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05-29-2008, 01:52 AM
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#1 (permalink)
| | Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 10
Points: 1,289.22 Bank: 0.00 Total Points: 1,289.22 |  Elevated TSH, normal T4, so no action needed?
Hi all,
I am a thin cyster, age 42, with pretty mild PCOS symptoms. Well, they suck, but still, they could be worse. Lately, I've noticed that my hair is thinning. It has always been very thick, so its not noticable yet to anyone but me, but I am trying to figure out what is going on and to try to get on top of it before it becomes a real problem. There are so many potential causes, including the PCOS, that I don't really know what to do. I stopped taking a bunch of supplements that seemed to coincide with the timing of the start of the thinning. And now, I am wondering if my thyroid might not be an issue.
Looking back at my labs, at age 35 my TSH was 2.90. Now, for the past two years (post childbearing, which I know sometimes affects the thyroid) it has been 6.95 and 6.37, but my T4 was 1.26, and so my doctor did nothing. I'm not really sure if I'm having hypothyroid symptoms or not. Certainly, the hair thinning. But nothing else really. I'm going to see my doctor in a couple of weeks and I'm wondering what to ask her about this? Any advice?
Thanks! | 
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05-29-2008, 02:21 AM
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#2 (permalink)
| | Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 285
Points: 10,422.57 Bank: 19,063.46 Total Points: 29,486.03 |
Well, a lot of doctors will use TSH to diagnose thyroid conditions, so based off of that your labs indicate that you are hypo.
You want to make sure that your doctor is testing your free T3 and free T4. It's possible you have enough of one but not enough of another. If that's the case, you may benefit from a thyroid medication that contains *both* T3 and T4, like Armour thyroid, instead of one that's just T4, like Synthroid. | |
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05-29-2008, 04:24 PM
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#3 (permalink)
| | Shattered Dreams!
Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: The ignorance capital of Canada
Posts: 14,430
My Mood:  Points: 22,073.70 Bank: 3,428,528.32 Total Points: 3,450,602.01 |
You may want to ask your doctor to have your antithyroid antibodies tested.
For years I suffered unnecessarily because the doctors opted to not treat similar lab results.
It was after testing for other reasons that we discovered that my body was killing off my thyroid.
If your doctor is not willing to do further testing, it maybe time to find a new doctor.
Good luck!
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05-30-2008, 11:08 AM
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#4 (permalink)
| | Looking to Lose 30
Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Upstate New York
Posts: 2,341
My Mood:  Points: 26,099.93 Bank: 44,118,047.51 Total Points: 44,144,147.44 |
My doctor has always used my TSH as an indicator of my hypothyroidism. Normal TSH levels are 0.3 to 3.0.
Mine was in the 6 or 7 range and she put me on synthroid right away to stimulate it. Now I'm down to around 3 - 3.5
__________________ Symptoms: Obesity, Hirsutism, Hair Loss, Irregular Menstruation, Insulin Resistance, Hypothyroidism, Acid Reflux, Acanthosis Nigricans Daily Medications: 500 mg Flutamide, .50 mcg Synthroid,
1500 mg Metformin, Apri (BCP's), 40 mg Nexium
Weight Stats: Original: 234, Current: 224, Short/Long Term Goals: 200/130
Exercise: 600 monthy minutes of WiiFit (601 in July so far)
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