I will be 66 this month and have been on thyroid meds since age 18 on doses varying from 100-150 during which I had 4 healthy pregnancies and under went treatment for cancer in my 40’s Do to the cancer I had a pelvic exenteration ( radical hysterectomy with colostomy) I have a genetic predisposition to high choleseterol (dad died at 68 from heart attack despite being on statins and his dad died at 44) like my dad and granddad I a thin ( 95 pounds) and active. I have osteoporosis and take alendronate once a week. I also take T3 but my doctor doesn’t know it
2 years ago I had to change Dr and the new Dr lowered my thyroid from 100-.75 based on my TSH being .002 (.o4- 4.5) Cholesterol was 215 and he put me on statins 40
I ddn’t notice much difference in the lowered does of levo
Went back in 3 month and he lowered thyroid to 50 based on TSH of .06 I felt tired and constipated after a few months Because of adhesion from my abdominal surgeries I am prone to bowel blockages so need to avoid constipation. Went back a few month later and saw the Nurse Practioner because the Doctor was on vacation. She ordered t4 along with TSH and TSH was .9 ( T 4 was low .5 (.8-1.8) She upped the levo to . 75 and I felt better. She said my liver enzymes were elevated probably from the statins and ordered a lover ultra sound which was normal I stopped taking the statins and tried to just eat healthy. I walk between 5-7 miles per day and take care of my 3 young grandchildren full time
In January I was due to have blood work done with my regular doctor so I stopped taking the levo and t3 for a week and a half. I did this because I was afraid he would lower it again and he doesn’t test t4 I felt of until the last few days of this.. My TSH was high at 4.95 but he said this is insignificant. My cholesterol was 343 Triglycerides 153 LDl 244 and HDL-LDL/ Chol ratio normal at 4.8
He was very concerned that I had stopped taking the statins and upped the dose to 80 which I am scared to take so I am just taking 40. I feel guilty about deceiving my doctor but can’t change I mentioned to him that my cholesterol goes up when my thyroid is low but he seems to think the statins will take care of it.
Does anyone else have anything similar or and what do you do ?
Not sure if I should post this on the thyroid or cholesterol side
Written by
debbiegreco
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Thyroid hormones reduce cholesterol levels usually. So doctors should refrain from prescribing statins until the patient is on an optimum dose of thyroid hormones which means a TSH of 1 or lower with both Frees should be in the upper part of the ranges.
You have, of course, to be on an optimum dose of hormones that relieves your clinical symptoms.
Your doctor is adjusting your dose according to your TSH alone (it seems to me), whereas he should be concentrating on your Free T4 and Free T3 but these are rarely tested in the NHS but vital to know if they are low.
You need - the earliest a.m. test - fasting (you can drink water) and a gap of 24 hours between your last dose of thyroid hormones and the test and take it afterwads.
You can get a private test if you wish, as I doubt your GP will do all of the following:-
TSH, T3, T4, Free T4, Free T3 and thyroid antibodies.
Private tests are home finger pin-prick tests and if you decide to do so make sure you are well-hydrated a couple of days before.
I will also state I'm not medically qualified but had to diagnose myself and by that time TSH was 100 and GP phoned to tell me there should be no worries as my results were fine.
p.s. the aim is a TSH of 1 or lower and FT4 and FT3 in the upper part of the ranges.
Hey Debbie, you should get a full thyroid panel. Tsh at 4 is high and is irrelevant as you need other tests done like your free and available hormones.
Cholesterol - my cholesterol is through the roof, 268, my other reading has doubled. My Endo is not concerned about it, he knows it will get down once optimal on thyroid meds. My gp almost had a heart attack and wanted me on statins even though she knows it is also my thyroid. I go by what my consultant says. My dad is on statins, he has experienced severe muscle weakness. I am not advising against statins, I'm not a doctor, but it is important to get your thyroid levels right and your doctor is wrong by saying it's nothing to do with your thyroid and high tsh - every doctor I have seen Admitted hypothyroidism causes high cholesterol
Yes. I’m sure my Gluten and Dairy free diet has impacted too x
Absolutely, it's not all about thyroid, my aunt says it's genetics, some people just have it high, which occurs in our family, I still have a slightly raised cholesterol with perfect levels. But for a lot of people, this does resolve. I am not too focused on cholesterol, I simply treat it as a good measurement for thyroid levels along with shbg and other markers
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