TSH Levels

[teyris]

Do your TSH levels stay pretty much the same when taking Levothyroxine? The reason I ask is that mine are different every time and they will only test TSH. I am on 75mg at the moment and my last two tests were

2.9 on 8 January 2015 range 0.35 - 4.5

2.51 on 27 July 2016 range 0.27 - 4.20

Not sure when the range changed but that was on the result print out

[Ansteynomad]

Do you still have symptoms? You look under-medicated to me.

[teyris in reply to Ansteynomad]

My symptoms have never really gone completely but like I have said in previous posts my doctors are less than helpful so I gave up. To give two examples I had swollen ankles and after starting the levo one of them went down and when I asked the doctor what I could do about the other one his response was 'Women would die for ankles like yours' I was astounded and didn't know how to respond but now wonder how many women would like one thin ankle and one cankle! Ha Ha, ok so I am exaggerating a bit there but one is definitely bigger than the other. Another thing was my face across either side of my nose has been swollen for about 3 years and the same doctor said 'thats just you' when I asked him about it. I have to admit I have had better treatment from the locums that they have in the surgery but there are not there for long enough. My latest thing is that my ALT is slightly raised and the Dr I saw requested a scan and more blood tests to see what the cause was. My scan is next week. The surgery phoned me to come in that day for the results and when I went in I saw a different Dr and he said there was really no need for me to go in as the results were only slightly raised and he has seen people with way higher results than mine, so I said to him you phoned and asked me to come in! his response to that was 'what are we supposed to do, we had 90 test results in today and we can't send letters to all of them' I get so annoyed as I only go when I absolutely have to and when you get that response it makes you want to go even less. Sorry for the rant

[Hidden]

My TSH is 2.93 and my GP says I'm fine and won't give me medication. What symptoms have you got please?

[teyris in reply to Hidden]

Other than feeling tired, hair falling out, feeling cold and really dry skin I find it hard to say because when something is there all the time you just get used to it if you know what I mean. Its only when I read something that reminds me I have more symptoms that I realise.

[humanbean]

There was an 18 month gap between the two TSH results you've quoted. An awful lot can change in 18 months.

Some reasons why TSH changes between tests. This is not a complete list :

1) Time of day when blood is taken affects results.

2) How much you had eaten is relevant.

3) If the gap between taking last dose of levo and the blood draw changes then results may change.

4) If your nutrient levels alter, it could change results.

5) If your cortisol level altered, your TFT results might change. e.g. if your stress levels were different then your cortisol levels are likely to be different, leading to different results.

[teyris]

I usually have morning appointments and I take my levo about 6.30 and have breakfast before I go. I will make sure in future I don't eat or take my levo. I didn't know they were doing the last one as I was having other tests done.