[SueAndHerZoo]

#1060588

I know it takes quite a while for our TSH levels to catch up every time we make a dose change, but are we talking weeks or months?

The last time I changed doses was 3.5 months ago. I had blood drawn last week and my TSH is .23 (normal range .40 to 4.0). I know doc is going to call and tell me to lower my Levothyroxine some more, but I would love to stay at the current dose, at least for a while (so sick of changing all the time and I feel fine at this dose).

So will I get away with telling him I want to wait another month or two to see if my TSH goes higher, or do you think it’s done climbing after 3.5 months?

Thanks in advance.
Sue

[Kimberly]

#1183538

Hello – I think that you’ve had a “normal” TSH since your surgery, correct? You should see the TSH respond within a few weeks, but hopefully, others will jump in with their experiences.

It might also be helpful to check T3/T4 before making a decision on dose changes.

[SueAndHerZoo]

#1183539

Hi Kimberly.
No, I’ve not seen a normal TSH since my surgery. I’ve been hanging in the .01 to .04 range for over a year past surgery and FINALLY jumped up to .1 a few months ago, and then to .23 during this last blood test. My T3 and T4 were indicative of me still being hyper for the first year post-surgery but in the past 6 months those have fallen into normal range. It’s just the TSH that still shows me hyper.

So you think I SHOULD lower the levo even more, huh? I was hoping that if I stayed at this dose a few more months the TSH would creep up a little more.
Sue

[Kimberly]

#1183540

Hi Sue – We can’t comment on dose changes, but if your TSH has never been normal, it’s certainly worth talking to your doctor about the fact that antibodies can potentially be responsible for TSH suppression:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17199435

You also might go through any other meds that you are taking with your doc, as some are known to suppress TSH:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2784889/

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[Liz1967]

#1183541

Sue,
I don’t know if this helps, but I had a total thyroidectomy 13 months ago and I find the values do move around a bit. I am on 88 four days a week and 75 three days. I started at 112 and it has taken awhile to get to a good dose despite the fact my values have been pretty much within the normal range. The first six months, the TSH did not move as much while still normal. I have found it takes a minimum of two months and usually three for your body to really stabilize at a dose and symptoms of too high or too low lag behind the labs by a month. Trust me, you never want the TSH on high side, you feel awful even if FT4 is okay. I know that the TSH can stay low for a few months after TT. I would slowly reduce the levothyroxine. Also, TSH seems to be lower in morning and higher in afternoon, so when you get blood drawn may matter too. I have no patience so it has been hard finding the “perfect” dose but I am pretty much there. Take your time and make changes slowly. I have found the TSH to most accurately reflect how I am feeling so I don’t pay a lot of attention to the free Ts.

[SueAndHerZoo]

#1183542

Thanks, Kimberly, for the links. I’m thinking neither one of those issues are the problem but it’s worth considering and I will mention it to doc next time I see him.

Thanks, Liz, for your note – it did help a lot. I have been slowly (VERY slowly, much to my endo’s dismay) lowering my Levothyroxine since my surgery (July of 2013). I started at 125 mcg. and have been coming down in tiny increments for the last 18 months. I’m now at 88 mcg. (for the past three months) and I feel good at this dose, but the TSH just came back at .23 (normal range .40 to 4.0). I’m guessing when I talk to doc he’ll tell me to drop down some more but I am hoping if I give it a little more time maybe the TSH will go even higher on its own. If he does urge me to lower Levo some more I will do 88 mcg. 4 days a week and 75 three days a week. I agree – I would rather be a little low on TSH than a little high.

I’m not calling him because I don’t want to change doses but I’m sure when he catches up with the paperwork on his desk I’ll be getting a call from him. Thanks for the feedback.
Sue

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