Hypothyroid & fluctuating TSH

[minniemuffinmoo]

Hi everyone, this is my 1st post on here. I was diagnosed back in april with autoimmune thyroiditis (hypo). My TSH was 9.6 & I was put on 25mg of Levothyroxine & this was soon increased to 50mg. Slowly my TSH came down to 6.4 until my last blood test last week. My TSH is now 14, higher that when I was diagnosed!! Is it usual for this to happen? That seems to be a big jump from 6 weeks ago when it was 6.4. My GP has increased my dose now to 100mg & I think he was trying to say that to maintain me within range my levothyroxine must be increased to 100mg. He also did an an antibody test back in May & he said that the rate my immune system is attacking my thyroid is fast or high. Am I right in assuming that this can happen until the right dosage of levo has been obtained?

I do have the usual symptoms & have not felt too good lately, so suspected that my TSH had gone up.

Any help would be very much appreciated

[Clutter]

Welcome to the forum, Minniemuffinmoo. Autoimmune disease (Hashimoto's) will in time destroy your thyroid gland but Levothyroxine will slow progression of the disease.

Autoimmune disease is thought to start in the gut and some Hashi patients find benefit from adopting a gluten-free diet which sometimes help to reduce antibody levels and the frequency of Hashi flares.

Ask your GP to test ferritin, vitamin D, B12 and folate as hypothyroid patients are often deficient/low and these deficiencies can cause musculoskeletal pain, fatigue and low mood similar to hypothyroid symptoms. Post your results with the lab ref ranges (the figures in brackets after your results) in a new question and members will advise whether supplementation is required.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

[minniemuffinmoo]

Thank you for your reply. I have had all the tests you mentioned & they came back within normal. So I am having a Hashi flare despite being on the levothyroxine? I will have to read a little more about Hashi's as my GP never uses that word but I know it's one & the same when you have autoimmune thyroiditis!

[Stourie in reply to minniemuffinmoo]

Although your results were within normal limits maybe they are not optimal for you. Would you post your results and let the good folks here comment.

[minniemuffinmoo in reply to Stourie]

I don't have a copy of them..can I request them all from my GP?

[Stourie in reply to minniemuffinmoo]

Yes, and they cannot refuse altho they may try but it is your right to get them

[Chicken12]

I was referred to an Endo when my TSH rose to 8 or 10 I think it was. They tried me on thyroxine for one year, to see if the TSH reduced, and it did for a while but then it crept up again. When I saw the Endo I had bloods taken for kidneys and tests carried out for the pituitary. Luckily it was neither. I was diagnosed with Hashimos after testing positive for the antibodies. My GP never put me on a high enough dose of thyroxine, I was only ever on 50 and I take 100mcg now. I would think they will monitor you for a while and then refer you to an Endo if results don't come into the "range". Do you feel okay? I had huge weight gain, tired, forgetfulness, cold etc.

[minniemuffinmoo in reply to Chicken12]

Hi thanks for your reply. So did the endo do the antibody test when you had the other tests? I have already had this & it's positive.