My GFR went from 54 To 46 In just 6 months. 8 points is significant in that time frame. At the Same time my TSH is very high at 9.2. (Range 0.450 to 4.50) From what I read online hypothyroidism can cause CKD and vice versa. So how can you tell which disease caused the other? What tests should I ask for?
Thanks for any advice!
Eve
High TSH means your thyroid is struggling to produce thyroid hormones, TSH is the signal from the pituitary that switches on your thyroid. Your thyroid regulates how well/how quickly your body functions, so a high TSH indicates low levels of thyroid hormones, so your body goes into a go slow. Treat the hypothyroidism, hopefully your eGFR will rise.
What you can do: take advice on here from the folks that know kidneys and the diets to follow (I’m still a relative newbie over here) and while you’re doing that come join us on the thyroid forum for all things related to your thyroid. healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Thanks Beads for your quick reply. I took your advice and just joined the thyroid group, I hope to learn more. This is the 2nd time my TSH has been high. The last time was 2 years ago was just a tad. This one with low GFR scared me. It helps to have someone reassure me it's not so bad, so thanks for that,
Untreated hypothyroidism can affect your kidneys, but your TSH, although above-range, is not high enough to cause a concern about this. In many places doctors do not even consider diagnosing and treating hypothyroidism until TSH is over 10.To diagnose overt hypothyroidism you will need two consecutive above-range TSH results preferably combined with below-range FT4 readings too, several weeks apart. Being symptomatic and having positive thyroid antibodies will help confirm the diagnosis.
Regarding your declining eGFR, this is, as it says, an estimated figure that can change. One common cause for an unexpected decrease is dehydration, so make sure you are, and have been, well-hydrated for your next test. My partner's kidneys were affected by abnormal TSH results a few years ago but only because his TSH was over 100. The usual above-range TSH numbers experienced before diagnosis should not result in any form of kidney damage. When treatment optimised his TSH, his kidney function improved.
CKD does not result in hypothyroidism, neither does hypothyroidism itself result in ckd, although extreme TSH levels can cause kidney damage if not treated.
Partner, Thank you for your reassuring reply. I've been dieting for fatty liver even though I have a low BMI I lost more weight. I did run into a rough patch all of the month of October where too many things happened at once and caused high stress and I was only drinking about 32 ounces of water instead of the normal 64 ounces. So you're probably right that I might have been too dehydrated.
I brought my cholestrol down to 142 which is low-normal and with additional weight loss I really thought my labs would be good. This was a shocker. I have a doctor appointment next week, I'll see about re-testing the TSH, try to eliminate stress, and drink more water although I think a little wine would help with the stress 😆
Love your comment about the wine!!😁Stress, inflammation and illness can all cause TSH to be elevated, so you may well find your next test returns a within-range result. Try to obtain an FT4 reading too, as a below-range result coupled with an above-range TSH would confirm a diagnosis of hypothyroidism.
Make sure you stay well-hydrated for kidney health and for accurate test readings. NAFLD is unfortunately increasingly common nowadays, and not necessarily affected by dietary changes. Hopefully everything will stabilise for you soon. Let's raise a glass, (of water, naturally!), to that.
Wishing you well.
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