she is covered. I have HMO so I have to pay out of pocket, but I believe it's worth it. I love that she actually takes the time to LISTEN to me and doesn't rush me through an appointment. And trust me, how she reads your test results and how a regular doctor reads them is totally different because they are seeing different things. She takes into account the whole picture...your height and weight, your lifestyle, your health goals, your eating habits, etc. She doesn't just look at the numbers of the test results to give you a diagnosis. She is also very knowledgable in how the body works and explains it in easy terms that I can understand. In fact, she explained it to me about 5 times in my 1 hour appointment.

I am also a SAHM to a almost 5 yo boy and a 2.5 yo girl. Being a Mom is definitely stressful and I have found over the last few years that many of my Mommy friends also have thyroid and other hormonal issues which are related to our increased stress, lack of sleep, insufficient diet, etc.

Please give Dr. Kohani a call and check her out. She has helped me tremendously! www.revivamed.com click on the top left link for her information. The other links are for her husbands plastic surgery practice.

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