[Bobbi]

#1063381

TSH stands for Thyroid Stimulating Hormone, and it comes from the pituitary. The pituitary acts as a type of "thermostat" for thyroid cells. If it detects too much thyroid hormone, it lowers it’s production of TSH; if it detects too little, it raises it’s output of TSH. The problem is that the TSH is really a type of "running average" of thyroid hormone levels. So if you spent five whole months, for example, with way too much thyroid hormone, then two or three weeks of normal levels isn’t going to make the "average" budge much. It doesn’t mean you have too much thyroid right now — it only means that the TSH averaging hasn’t caught up yet. It will. It just takes a bit of time. But having those thyroid hormone levels in the normal zone is a wonderful start. Try to keep patient, and you should start seeing progress soon.

One other thing: having "normal" levels of thyroid hormone does NOT mean you should instantly "feel" normal. Think of hyperthyroidism as a metabolic hurricane. While the winds are raging, damage is being done to various body systems. When you get back to normal levels of hormone, the winds are gone, but there’s rebuilding to do before things get back to actual normal. It really helps to pay attention to progress rather than to look for absolutes at this point in time.

I do hope you are feeling really normal soon.

[Ewenme]

#1063382

I don’t know how often you have labs done, but this may be the point where it should be more frequent. I also am on Methimazole–started taking it in March (15 mg) and was reduced to 10 after some weeks. A few weeks after that, my T3/4 looked normal, but TSH, like you, still too low. My endo didn’t change my dose and next thing you know, I’ve gone hypo. My hair starting coming out and I was feeling sluggish and fat (starting to gain weight). Suggest you monitor more carefully at this point, judging from my experience. Best of luck!
Joy

[Krystal25]

#1018224

Hello everyone,

So I got my lab results today from my endo on my 6week follow up test. I have been taking 10mg methimazole for the past 6weeks. She told me today my test for T3,T4 are now in the normal range but my TSH level is still very hyper only at 0.03 hasn’t moved any. I still don’t feel a 100 percent yet and still feel like I’m in a brain fog. I am wondering if the TSH level affects anything and if so what?? My past TSH levels were always around 2.5. What would be the next course of action if I can’t get my TSH level back to the normal range?? Any help is appreciated!

Thanks,

Krystal

[Krystal25]

#1063383

Joy,

Thanks for the advice. I am wondering while your T4 and T3 levels were normal and your TSH level was still abnormal did you feel still somewhat off kilter? Any insight would be much appreciated! Hope you are feeling better now!

Thanks,

Krystal

[Kimberly]

#1063384

Hi Krystal – I had the same experience as Joy early on, with a doctor trying to determine dosing off of TSH instead of Free T3 and Free T4. TSH levels can remain suppressed for months in Graves’ patients…and in my case, it was *years*.

It could be, as Bobbi suggested, that you are still feeling the effects of being in a hypER state. Also, I felt very run down for about the first few weeks on the meds, while my levels were dropping. I had a really hard time keeping my eyes open through an entire workday! I started feeling *much* better at around the 8-10 week mark.

I would suggest keeping a specific log of your symptoms and seeing if you can make any correlations with your labs. Also, the more concrete information that we can give our docs (for example “heart rate is Y”, “sleeping X hours per night and still feel tired”, etc.), the better they are able to help us.

[Ewenme]

#1063385

To answer your question, Krystal, I was feeling pretty normal. My first clue that I was going the wrong direction was my hair falling out. I was taken off the ATD completely and after a month went HyPER again. I could tell that was happening because my pulse rate started going up (90-100) and I was feeling irritable. My husband is an engineer, and has me take my BP and pulse every day at least a couple times and is trying to correlate the numbers with what level my thyroid hormone is at. I haven’t been very successful at reading my feelings/moods–not sure if they are really thyroid related, i.e "Is this my thyroid or am I crazy as I suspected all along ?" Hoping better days are ahead for both of us.
Joy

[Krystal25]

#1063386

thanks for all of the responses! I am hoping to be feeling better soon! My only other question is if my T4 and T3 are within normal but my TSH is still 0.03 am I still considered to be hyper??

any info on this would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Krystal

[Ski]

#1063387

Tough to answer that ~ in your particular phase of treatment, you can’t always rely on the TSH, so it’s a good idea to talk with your doctor and see what THEY say.

If it becomes a chronic state (normal T4/T3, suppressed TSH), they usually call it "subclinical hyperthyroidism," and move for adjustments that will stimulate the TSH to return, but again, that’s only if it continues for a VERY long time.

I experienced subclinical hyperthyroidism after my first RAI (I did not receive a large enough dose to finish the job), and I pushed to "wait and see," but after a year went by and nothing changed, I did my second RAI. I did not feel as though I was sick prior to that second RAI, but after I was treated and levels became truly normal and fully balanced, I knew I had NOT been well prior to treatment. Still, that was a FAR different circumstance than the one you are going through right now.

Best to continue with tests every few weeks and "stay tuned" at this point, make decisions with your doctor as the process goes on.

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