How can I increase my TSH?

[Fmljkl]

Hi, here’s the past year of my lab results. I haven’t changed anything. I’m gluten free and have gained 5lbs of fat. How do I get my TSH up so it looks like it did in December?

[Lalatoot]

Why do you want to increase your tsh? Tsh is not so important once you are on thyroid meds. Tsh is not a hormone it is just telling you how your pituitary gland is stimulating your thyroid. It is Ft3 that causes the symptoms. I notice that your Ft3 level has dropped between when you felt good and your last result.

[MaisieGray in reply to Lalatoot]

Just to clarify, TSH is a hormone - thyroid stimulating hormone; but yes, it's a pituitary hormone and not a thyroid hormone. 🙂

[Lalatoot in reply to MaisieGray]

Thanks. That is what I meant but didn't say!

[Fmljkl in reply to Lalatoot]

I just want to feel great again like I did in December. How can t4 go up and t3 go down without changing meds?

[Hidden in reply to Fmljkl]

Do you know what your T3 is?

Edited, just found it: healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[greygoose]

TSH doesn't cause symptoms, no matter what its level. It doesn't make you put on weight, or lose it. It's the FT3 - the active thyroid hormone - that causes symptoms when it's too high or too low.

[Fmljkl in reply to greygoose]

But how can t4 go up and t3 go down without changing med doses?

[Hypopotamus in reply to Fmljkl]

Probably because you are not converting the T4 to T3.

[Hidden in reply to Hypopotamus]

Yes! That happened to me as well on T4 only drugs - my FT4 levels would rise every time I increased the dose, but my FT3 levels would drop slightly. I was/am a very poor converter and T4 only did not agree with me. In someone converting T4 to T3 well enough, the two FTs should follow another, so that when FT4 goes up, so does FT3. So you are probably not converting well. That could be due to low nutrients (vit 12, vit D, ferritin...) or a sign you'd do better adding a little T3 to your T4. Anyway, suboptimal FT3 levels are what causes hypo symptoms as FT3 is the truly active thyroid hormone.

[greygoose in reply to Fmljkl]

if anything, I've increased workouts. What gives?

This could be the problem. Too much exercise for your level of T3. It's slightly reduced your rate of conversion.

[Fmljkl in reply to greygoose]

Should I increase my t3 and take 5mcg twice a day?

[greygoose in reply to Fmljkl]

You can increase T3 by 5 mcg every two weeks until you feel well. But, might be an idea to hold for six weeks and get retested after you reach 20 mcg, just to check you're on the right track.

[hdm46]

Don’t treat thyroid hormone numbers!!! Pay attention to your symptoms. Yours are hypo. You need to be on thyroid medication.

Desiccated thyroid hormone is the medication of choice because it has T3 in it, which is the potent thyroid that relieves symptoms. Gradual increase in dosage will restore a symptom free state in most sufferers.

It may be difficult to obtain in the UK, but finding a source of this medication is a worthwhile quest!

[Supertoughfish in reply to hdm46]

Hello. Can you kindly tell me more about this medication?