TSH levels and underactive thyroid, what's your target?
My TSH level is hovering dangerously close to 5, which usually is considered normal (but barely). However, there are a growing number of physicians who believe lower TSH levels are better. Anyone here who had their dr increase their hormone replacement to suppress TSH below 3? How do you feel, side effects etc? And if you want to say what do you take, synthroid, cytomel, other? BTW I am diagnosed Hashimoto's and am currently on 100mcg synthroid, I suspect I need more because I feel like crap all the time but am otherwise healthy. My Dr. thinks "normal is normal" so she won't raise my medicine. My TSH is 4.97.
User Comments
- This is such a specialised area that it is impossible to give general advice. You need specialist advice based on your medical history so I would suggest you see an endocrinologist.
- SHEEP!
Asking this question showed me what sheep people are. You wander into the doctor's office like zombified sheep, you take no interest in your diagnosis, you don't question your doctor, you don't examine his or her conclusions, you do no research of your own, you seek no understanding. You swallow whatever is prescribed and do what you are told. Bleat, bleat little sheep. All the answers sucked. I guess I am the only one around here smart enough to bother to understand my condition, test results, and possible treatment avenues. Not to mention the poor understanding of the english language demonstrated by those who answered.
- Are you seeing an endocrinologist? That's where you should start.
- Wow, what part of My Dr. says blah blah raise my medication was unclear? And I'm looking to see if anyone is following the new TSH guidelines and has noticed an improvement in well-being so I'm asking for subjective patient experiences, not "specialized" knowledge. Is English a dead language?
- it all therotical!
ur physcian may be right "dont treat the lab. result,treat the patient"
TSH means nothing if u feels good so that's more logical couse there is people are not the same,so focus in what u feel rather than what the papers says and keep in mind that it takes 6 weeks to feel the cahng in ur medication.
if u didnt feel well by then go back to her or another one