Thyroid Removed but TSH still not right

[Jenna5]

Hi,

I'm Jenna, I'm 26 and I had my thyroid removed in November 16, due to being overactive. I've been on Thyroxine ever since and I was taking 150 a day but TSH was then too high, so they lowered me to 125 which makes my TSH too low, so each month I flip between the two amounts and it's not getting better, I've had my T3 tested too and it's fine, I can't stop putting on weight either, which I've never had a problem with. Any advice at all would be much appreciated xx

[greygoose]

I think we have a bit of confusion here... If your TSH were high, the dose should be increased, not decreased. But, once your TSH is under one, they should stop dosing by the TSH, because it's irrelevent. If a doctor doses by the TSH, of course you're going to have doses that go up and down.

Do you have a print-out of your results? If not, it would be a good idea to ask for one.

[Jenna5 in reply to greygoose]

Oops sorry, I wrote it the wrong way round 🙈. I was on 125 for 5 weeks and my T4 last week was 12 so it was fine but my TSH was 14 so now I'm back up to 150 (last time this dosage made my TSH very low), and all I've been told his to try and stick to the same brand of thyroxine for a few months to see if that helps. i really don't know what to do, as I'm reading so much on the internet but he doesn't agree with any of it. Unfortunately I live on the Isle of Man and there's only one Endo here so no second opinions.

I will try and get a print out next time I see him.

[greygoose in reply to Jenna5]

Well, you don't give a range, but on most of the ranges I've seen, 12 isn't fine at all for FT4. It's too low.

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to greygoose]

Quite. You need Free T4 in the top quarter of the range and TSH under 1. It's also very useful to know free T3 (also needs to be in top quarter of range)

[Jenna5]

Oh Christ, no wonder the weight gain then

[greygoose in reply to Jenna5]

The weight gain has nothing to do with either your TSH, not your FT4. It is low T3 that causes symptoms like weight gain. You need to get your FT4 and FT3 tested at the same time, to see if you're converting the T4 you're taking, to the active hormone, T3.