Surpresed TSH and NDT

[stockman27]

Hi everybody a bit of a technical question, I should have asked my Dr this morning but I forgot.

I have no thyriod so I am dependant on Thyroxin. I have been told that taking NDT will supress my TSH but if i am on the correct dose, why is this.

regards

John C

[greygoose]

Because, if you're on the correct dose, you won't need TSH anymore. TSH - Thyroid Stimulating Hormone - secreted by the pituitary when it senses that there isn't enough thyroid hormone in the blood. If there's enough hormone in the blood, the pituitary doesn't need to stimulate the thyroid.

The fact that you've had your thyroid removed doesn't change anything, because the pituitary doesn't know that you've had your thyroid removed. It will still produce TSH when it senses a need for more hormone, and stop producing it when it senses there is enough.

However, it really doesn't matter if the TSH is suppressed. And, if you had your thyroid removed because of cancer, you actually need it suppressed, so that there is no risk of the thyroid regenerating, and with it, the cancer.

[Clutter]

Stockman27,

Post thyCa my endo wants TSH suppressed <0.1 as this reduces the risk of TSH stimulating any stray thyroid cells which may be cancerous.

TSH will only become suppressed when you are taking sufficient dose.

The doses of T4 and T3 required to deliver me FT3 >4.8 where I feel well suppress my TSH to 0.01.