TSH all over the place

[JMC2]

Hello,

I would appreciate any advice. I was diagnosed with Hashimotos in June. My TSH was 30 so I was put on 50 mg of levothyroxine. I couldn't tolerate it so the dose was reduced to 25. At my next blood test (mid July) my TSH was 8 so it was left at 25 mg. At the end of August I had to have a blood test at hospital (for something unrelated) rather than my GP. The TSH has come back as 60. In the interim I saw Dr Peatfield and have started treating my adrenals. I've just started nutri thyroid to see if that makes it easier. My question is - is it normal for TSH to be so unstable? I would be so grateful for any insights.

[Hennerton]

As long as you keep changing doses of medication, TSH will be unstable. It is simply a marker of how much thyroxine your pituitary gland has detected in your body. It will be high if you need more and will drop if you need less, hence it will tell your thyroid to release more thyroxine or less, as the case may be. At least that is the the theory. In practice it is not so perfect in many people. A dose of 25 mcg is just a starter and should have been increased when your TSH was at 8. If you are seeing Dr P, however, and he is treating your adrenals, he may wish you to stay on a low dose until your adrenals can handle more. Some doctors believe that the right dose of thyroid will help adrenals, so it is a tricky decision. I think you should be guided by him, unless symptoms do not improve.

[JMC2 in reply to Hennerton]

Thank you for your help. I was just confused as to how my TSH could go from 30 on no thyxine to 60 on thyroxine - albeit a low dose.