High tsh, now what?

[Diane92]

6 months ago I had a normal tsh test but after hair falling out recently, I got retested, and it came out high. It's supposed to be no higher then 4.50 and it's 5.06.

My t3 and t4 tests came out normal and even my vitamin d came out normal. They ran other tests that came out normal, too.

So...what does this mean? Does high tsh cause hair loss?

I'm being referred to an endo, but I'm guessing that's 2-4 weeks away going by how they process things.

Woo me. I have a broken body.

[DiamondInTheRough]

Yes, hair loss can be caused by high tsh or hypothyroidism. You'll probably be offered synthroid. It may take a few months to find the right dose, but you'll eventually get it right and hopefully feel/see a difference with your energy level and hair issues. You aren't broken, your thyroid is just feeling a little...sluggish. I also have hypothyroidism, many cysters have it, but I suspect a lot don't know it.

[Diane92]

Thank you so much for answering. I wasn't experiencing hair loss when they last tested, did my thyroid just suddenly...stop working?

[DiamondInTheRough]

Thank you so much for answering. I wasn't experiencing hair loss when they last tested, did my thyroid just suddenly...stop working?

I'm not sure, Diane. It could be that it just happened, it has to start somewhere, right? It usually takes a few months for your hair to show any signs of hormonal changes. What are your other symptoms, if any? My main one is sensitivity to temperature. I mostly feel too cold, my feet are as cold as ice at times. But on the other hand, I'll be the one to crack the windows in the middle of the winter because I feel too hot.

Mine wasn't detected until my early 20's, but I had it tested often prior to that because my sister was born with it. My mother always suspected I had it because we had a lot of the same symptoms growing up, yet each time the bloodwork was 'normal.' My mother also started to have her's tested and it showed up later in her 30's. Neither of them have PCOS, though.

[Diane92]

I'm always cold, fatigued, and then hair loss. Since I was 10 anytime someone would touch my hand or arm they'd tell me I was freezing. And I lived in a very hot place. Then fatigue came around the age of 18 then hair loss close to 20.

[DiamondInTheRough]

Diane, I hope you'll be one of those people who get a night/day response to synthroid. If your symptoms are 100% due to the thyroid, you should be feeling better in no time and will call it your magic drug!

[Getting OLD]

Had blood work two days ago and just learned from a nurse friend of mine that my TSH level is 6.71. In Canada normal levels range from 0.5 to 5.5 so I am not sure what my Dr will do. He won't probably get the results for another week so I guess I'll have to just wait things out. . .maybe this is why I've been so tired!

[Elizabeth82]

When I was pg with DD, my synthroid dose kept getting bumped higher and higher. After she was born...they kept me on the high dose. When DD was about 8 mos old, I would lie in bed at night crying, worrying about death and car accidents and all sorts of things. My heart would be racing and I would be just sweating and tossing & turning. It was awful. I went to my doc thinking I had postpartum depression. First thing she did was check my thyroid levels ...18! No wonder I was so out of control! They dropped my dose down and now I'm feeling so much better...it's crazy that TSH can impact mental & physical well being.