Hypo to slightly hyper, anyone, anyone, Buehler????

beekiebump · 08-27-2005, 09:16 PM

A month ago, I got my labs checked, because I was changing doctors....I have a small nodule on my left thyroid lobe, and my labs were tsh 2.24 and my t4 was about 1.4. I had lost, since January, about 20 lbs, and have been around the same weight for a few months, and I hadn't done anything different. When I went to get it checked last week, it ws tsh .869 and t4 1.6. The new endo said I was borderline hyper and decided to adjust my meds and test again in about 6 weeks.
I know that losing weight can affect all kinds of hormone levels, etc. but I didn't think it would affect my thyroid after a few months. I was feeling bloated and had a hard time getting rid of a couple of pounds. Once I lowered my dose slightly (and took it by itself - I always took it with my allergy meds), I noticed I lost a couple of pounds.

I don't really understand the way the thyroid works, and am wondering if this sounds bizarre? I spent so much time talking with the Endo about my PCOS diagnosis (which she now thinks I am not PCOS, and since I've lost weight I could stop taking the meds, even though TMI I still have a few of those icky pimple things on my derriere and some follicular cysts and some skin discoloration. We didn't go over the thyroid change really - but at the time I thought it might be delayed reaction to the weight loss.

nobimbo · 08-28-2005, 10:11 PM

It may be that your body requires less of your med since you weigh less now. What type of med are you on? If it's levothyroxine here's some info:

The starting dose of levothyroxine, the frequency of dose titration, and the optimal full replacement dose must be individualized for every patient, and will be influenced by such factors as age, weight, cardiovascular status, presence of other illness, and the severity and duration of hypothyroid symptoms.

Many people notice water retention with this drug, and you may have dropped some of that water once you decreased your dose.

Do you have Hashi's (autoimmune hypothyroidism)? If so, it's common to suppress the TSH level, so unless you were having hyper symptoms the doc didn't need to adjust your dose (your T4 is still in range). Some experts feel it is best to suppress the TSH when there is any growth on the thyroid gland (even if benign). Here's a bit of info about that:

The rationale for TSH suppression therapy is that a reduction in TSH secretion may decrease the growth and function of abnormal thyroid tissue. Exogenous thyroid hormone may inhibit recurrence of tumor growth and may produce regression of metastases from well-differentiated (follicular and papillary) carcinoma of the thyroid. It is used as ancillary therapy of these conditions following surgery or radioactive iodine therapy. Medullary and anaplastic carcinoma of the thyroid is unresponsive to TSH suppression therapy. TSH suppression is also used in treating nontoxic solitary nodules and multinodular goiters.

Did your doc change your pcos diagnosis based on tests or just on the fact that you have lost weight?

Linda