TSH levels after full thyroidectomy and pregnancy?

Question

Hi, I have had my thyroid completely removed back in October of 2006. My t3 t4 and tsh were never 'normal' but i fell pregnant soon after anyway. My daughter is now 5 months old and up until 12 weeks ago my levels were perfect (and perfect thru pregnancy too) Now my t4 is great but my TSH is 22.4 which has doubled from my last blood test 4 weeks ago. My GP is not too concerned and i think im ok, but he cant tell me what having a high reading of tsh is doing to my body. I'm tired and stressed...but i have a baby!! Can someone please tell me what some of the symptoms are and what it is doing to my body?! I had graves disease which is why i had it removed so could it just be antibodies? or something worth while going back to the endocrinologist for. Cheers

Answer 1

Oh, sweetie, you are hypothyroid now! With a TSH that high you need to up your Synthroid (or whatever replacement you are taking). Your body is different now after pregnancy and may require a bit more thyroid hormone to function. I would go back in and question about the high TSH...22.4 is entirely too high. Normal TSH here in the US is between 1.0-3.3.

Best of luck to you!

Answer 2

Your GP is a moron.  Of course your exhausted! A TSH that high is a serious red flag.  It's not antibodies - your body is literally screaming for the hormone it is no longer producing.  The technical term is Hypothyroid.  I'm shocked that your doctor let you go hypo while pregnant - it's increadably dangerous to you and the baby.  

If you have your thyroid removed you need to be on thyroid replacement medication (like synthroid, levoxyl, armour ect).  Your body won't just magically create the hormones :s  You need the thyroid hormones to regulate your metabolism.  

This is definatly something to see your endocrinologist for.  A TSH of even 11 (1/2 of 22?) is NOT normal.  The scale is .3 - 5 usually.  Anything over 5 means you are hypothyroid and need replacement hormones.  Most competant doctors will give you medicine until you feel better and your TSH is around a 1 -2.  

A high TSH is a symptom of a lack of T3 and T4.  (TSH is the signal from your pituitary to your thyroid telling it to make more T3, T4).  Symptoms of hypothyroid are: feeling tired, or cold, low blood pressure, hair falling out, brittle nails, sleeping too much, or sleeping too little, depression, (or in me, anxiety :p ) weight gain, and dry skin.  

Please, please go see your endocrinologist ASAP - it's very bad for your body to go without thyroid hormone.  

There is also a good book on the maket.... I know the author is Mary Shoman - I want to say the title is "Living well with hypothyroidism?" and it covers hypothyroid ect.  It'll also help you out when you talk to your doctor about what's going on.  

PS. Sorry for the tone of this, it's not directed at you.  But incompetant doctors almost killed my dad by missing his TSH of 70! I hate that doctors just blow this off until people are literally in the hospital begging for help...... they should have NEVER told you that a 22 or even an 11 was "ok."