- High TSH indicates your thyroid isn't producing enough T3 and T4, not a problem with TSH itself, so focus on testing free T3 and T4 levels to get the full picture of your thyroid function.
- TSH is not the best marker for assessing whether your thyroid treatment is actually working, as many patients have normalized TSH but still experience hypothyroid symptoms.
- High TSH symptoms (fatigue, weight gain, brain fog, cold intolerance) stem from low circulating thyroid hormones, so you need to address the underlying hormone deficiency, not just chase a 'normal' TSH number.
- When treating high TSH, ensure your doctor tests both T3 and T4 levels along with TSH, and don't assume you're properly treated just because your TSH falls into the normal range.
- If you have symptoms of hypothyroidism despite a 'normal' TSH, ask your doctor to check your free T3 levels, as poor T4-to-T3 conversion or inadequate dosing may be preventing symptom relief.
Have you been told, or are you suspicious, that you have a high TSH?
If so there are many things you want to consider before pursuing treatment.
While your TSH is important for assessing thyroid function it’s certainly not the only test, or the best way, to identify thyroid disease.
We are going to take an updated, scientific dive into TSH including what a high TSH means, what kind of symptoms are associated with this condition, and the top 5 causes.
What does your TSH Really Mean?
Many physicians consider TSH to be the most accurate marker of thyroid status in your body.
With that in mind, it makes sense to talk about what it actually does in your body.
TSH stands for thyroid-stimulating hormone and it is a hormone secreted by your pituitary gland.
Thyroid physiology is quite complex (1) but we can break it down into an easy-to-understand sequence:
Your hypothalamus (part of your brain) pumps out a hormone called TRH (thyrotropin-releasing hormone).
TRH then acts on your pituitary gland (another portion of your brain) to stimulate the release of TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone).
TSH then enters your bloodstream and lands on receptors directly on your thyroid gland which then causes the release of thyroid hormones – T3 and T4.
T3 and T4 then enter the bloodstream and target specific cells in the body (almost every cell has a thyroid receptor) to alter genetic transcription, increase energy production, and so forth.
This complex system is regulated at several steps and one step that we use to assess the stability of this entire system is the serum concentration of TSH.
This isn’t the best marker of thyroid function by itself (2), but it can give you a quick idea of what is happening in the body.
So what does a high TSH actually mean?
An elevation in TSH is an indicator that the system is not working properly, and in this case, it means that thyroid function in the serum (T3 and T4) is low.
Low levels of T3 and T4 circulate back up to the pituitary gland which tells the body that not enough thyroid hormone is being produced.
Your pituitary gland compensates by increasing TSH levels in the serum because it is trying to tell your thyroid gland to produce more thyroid hormone.
Hopefully, this is making sense.
It can be confusing because a high TSH level actually means that there is not ENOUGH thyroid hormone in the blood and this condition is known as hypothyroidism.
Hypothyroidism = low thyroid function = sluggish thyroid = low T3 and T4 levels of thyroid hormone in the blood = high TSH (all of these terms are ways to describe the same condition).
The exact opposite is true when the TSH is low.
A low TSH is an indicator that your body has enough T3 and T4 in the body and so your pituitary responds by reducing the production of TSH from the pituitary gland.
Hyperthyroidism = excessive thyroid production = high T3 and/or T4 levels of thyroid hormone in the blood = low TSH.
This isn’t the complete picture because certain medications can actually reduce TSH but still leave T3 and T4 levels low in the body, but it gives you a general idea of what is actually happening in the body and what your TSH actually stands for.
So How do Doctors Use TSH?
TSH is primarily used as a marker of thyroid hormone status in the entire body.
Checking your TSH can be used as a quick measure to determine if your thyroid is functioning properly or not.
A high TSH (defined below) tells your Doctor that your thyroid is not working properly which means that you may need the use of thyroid hormone medications to increase and normalize thyroid function.
After starting thyroid medication (if necessary) the TSH can be used to “track” your progress.
As you take thyroid medication your TSH should be reduced back to the “normal” range.
As this occurs you are said to once again become “euthyroid”.
This is how everything is supposed to work, but is it really that easy?
This is where Doctors and patients tend to disagree (3).
Even though you can “normalize” the TSH with thyroid medications, many of the symptoms of hypothyroidism may actually still persist.
This, along with many studies, may indicate that TSH may not be the best marker for thyroid function in the body (4).
We will discuss more of that below, but for now, let’s discuss what kind of symptoms you may experience if your TSH is elevated.
High TSH Symptoms
As your TSH increases it is a sign that circulating levels of thyroid hormones are dropping.
Therefore, the symptoms associated with high TSH levels present as the symptoms of hypothyroidism.
Symptoms do not stem from the TSH itself but from the lack of circulating T3 and T4 and their influence on your cells.
In addition, symptom severity is dependent, at least somewhat, on the degree of elevation of TSH.
Higher levels of TSH, those greater than
The degree of elevation of your TSH will also help determine the severity of your symptoms.
People who have a TSH of 5.0 will likely experience symptoms that aren’t quite as severe as someone who has a TSH of 7.0 or higher.
You can find a list of the symptoms that one might experience with a high TSH below:
- Weight gain or difficulty losing weight (the degree of weight gain and inability to lose weight depends on the severity of thyroid lab studies)
- Fatigue or decreased energy
- Insomnia or inability to sleep
- Changes to the menstrual cycle or changes to sex hormones (reduced testosterone in both men and women and changes to progesterone/estradiol in women)
- Drop in body temperature – cold hands/feet
- Slower than normal metabolism
- Changes to skin that include dryness or cracking of the skin
- Changes to hair, skin, and nail quality and texture – brittle hair, dry hair, hair loss, etc.
- Slowing down of the intestines which manifests as constipation or acid reflux
- Mental changes including depression, anxiety, poor concentration, or poor memory
- Swelling of the face or extremities (puffy eyes)
Why are these symptoms important?
Symptoms reduction, along with TSH, can also be used as a marker to determine if your therapy or treatment is working.
If you take medication to lower your TSH and your TSH lowers but your symptoms remain, then there may be another issue you are missing.
You can find a more complete list of thyroid symptoms that women may experience in this post and a complete list of thyroid symptoms that men experience in this post.
Definition of a “High” TSH (Reference Ranges)
So what defines a “high” TSH?
By definition, the standard reference range for TSH is anywhere between 0.30 to 5.0 uIU/mL.
If your TSH is higher than 5.0 then the lab will flag you as “high” and you may experience the symptoms listed above.
You can see a clear example of this below:
The reference range in this example is 0.3 to 5.00 uIU/ml and the result is 7.024.
Having said all of this, there’s actually a good case to make that you can still have a “high” TSH but still be inside of the reference range.
So how do we get there?
Well, newer studies (5) have shed light on the fact that some of the original tests that helped determine our “standard normal” TSH values may not have been full of “healthy” people.
When you are being compared to some standard you want to make sure that the standard you are being compared to is actually healthy!
It doesn’t make sense to compare your TSH as a 25-year-old to that of an 86-year-old (6).
Using this logic some newer studies have suggested that a more “normal” TSH reference range is somewhere between 1.0 and 2.5 uIU/ml and anything higher than 2.5 is considered “high” (7).
With this logic you can have a “high” TSH anywhere between 2.5 and 5.5, even though it technically falls within the “normal” range:
In addition, other studies have suggested we use the African American population as the standard for TSH testing because they have one of the lowest rates of autoimmune disease compared to other populations and their TSH is somewhere around 1.0.
It’s important to realize that many physicians are not aware of these studies or these concepts so they may use the “standard” laboratory reference range instead of these newer guidelines.
5 Causes of High TSH
Having a high TSH is never normal.
An elevated TSH (as defined by the reference ranges listed above) is an indication that your body is working overtime to try and increase the amount of thyroid hormone that it can produce.
In most cases, your TSH is simply a warning sign that indicates your body is under stress and increased pressure.
While knowing that your TSH is elevated is important, your TSH itself does not tell you WHY it is increased.
That’s why it’s important to understand the potential causes because each of these causes has a different treatment.
#1. Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis
Probably the most common cause of slightly elevated and high TSH levels is an autoimmune disease known as Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis.
It is estimated that anywhere between 50% and 90% of all cases of hypothyroidism may be caused by this condition in the United States.
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is a condition where your body begins to attack its own thyroid gland, through an autoimmune process, which results in long-term and potentially permanent damage to your thyroid gland over time (8).
As your thyroid gland becomes damaged the amount of thyroid hormone it produces will be reduced over time.
As this happens your pituitary compensates by increasing TSH levels slowly over time.
In a sense, it’s like trying to squeeze water out of a rock.
How can your thyroid gland produce thyroid hormone if it is permanently damaged?
It can’t.
The good news is that diagnosing Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is not very difficult and can be assessed by checking for thyroid antibodies in the serum.
The presence of clinical thyroid damage (symptoms) combined with elevated antibodies is sufficient to diagnose the disease.
Your Doctor should know to check for the following antibodies:
- Thyroid Peroxidase antibodies (9)
- Thyroglobulin antibodies
If they are contributing to your TSH then your labs may look something like the example listed below:
Identifying that you have Hashimoto’s is important because it means you may be able to influence the course of the disease and reduce the autoimmune damage if you take steps as soon as possible.
Note, though, that in some cases by the time the diagnosis is made, it may be too late – there may already be permanent damage to your thyroid gland, especially if the autoimmune process has been going on for decades.ย
You can learn more about treating, identifying, and managing Hashimoto’s in this post.
#2. Iodine Deficiency
While overt iodine deficiency is no longer a huge issue in the United States, many people may still have what I refer to as “sub-optimal” iodine levels.
The main method by which we get iodine is through our diets, but unfortunately, many factors may be influencing how much we actually get.
For starters, many people simply aren’t consuming enough iodine because they don’t consume sea vegetables regularly.
This is worsened by the fact that the iodine concentration in the soil is dropping as well, so foods that would normally contain iodine may vary in their concentration.
In addition, other factors such as the lack of utilization (from goitrogens) in certain foods may limit the activity of iodine that you consume.ย
Taking this one step further…
Studies have shown that the average person should be consuming 150 ug of iodine per day (up to 250-290 if you are lactating or pregnant) (10), while other studies show that the average consumption varies between 120-130 ug per day (11).
You can compare this to the 1970s when the average consumption of iodine was up to 294 ug/day.
Putting all this together you can make a case that many people simply may not be getting sufficient iodine even though we live in an iodine “replete” environment.
How does this impact TSH?
Iodine is required for the production of thyroid hormone in your body (12).
Therefore, low iodine will result in low circulating thyroid hormone in the serum.
This will trigger a feedback loop which will result in an increase in TSH from your pituitary.
Low iodine = high TSH.
The good news is that replacing iodine through dietary means will rapidly result in an improvement in your thyroid function.
You can learn more about using iodine safely and correctly in this detailed guide.
#3. Obesity & Metabolic Damage
Most people assume that hypothyroidism (low thyroid function) causes obesity, but what they don’t realize is that obesity can actually decrease thyroid function as well.
The cause vs effect has not been settled but we will most likely find that while hypothyroidism can cause obesity, obesity can also reduce thyroid function and increase TSH.
Why does this matter?
For starters, it means that if obesity is the cause of low thyroid function (and therefore an elevated TSH) it means that if you lose weight you will improve your thyroid status.
And this is what studies have shown.
As you lose weight TSH tends to drop and FT3 and FT4 levels tend to normalize (13).
Another important implication of the obesity-thyroid connection is that due to the widespread increase in obesity, we may need to alter TSH reference ranges (14).
Our current understanding of obesity and thyroid function is that obesity is the RESULT of hypothyroidism.
But if obesity causes hypothyroidism then that means we need to create a “normal” TSH based on the reference ranges of people who have normal body weight and who do NOT have Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.ย
This may impact our definition of the “ideal” or “normal” TSH.
Moral of the story?
Obesity, weight gain, and metabolic damage may all potentially increase your TSH and lead to hypothyroidism.
#4. Stress & Increased Cortisol
Another important cause of high TSH is stress and increased cortisol.
Cortisol is considered our stress hormone which is released to help our body “tolerate” excessively stressful situations.
Stressful situations range from lack of sleep to social pressure from jobs and back to the food we put in our bodies.
The idea here is that all of these factors influence this stress hormone and may result in chronic elevations in serum cortisol.
High cortisol is positively correlated with TSH levels in the serum (15).
This means that as cortisol increases so too does TSH.
What isn’t clear is whether or not this relationship is physiologic or pathologic.
In my experience, I tend to lean more toward the pathologic side as patients with both high TSH and high cortisol exhibit higher rates of depression, anxiety, and poor cognitive function.
These symptoms lead me to believe that stress, excessive stress which is chronic in nature, most likely results in an increased TSH which reduces thyroid function in the body.
The treatment for this condition is to focus on limiting the impact that stress has on your physiology by taking targeted supplements and practicing specific therapies.
You can learn more about addressing cortisol to improve thyroid function here.
#5. Thyroidectomy (Partial or Complete) & RAI
Next up is really any condition that results in damage or removal of your thyroid gland.
It makes sense that if you damage your thyroid gland or completely remove it you won’t be producing as much thyroid hormone as you were before.ย
Most people who undergo complete thyroidectomy (meaning complete removal of their thyroid gland) are given thyroid medication right away.
The same is not necessarily true for those who have only had a portion or partial thyroidectomy (partial removal of their thyroid gland).
Patients who undergo RAI or radioactive iodine ablation therapy may also still have some thyroid gland function, but this function may not be sufficient to provide adequate thyroid hormone to the entire body.
In both cases, these patients may still have somewhat “normal” thyroid lab studies but tend to present with MANY of the symptoms of hypothyroidism.
The bottom line?
Damage to your thyroid gland or removal of your thyroid gland (16) (even part of it) may result in an increase in TSH levels.
The treatment for patients in cases such as these is the replacement of thyroid hormone with thyroid hormone medication.
How to Lower A High TSH
If you have a high or high-normal TSH then your next step should be to focus on ways to bring it down.
This can be accomplished by focusing on several areas:
#1. Using thyroid hormone replacement medication.
Using thyroid hormones will help to reduce your TSH due to the feedback loops that exist in your body.
Remember:
As you put thyroid hormone into your body, your brain will “sense” this thyroid hormone and respond by normalizing your TSH.
This will result in a reduction in your TSH, provided that the dose of thyroid medication that you are taking is sufficient for your needs.
This is exactly how many Doctors use the TSH to help guide their treatment.
The idea is to bring down your TSH to a “normal” level based on your lab results and to stop the titration of medication once you get there.
This sounds fairly easy, but it doesn’t quite work this way in all patients.
Some people will feel great as they take thyroid medication such as Levothyroxine to help lower their TSH.
In other people, it may not be quite that simple.
Up to 15% of people may suffer from genetic changes in their body which limit their ability to utilize or “convert” thyroid medication appropriately.
If you have this genetic defect (which is a problem with a deiodinase enzyme) then you may not respond very well to standard thyroid medication.
This problem can be overcome through the use of different types of thyroid medications.
Even though thyroid medication may be helpful to lower TSH it may not be required in each person.
#2. Addressing the primary cause of your high TSH.
Another area of focus should be on the CAUSE of your high TSH.
As I discussed with you previously, not all causes of high TSH are permanent.
In fact, some causes, such as iodine deficiency, can completely be reversed if you treat them appropriately.
In the case of iodine deficiency, this problem can be easily treated with iodine supplementation.
In the case of stress, you may be able to improve your TSH by completely removing the stress in your body or by attempting to lower your cortisol.
Other conditions, such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, may be more difficult to treat because they indicate a deeper problem.
Hashimoto’s is a result of autoimmune dysfunction and is not readily reversible (at least not in the majority of cases).
#3. The use of targeted supplementation.
We’ve already established that nutrient deficiencies, such as iodine deficiency, may play a role in altering thyroid function (17).
This idea extends to more than just iodine.
Other nutrients, such as Zinc and Selenium (18), also play an important role in regulating thyroid function in your body.
One study showed that using the combination of zinc and selenium helped to reduce TSH and increase free T3 and free T4 levels in overweight female obese hypothyroid patients.
What’s really interesting is that these patients didn’t experience any increase in serum zinc or selenium levels.
The use of supplements that contain both Zinc and Selenium has been shown to improve thyroid function in those who have deficiencies.
The good news is that this is a potentially reversible cause of high TSH, the bad news is that it will probably only work if you are deficient.
But, as a potential therapy with very little downside, it’s always worth evaluating for these simple deficiencies.
Using a supplement such as this one may be beneficial and has worked well for other hypothyroid patients.
Conclusion
A high TSH level may indicate that you have sub-optimal levels of circulating thyroid hormone in your body.
This condition is known as hypothyroidism and presents with MANY diverse symptoms.
If you find that you have a high TSH then your next step should be to look into the potential causes of the disease and treat that issue, if possible.
Treating can then be focused on several areas:
#1. Thyroid medication.
#2. The underlying cause.
#3. The use of Supplements.
This approach will ensure that you cover all of your bases and will provide you with the most relief.
You will also want to consider if thyroid medication is right for you or if taking a more conservative approach may be the best fit.
Once you start thyroid medication you may be taking it for life so you may not want to jump into it.
Lastly, when evaluating your TSH make sure that you are looking at your value with the “optimal” level in mind and not just the standard reference range.
Looking at your TSH in this way will help you get back to your 100%.
Now I want to hear from you:
Is your TSH high?
If so, have you been able to find appropriate treatment?
If not, why not?
Leave your comments below!
Scientific References
#1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1544601/
#2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4480274/
#3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3169863/
#4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16416346
#5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16148345
#6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3877984/
#7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16148345
#8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7794089
#9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20135568
#10. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19178515
#11. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3266621/
#12. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3063534/
#13. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4911848/
#14. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4911848/
#15. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3520819/
#16. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4737508/
#17. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8262474
#18. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25758370
#19. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16416346
I did my yearly blood work up and was called by the clinic to say that the last two years my TSH has been 4 but this year it came back at 18.
I’ve been researching just what this all means. I am often tired.
Hi Karen,
It means you are hypothyroid ๐
Dr. Childs, I am not sure if my comment posted as I did not see it. I have struggled with Thyroid problems for the past 38 years now. My most recent thyroid tests how these results: TSH: 12.24; T4: 1.0; T3 is 2.4. Thank you very much for your videos about High TSH they were very helpful to me. From what I have learned from your video is that my thyroid is low and that my doctor will be increasing my medication. Thanks again for your great videos. I will check out your other videos about thyroid function. Much thanks again!
My tsh level is 7.18
My TSH level is 1.98 (4-29-21), but was 1.85 (8-8-19), 1.03 (6-23-16) and 0.68 (6-23-15). Is it possible I have hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s? I will be seeing an Endocrinologist in the near future. I’ve had ALL the symptoms for YEARS.
Hi Kristina,
Yes, it’s still possible but you will need to check your antibody levels to know for sure.
I am a 57 yo female thats been on synthroid for 22 years (dosage now 137mcg) and my Sept 2021 visit to the doctor said my TSH was 19.300(high), T4 was 8.5, T3 uptake was 36 and Free Thyroxine index was 3.1 I told the doctor I took about 3 drops of iodine in my coffee everyday, I take a selenium capsule daily, 1 L-tyrozine cap daily, I use sea salt on my food, I also take Shilajit with is concentrated minerals small amount a day and other supplements. I am about 35 pounds over weight. Sedentary. Why did my TSH go up so high? My doc told me to lay off the Iodine and sea salt and retest. Do you agree?
Hi Lori,
It could have been for a lot of reasons including some of your supplements! Please see this article: https://www.restartmed.com/tsh-levels/
I’m 70 and was diagnosed with hashimotos about 15 years ago from a thyroid test. However, I’ve never experienced any low thyroid symptoms. A recent blood test showed my TSH went up from 7.0 to 9.0, and since I feel fine with no low thyroid symptoms, my endocrinologist is keeping me on 30 mg of NP Thyroid. A higher dose gives me hyperthyroid symptoms. My weight, blood pressure, oxygen level and T3 are all normal. I’ve always been energetic and work out often.
Just thought I’d give you this example that a person can feel just fine with no low thyroid symptoms–even with a TSH level of 9.0. Thank you for your interesting video.
Hi Jeanne,
Thank you for sharing! I’ve seen a handful of people with high TSH levels feel quite well. It’s rare but it definitely does occur!
Interesting ….been on thyroid meds over 20 years seems like last 2 years they change dosage every three months 1.37/1.50 use to be on synthroid now on levonthryoxine recently found a mass on adrenal gland no big deal but thyroid for last 6 months was low 1.00 , .19, .22 then three days ago tsh was 19.90 so they re tested and today it is 15.60 and t4 is flat 1.0 Nobody really alarmed by this and schedule endro doc group in couple of weeks I am a bit alarmed by this have put on maybe 35 pounds in 6 months and sleep a lot 12-14 hours a day.
Hi Carolyn,
The high TSH is definitely concerning and should be looked into!
Stopped my thyroid meds in sept because I was trying to get away from relying on pharmaceutical drugs. Ended up in the ER yesterday (Dec) with abnormal EKGs indicating heart attack, freezing cold, extreme weakness, dizziness, droopy eyes, facial swelling, and sleepiness. My TSH is 95.40. Moral of the story- do NOT just stop your meds and think everything is ok. It took 3 months then out of the blue my heart and liver were being damaged and I felt like death (and just as freezing cold!). Just started to take a 1/2 dose of my original 175 mcg meds to get my body weaned back onto the meds. Hopefully I didnt cause permanent damage. Is there a non-pharmacutical was to put thyroid hormone into the body if your thyroid no longer functions?
Hi Melody,
Thank you for sharing and sorry to hear about your experience! I’ve explained why you never want to stop your thyroid medication cold turkey here: https://www.restartmed.com/side-effects-of-stopping-thyroid-medication/
In regards to your question, there is currently no way to get T4 and T3 into your body outside of a pharmaceutical medication. All thyroid medications are bio-identical, though, so it really shouldn’t be a huge concern if you have to take the medication.
So I took my husband to the ER early Monday am. Heart racing, upper and lower extremities numb/ tingling. Afib with RVR, he converted after a blue of cardizem. TSH 15, t3 and t4 in normal range. They consider his thyroid sub clinical hypothyroidism and put him on levothyroxine low dose. What are the odds we need an endocrinologist? Why would he suddenly have this happen? He is a very healthy 61 year old. He only has one prescription for idiopathic hypertension, well controlled with 10 mg lisinopril. He has congenital left bundle branch block but otherwise has always very healthy, rarely has colds or other seasonal illness.
Hi Lydia,
The most likely cause is Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, probably related to lifestyle/stress/genetics/things of that nature. He may benefit from seeing an endocrinologist and, at the very least, he should be re-tested to see if those lab tests are consistent or just an anomaly.
Hi Dr Childs,
I had a thyroidectomy @ 5 years ago but have been on levothyroxine for 35 years. Most recently the dosage had been increased to .175mcg. Yesterday I was tested again and the TSH is 79.9. I havenโt yet heard from the doctors office yet, but what do you suggest should be done now? Thank you so much for your time.
Update: I did hear from the doctor who has increased the dose of levothyroxine to 224 mcg daily while keeping the liothyronine at 10mg although that was also low. A week on the new dose and although I know itโs early, not noticing any difference yet.
Hi Nancy,
It usually takes a good 4-6 weeks for thyroid doses to start kicking in.
Hi Dr Childs,
Thank you very much for responding. Well, Iโm still in a bad cycle with every low thyroid symptom full force. But my doctor says Iโm now hyperthyroid. Iโve put on @40 pounds. Now my oldest son has been diagnosed with Hashimotoโs. Any ideas on how to change this cycle and lose this weight? Thank you!
Sincerely,
Nancy
Hi Nancy,
Are you taking anti thyroid medication like methimazole? Or has your thyroid been removed or ablated?
HI. I am on 25mg Euthyrox down from 125g over past 4 – 5 years. I am determined to get of the meds altogether. The last test was T3 3.6, T4 16.4, TSH 5.8. Basically normal but for slightly high TSH which COULD be accounted for by some increased stress experienced in the days before the test.
I have been on homeopathic treatment Aur-Iod (Gold / Iodine) and am now going to start iodine drops.
Is it safe to abandon the Euythrox? Physically I feel find. What effects I do have seem to match more closely with side effects to the drug than to a thyroid malfunction effects.
I am 64, caucasian, live in Asia, use no other meds – use TCM when needed (CHinese Traditional Medicines)eat healthy foods and avoid all processed food.
Hi Jeremy,
Some people may be able to get off of thyroid medication (but not all). This resource can help you determine if you are someone who may be able to get off of it at some point: https://www.restartmed.com/how-to-get-off-of-thyroid-medication/
Hi, found this very informative! Last check I had 6.3 tsh. Doc increased my synthroid. II had another test yesterday. Waiting for doc to call this evening. I have all symptoms you describe from obesity to exhaustion. Not any better since raising med. I expect its not any better. Waiting to hear. Thank you, Maggie
Hi Maggie,
My pleasure! Glad you found it helpful. There are many other things that you can do to help improve your situation and you can read more about those here: https://www.restartmed.com/natural-thyroid-remedies/
O.Williams
August 18,2022
After being hospitalized 2 days in November 2020, with AFIB my blood test for TSH was 8.56.From Years before my ranges were from 1.71 up to2.77.
My most recent 7/27/22 was 1.18mc/U/mL . From a second home test my test read TSH 1.4ulU/mL, ft.4 -1.4ng/dL ft3 3.1pg/mL, TPO 25lu/mL. Should I stay on 50Levothyroxine mcg tablet? I have since been advised I have parathyroid ism by my kidney doctor who subscribed 6 doeses of D2 50,000 every two weeks. My primary isn’t very enthused re talking about the Hypo issue . I have your thyroid multi vitamins but can’t take them yet as my Dr. Says no with my blood thinner Paradaxa.
Hi Opal,
Unfortunately, I’m not able to provide medical advice regarding what you should do with your thyroid medication dose. I would, however, recommend checking out this article which can help you find a more competent thyroid doctor: https://www.restartmed.com/how-to-find-a-doctor-to-treat-your-thyroid/
I had head/neck cancer at the base of mu tongue. I went through 35 sessions of radiation and 7 session of chemo. Last treatment was Feb. 10, 2022. In June I was cancer free. The TSH results were in range through June (TSH 2.48) However, during 3 months follow up my TSH went 7.9. I donโt have any symptoms but now Iโm a little concern. I had my follow up with my Radiologist last week but the lab results didnโt come through until this week. What do you think will be the next step? Iโm hoping to hear from my doctor as well, but just want to see what you think.
Hi Craig,
The next step will be to assess your symptoms and order a more comprehensive thyroid lab panel to see if it’s actually a problem: https://www.restartmed.com/thyroid-tests/
I have normal range T4 and T3, my TSH was 7.0, mid 50s, and my primary care has increased my Synthroid from 150 mcg to 175 mcg to attempt to lower. Except my TSH is now at 30.0 and my weight has increased by 50lbs. My CRP has also increased significantly. I am not iodine deficient. I do have to gradually increase the Synthroid, or I have adverse reactions. I am not celiac, however I have an extreme reaction to corn gluten (like a celiac would) and sensitivity to many medications, allergies to sulfa, prednisone, and plaquenil (hives, fever). I am on a “clean” diet. I am at a loss of what to do and my primary care now wants to increase from 175 mcg to 200 mcgs, but I fear another 50lb increase and I am already in thyroid fatigue having no feelings of restfulness after 9 hours of sleep and needing an afternoon nap.
Hi Carolyn,
It is likely that you are either being underdosed and/or being treated with the wrong thyroid medication. I would recommend checking out these resources which will explain your situation in more detail:
https://www.restartmed.com/t3-medication/
https://www.restartmed.com/levothyroxine-weight-gain/
https://www.restartmed.com/normal-thyroid-levels/
My tsh is 5.5 in June. ( just got a redraw today). But I have literally NO symptoms.
I have high energy, I am 68 and take no medications. I did gain 20lbs
with menopause in 2006 which I still struggle to lose. But I really do
not have ANY other of the symptoms you mention. Should I take
levothyroxine if my result today is still high and my Dr. recommends.
Hi Geraldine,
It’s always situational but there are situations where avoiding taking levothyroxine, even if your TSH is abnormal, may make sense.
Well heck,
I have and still have a TSH of over 14.8- to lows 15s for the last 10 years. From what is have read I have Hyperthyroidism. I don’t have any of the classic symptoms that go with Hyper.. I will increase my Iodine, zinc, Selenium and Vitamin D. I do not take any prescriptions ( never have), I am 64 and my weight is higher that it should be.. 230-240lbs for over 10 years. Work out 3-4 times per week. Got any ideas Thanks,
Larry
Hi Larry,
A high TSH is indicative of hypothyroidism (not hyperthyroidism). If your TSH was very low, such as 0.01 or something similar then that would be more indicative of hyperthyroidism. Based on what you have shared here, it looks more like hypothyroidism.
My granddaughter, age 17, had bloodwork done recently. Her doctor diagnosed her with iron deficiency, TSH value of 158.447 (Ref Range 0.530-6.340). This number is WAY ABOVE the normal range. This has gotten me so afraid of what it might indicate. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!
Hi Heidi,
An elevated TSH is a classic sign of hypothyroidism. It could be a lab error or it could just be that she has severe hypothyroidism.
44 F here – I’ve been diagnosed with GERD and anxiety/depression over the last 2 years. And I’ve taken OTC probiotics for regularity for years, due to bouts of constipation. I went from a healthy weight in fall 2021 to 15 lbs weight gain by January 2022 + fatigue, though I am very active. I had ‘standard range’ TSH labs in January 2022 at the time and my vitamin D was low so my primary put me on a supplement. No luck losing the weight this last year and I’ve added forgetfulness and brain fog to my list of chronic issues. And intense cravings for sugar, especially when doing endurance exercise (3-6 hour hikes). I decided to try a registered dietician to work with me on what and when I was eating to see if it could help. She asked for blood work right away and I was T4 .05 and TSH 20.4 this week, cholesterol a little high (expected since I’m now technically overweight). I laughed out loud at the end of this video with the comment on acid reflux which is major daily issue for me. SMH. Maybe I finally will have a diagnosis to rule all the other diagnoses! Wish me luck!
46/F here; I was recently diagnosed with hypothyroidism, TSH at 16.59. Additionally, and what I found to be even more concerning factors, was that my wbc and rbc counts were both out of range on the high end. The doctor didnโt seem overly concerned, but I sure wasโฆ
While at my last appointment, waiting for the news, I had managed to work myself up and had tachycardia. 170/88 bp, pulse at 123. I was a nervous wreck. Normally bp is at 117/72 (with lisinopril)
I was prescribed Synthroid 100 mcg and Cardizem 180/ 2 times a day along with one lisinopril. I do NOT like how this drug makes me feel and am curious as to why Iโm actually on it. Yes, a question for my doctor, however I wonโt see him for another 5 weeks.
Is it somewhat standard to use cardizem linked to hypothyroidism or Synthroid use?
Hi Elizabeth,
I don’t know if I would say it’s common but many physicians will put preference on the heart over the thyroid, even if it means using medications that may cause issues with the thyroid. I would also say that this is often an oversight on the part of the physician as they are probably unaware of all of the potentially negative impacts that certain medications can have on thyroid function.
Hi Dr. Childs. I have been battling hypothyroidism for years. I have been gradually moved up the prescription dosage by my physician over time. 124 MCG levothyroxine was my last dosage the TSH level showed good on the the old lab results from 6 months ago. I continued on the prescribed dosage of 124 MCG… I recently had a lab result return of 12.69 on my latest report?? I was prescribed a stronger dosage of Levothyroxine 250 mcg.
Many of the symptoms you have outlined I’ve had for years even when I was in the US Army and my condition was never identified as a medical condition; instead I was ridiculed and labeled only as a person not eating properly or exercising etc… Which was certainly not the case I worked out daily and my diet was very strict… I did everything everybody else did from PT to field maneuvers with unusual difficulty but I pushed through it… I had no answers or no one to ask about my issue because I had no idea what was going on.. … I had a slow heart rate and gained weight regardless of how much I exercised. Usually the medical staff would have to take my pulse and blood pressure 2 or 3 times.. by different staff members… They dismissed it as is normal Army protocol of course.
Anyway I decided to end my career embarrassed after 10 years and end my enlistment. I had a civilian checkup after I got out with a great doctor who identified hypothyroidism and type 2 diabetes with lab results and my TSH level was 13. 5 at that time… Levothyroxine was prescribed (Synthroid) but over time I quit taking the meds until about 2 years ago…
My question is from Normal to the latest High reading 12.69 and while taking the prescribed meds should I be concerned or seek another medication? What is the largest dosage of Levothyroxine a person can take? I enjoyed your presentation it was very helpful and informative…