Low TSH

[svedderfamily]

Had routine bloodwork done at dr. office because they had none on file for me. I was NOT told they would order a thyroid test of any kind. (I had specifically asked.) TSH came back .008 and a very concerned nurse called to say I needed a thyroid ultrasound.

I have been taking Thiroyd (2.5 60mg pills/day currently) starting in July 2015. Took Armour back in 2007-2012 on a year, and then off a year, under a dr.'s care (Integrative dr. in a different state), with diagnosis of hypo, but now am self-medicating. (Long story- I kept thinking back in 2007-2012 that my body would "fix" itself but then would end up back at the dr.'s, desperate for energy to function...) Also, back then, I never tested outside normal ranges for TSH. I was tested for all the T's and had a ratio that the integrative dr. thought needed addressed with Armour during those years.) Since then, I have tried seemingly every over the counter thyroid help since 2012 before trying Thiroyd and feel like Thiroyd is helping a lot. I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia way back in 2002 so unfortunately know what low energy/barely functioning is like.

I told the nurse the truth and she scared me to death saying I could go to jail for this... Sounds like I may lose my current dr. if he is of the same mind... I'm sad because he's been a great doctor for our family and knows his stuff.

Am I likely overmedicating if at .008?

Thanks for your kind opinion on my situation.

[637elphaba]

Oh my, I am also self medicating with Thiroid and do feel better in a week or so. And my TSH is where yours is at.  

I'm still to new at all this so I can't help with all of that.  

But I can tell you that you won't go to jail.  Your using a legal substance and not doing anything wrong.  I'd call that nurse back and tell her she is in the health field not law.  😱😱😱😱

I wanted to relieve your mind of that stressor.  Something none of us need added to our life.  

[Hidden in reply to 637elphaba]

I've just posted worrying that my TSH will be too low  when bloods are taken later this morning and they will use this as excuse to take me off prescriptions for T3. I didn't take my dose yesterday and I believe they hoped to take my thyroid bloods a few weeks ago while I was getting others done.  Perhaps they hoped to catch me out. 

For the past year or two other GP practices I've been with have been taking my thyroid bloods without warning me, so I haven't had a chance to skip my dose the day before. Then my TSH has been suppressed and they have used this to reduce my T4. This time I'm with a new practice and I've taken control of when my thyroid is tested. I don't trust them a yard! 

You can't go to jail for self medicating with a thyroid med - it's not an illegal substance. They can refuse to be responsible for monitoring you on it though. 

[Gilly81]

I too am self medicating, on levo my TSH was always fine but I felt awful. Now my TSH is 0.05 and all hell has broken loose. Doctor panicking, I need to see an endo urgently etc etc!!

The fact that my blood pressure is now normal no longer high and I feel better counts for nothing. I know I am not hyper, I had Graves' disease and I know what hyper feels like, I am far from it. 

I too am wondering what to do next, but I will continue with NDT. 

[Hidden in reply to Gilly81]

The endo I'm seeing says that GPs too often have a knee jerk reaction to suppressed TSH and a suppressed TSH is good and most of us feel better with it suppressed. I have my BP review today and I'm fairly sure the T3 will have taken it down to normal levels now. I'm sticking with it whatever the outcome of my TSH tomorrow. 

[C_S-]

My TSH is .002 and the silly GP told me to just ignore it ...  I have now paid for a private consultation and this guy has told me NOT to ignore it, you don't say. Anyhow, he has given me a longish list of what to take, so I am just about to purchase all and see how I get on. Actually, I feel a good deal better now anyhow, as he has given me a hefty boost psychologically at the very least!  Good luck with your treatment too. 

[greygoose in reply to C_S-]

A TSH of 0.002 is not a problem if your FT3 is in range. It is of no importance.

I Don't know what your private doctor has told you to take - vitamins? minerals? - but I would suggest you Don't start taking them all at the same time. Because if one of them disagrees with you - which is always a possibility - you won't know which one it was. Leave at least two weeks between starting each one.  

[C_S- in reply to greygoose]

Good idea re vitamins etc and how I started anyhow. No, most of everything to do with thyroid is out of kilter, blood cells not absorbing properly. Mainly swapping to natural dedicated thyroid. Specialist also a sufferer himself, so that helps big time. GP just totally confused with my blood tests - don't blame him. X

[Jazzw]

Go to jail??? Honestly, some people... The nurse is the one who should be locked up for saying something so outrageous. NDT is not an illegal substance,

Ok. First thing to know - taking a thyroid hormone replacement drug that contains any amount of T3 is likely to suppress your TSH. Doctors don't seem to know this any more because they rarely prescribe T3. If you take a hormone replacement containing T3, the only blood test result that will provide a hint of what's going on (and even then it's debatable) is FT3 (free T3). If your FT3 is in range, you are categorically not overmedicated. (Some people need it to be over-range because they have resistance to T3 at a cellular level - but that's by the by and something that may not be your issue; one thing at a time).

A scan might be interesting but frankly, the test you need is an FT3.

For what it's worth, I doubt you're overmedicated. You'd feel terrible if you were. But you're only taking 2.5 Thiryoid tablets so I think it's highly unlikely to be too much.

[Hypo32]

My TSH is 0.09 and my GP is fine with that because T4 and T3 are in range. Ask them to test those. 

[Glynisrose]

Any replacement can suppress TSH even levo.  It is better suppresssed for most of us and anyway it is not a thyroid hormone and should not be used in isolation.

[Lucky14]

My TSH is 0.04 and my GP fine with that because my T4 & T3 also in range.

[Berlidders]

TSH test is a crock of useless.... How do you feel? I always base on how symptomatic I am. Blood tests say zero about cellular level. 

[Angel_of_the_North]

Not if you're in the UK. What an ignorant nurse - perhaps she's studying for a law degree at college ...

[Eddie83]

The most important question is: how do you FEEL?  Doctors who think a number is more important than how you feel, and how free you are of hypothyroid symptoms, are malpracticing.

Jail?  That nurse should be fired.  Suggest you bargain with the doctor if he raises a stink.   Tell him you will lower your dose to get your TSH to, say, 0.1.  But if letting it raise to 0.1 causes return of symptoms, tell him!  These doctors need to understand that getting rid of hypothyroid symptoms is their job, NOT a number on a piece of paper.

[jannah]

So guys what is it that your doingvqhich the dr don't do for you and how your getting all this self medicating thing on.

You mansion that you had been diagnosed with fibromyalgia tell me what are the sign for this. I can't work out what is wrong with me and std don't help.

Any info I can get so I can express it to my Dr to see if I will any response from them or get them to send me to specialist.