JUMP OF TSH from 6 To 25

[Anshu3]

I am 48 year Make , In 2014 I had TSH Of 7 , Was put on Levo 25 , Maintained TSH of 2 , In April 2017 , TSH Was 6 , In Sept 2.5 , In April it Suddenly jumped to 23.5 , My Dr asked to go for Re test , On retest it came 25 , Why this Sudden Jump , Something Seriously gone wrong ?

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Have you had thyroid antibodies tested? We're they raised confirming autoimmune thyroid disease aka Hashimoto's?

Do you always have blood test done at the same time - we always advise earliest appointment of the morning after an overnight fast (water allowed).

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Well surprised it's taken that long to get such reaction

Standard starter dose is 50mcg (not 25mcg) and dose be increased in 25mcg steps, retesting 6-8 weeks later each time

NICE guidelines saying how to initiate and increase. Note that most patients eventually need somewhere between 100mcg and 200mcg Levothyroxine

cks.nice.org.uk/hypothyroid...

Have you had change in brand of Levothyroxine? Teva brand has upset many patients

You now obviously need dose increase. Possibly several increases. Maximum dose should be stepped up at any one time is 25mcg

Essential to test thyroid antibodies to see if cause of hypothyroidism is autoimmune thyroid disease also called Hashimoto's

Plus ask GP to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Always get actual results and ranges on all tests

[Mary-intussuception]

Following your results in April 2017 were you given an increase in dose of Levothyroxine? Was there any change in dose in September 2017?

Has anything else changed - new medication or the way you take your LT4?

[Anshu3 in reply to Mary-intussuception]

Nothing Changed

[Mary-intussuception in reply to Anshu3]

You could ask your doctor why there was no dose increase, as that's what should have happened both 12 months and 6 months ago.

Have you been referred to an Endocrinologist? If so, hope you get a good one. Can't understand why you were left on 25mcg all this time.

[shaws Administrator]

25mcg levo is a supplementary dose- not a full dose by any means. I don't know how you've lasted for 4 years on 25mcg of levo.

Your doctor is another who is ignorant about hypothyroidism. The aim is a TSH of 1 or lower with a Free t4 and Free t3 in the upper part of the range. These two are rarely tested and I shall give you a link and read why these are necessary.

We have to have an optimum dose of thyroid hormones to avoid other problems arising, such as heart etc. Brains and heart need the most thyroid hormones and we have millions of T3 receptor cells which all need T3. levothyroxine is an inactive hormone (T4) and has to convert to T3.

Do you always have your blood tests at the very earliest, fasting (you can drink water) and allow a gap of 24 hours between your last dose and the test. If our tests are late afternoon the results are skewed. TSH is highest a.m. and drops throughout the day. Food also interferes with the uptake of the hormones and a gap of 1 hour should elapse between dose and food/coffee.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

Always get a print-out of your results with the ranges for your own records and post if you have a query. At your next blood test also ask for B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate and thyroid antibodies.