I have been prescribed levothyroxine for hypERthyroidism? Anyone else in this situation?

Question

I don't have my exact numbers but the doctor said the level was high. Does anyone know why the doctor would prescribe the medicine to someone that had a hyperthyroid?

Answer 1

The thyroid level that is generally tested is TSH or Thyroid Stimulating Hormone. If that is high, then a thyroid replacement is prescribed. Did the doctor use the term hyperthyroidism? If TSH is high it means that it is trying too hard to get the thyroid to make thyroxin.

Answer 2

You need to ask the doctor.  It is not unusual to prescribe a drug to "kill off" the thyroid gland and then prescribe thyroid medicine to replace the hormone at a more healthy level.

Answer 3

Science Teacher is correct; if the number was the TSH and it was high, then you have hyPOthyroid and not hyperthyroid, which would explain why you were prescribed the levothyroxine.  If the numbers referred to were T3 and T4, that is hyperthyroid.  If you are hyperthyroid, I'm not sure of the reason for your prescription.

If you were previously prescribed something else for hyperthyroid, like propylthiouracil or methamidazole, and your thyroid function then went too low, that would be a reason for treatment with levothyroxine.  I'm assuming you'd have mentioned if you had already had either surgery or radiation therapy for hyperthyroid; both of those can also lead to a need for levothyroxine.

The only other thing I can think of is that there are some syndromes that may begin by presenting as hyperthyroid although eventually they cause hypothyroidism, like Hashimoto's or some forms of postpartum thyroiditis.  So you could have initially been hyperthyroid but as the condition progressed it moved to hypothyroidism.  I would think that your doctor would have explained this to you if that were the case, but it sounds like you need to speak with him/her for a more detailed explanation anyway.

Hope you're feeling better, anyway!