TSH Levels ! Does anyone know what the readings mean ?

[Delly1]

I've had an under active thyroid for 12 years now, and have recently started gaining weight again, almost a stone with no change of diet or lifestyle exercising regularly too, however my recent blood tests for my TSH levels are as follows, in 2011 my TSH was 2.01, however today it is 0.72, does anyone know if this leads to more thyroxine, as I feel as though I need it, but don't understand the results ??? Help !

[Moggie]

How strange - you were fine when your TSH was 2.01 but feel awful now it is 0.72. Have you changed brands lately? If not then it could be nothing to do with your thyroxine but a possible vitamin deficiency - VitD being my first thought as it will always be lower in the winter months.

Does your GP willingly do blood tests? If so you might want him to, not only check your VitD, but your B12, Iron and Ferritin as well.

What symptoms are you having?

Moggie x

[Delly1]

Weight gain !!!

[Moggie in reply to Delly1]

Both VitD deficiency and low iron can cause weight gain. Here is a little snippet regarding weight gain and VitD.

How Does Vitamin D Affect Weight Gain?

According to Brigham and Women's Hospital, vitamin D and a hormone called leptin work together to regulate body weight. Leptin is produced in the body's fat cells and works by sending a signal to the brain to let an individual know they are full and to stop eating. Vitamin D helps to keep leptin and this signal working properly, but when a person is vitamin D deficient, that signal gets disrupted and the body no longer knows it is full. This causes many people to overeat.

And here is a link to an article regarding low iron, thyroid and weight gain

wellnessresources.com/weigh...

Hope this helps.

Moggie x

[Hidden in reply to Moggie]

Great link and of particular interest to me so thanks for posting.

Ali x

[Moggie in reply to Hidden]

Glad it was of interest.

Moggie x

[Delly1]

Thx Moggie, but I'm quite the opposite I'm not over eating at all, which I could understand weight gain if I was, just find it so frustrating though :(, going to go and see if I can get some vitamin D and B12 tablets at the health shop this afternoon. Thx for your support, if you think of anything else keep posting, I spend most of my time supporting people with pancreatic cancer, after losing my mum to it last summer, and I'm really struggling with this weight gain

[Moggie in reply to Delly1]

I wouldn't advise taking VitD unless you have been tested. the more vitD you take the more calcium your body makes and if you take VitD when its not needed the the body will deposit calcium in areas of your body that you don't want it to - like your heart or your kidneys. To much B12 will just flush through the system but no so VitD.

Try and get a test done before supplementing.

Moggie x

[shaws Administrator]

This is a link and the first question one dated November 25, 2002 and another January 25, 2002is about weight gain whilst on levo.

web.archive.org/web/2010122...

[Heloise]

drrind.com/therapies/thyroi...

It would help to know what your FT4 and FT3 levels are. On this chart it you look at the TSH column and see all the lows, it can be connected to Graves, Thyroiditis, estrogen dominance or adrenal disfunction. At any rate, your tsh can be low and yet still have a slowing metabolism and weight gain.