TSH Level 22

[Mmw-15]

Hi I've posted on here before and I am so grateful to all your advice

A long story short

Under active thyroid in Nov

Found out I have goitre / hashimotis In March

RAI treatment in April

On B12 injections and Vit D

My body felt like it crashed, I was on 50mg of Thyroxine so went back early for a scan and bloods again, my scan revealed my whole neck is one mass of swelling both lobes got bigger and she said she can see more nodules than usual - I'm seeing my consultant tomorrow for the exact scan results, my THS level came back at 22 ( 0.4 - 4 ) so consultant called me to say to increase my tabs to 75mg ( which I've now been on for the last 2 weeks )

Please could you let me know if this is the correct dose or will I need to keep increasing it ? After reading other people's experiences a lot of people are on a lot higher dose and not so high reading, I'm just fed up - I've forgotten what it's like to feel normal and really want to feel well again. Thank you x

[Hidden]

Hello Mmw-15,

Sorry to hear of your continuing thyroid health problems.

A TSH of 22.0 is high and could make you feel very unwell. The consultant has increased your Thyroxine and this can take up to six weeks to be totally utilised by your body. Even then symptoms can lag behind good biochemistry by another 6-8 weeks and as the body will only accept small dose increments, there is no way of rushing a better result.

As you are in the middle of treatment, it would be most unwise to consider altering your dose by self treating at this stage.

I hope the consultant can explain everything tomorrow and I wish you luck

Mmw-15.

Flower007

[Mmw-15 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you so much, ill

chat with her tomorrow, last time she mentioned that my thyroid might need removing so we will see. Once again thank you it's so nice talking to people who understand x

[spongecat]

If it's any help, I was diagnosed June 2014 with a TSH of nearly 27 (0.34-5.6) and a below range T4 result.

I felt awful and thought it was all part of getting older/menopause etc.etc.

Depressed, fat and constantly tearful and anxious about everything....I couldn't even answer the phone or make a call without freaking out. My face was all swollen like a Cabbage Patch doll!

I have been tested every 3 months and am currently on 100mcg and it's only since this dosage that I have started to feel so much better and hallelujah!......the waistline is starting to diminish! My head feels clearer and life is better.

In May I tested at TSH 5.14 with FT4 at 13.4 (7.5-21.1).....and that is when I was stepped up to 100mcg from 75mcg. GP wants to get me to around 1 on TSH and upper end of scale T4. I am most curious as to what my August blood test will reveal given that I feel better. There again maybe it's the sunlight (vit D) that I carefully expose myself to?

This condition is so weird!

It's a slow process and reading about other people's experiences, we are all different in how we react to this condition. There is no one size fits all treatment which is why the medical profession needs to realise that this is something that needs to be treated holistically and to be a bit more receptive to the fact that what works for one is a disaster for another.

Being a hormonal, metabolism condition it all takes time, unlike conditions treated with antibiotics where you have a good idea if something has worked or not in around 5 days!

I hope your consultation goes OK tomorrow.

[Mmw-15 in reply to spongecat]

Thank you so much for replying, it refreshing to hear how much better your feeling, like you say it's a weird one and no quick fix 😞 I'm 44 years old and feel like I'm 70 most days, I'll talk to my consultant tomorrow about my thyroxine and see what she says, I'm hoping she will do another blood test so I can see what my results are doing. I'm going on holiday mid August and would love to feel just even slightly better for that. Once again thank you xx

[Clutter]

Mmw-15, you will be on an optimal dose when your TSH is around 1.0. Dose increases are usually in 25mcg increments every 6-8 weeks. It's a slow process I'm afraid.I hope you will feel better soon.

[Mmw-15 in reply to Clutter]

Thank you, I remember the consultant saying about getting my TSH to around 1. It's been 8 months now, lm hoping now I'm getting somewhere, I was unaware the thyroxin was increased gradually until today thank you xx