suppressed tsh

[Luckylady2]

I’ve recently changed doctors. Been feeling dreadful on Erfa and gained 2 stone in 8 months. My previous endo would not increase dose despite low t3 and t4 as my tsh was optimal My new doctor says I need the increase and has said my thyroid probably doesn’t work anyway after 17 years and I need the higher dose Anyone else have suppressed tsh experience Just wondering - as I’ve had so much conflicting advice. I feel new doctor knows their stuff and am hoping I’ll feel better but I’m worrying about heart and bone health etc Any advice greatly appreciated

[greygoose]

My TSH has been suppressed for years. With, as far as I know, no adverse effects.

TSH has nothing to do with bones and hearts. It's just a chemical messenger from the pituitary to the thyroid to tell it to make more hormone. If you are taking T3, which has a more powerful effect on the pituitary, it will stop making TSH, considering that you don't need more hormone. This may or may not be true, because the TSH is a very bad indicator of thyroid status once it gets below 1, and should therefore be ignored. The most important number is the FT3.

[Luckylady2 in reply to greygoose]

Brilliant - thank you so much for replying 😊

[greygoose in reply to Luckylady2]

You're welcome.

[TiggerMe Ambassador]

Sounds like you have found a good one 🥳 for most of us on a combined regime our TSH is going to be supressed to get the frees in a good place.

It is only really high fT4 that is undesirable for heart and bones, I would embrace your new Endo, it certainly sounds like you have been struggling along under replaced 🤗

[Luckylady2 in reply to TiggerMe]

Yes I really have - it’s been awful tbh and I’m just so had to have found my new doctor! Thank you for replying 😊

[SlowDragon Ambassador]

previous post with results

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

So yes you need dose increase in Erfa

As you have Hashimoto’s are you on strictly gluten free/dairy free diet?

If not get coeliac blood test BEFORE cutting gluten out

[Luckylady2 in reply to SlowDragon]

I’ve had coeliac test and was negative I’m trying dairy free at the moment and I am just thinking a starting gluten free. Does the gluten free have a mask e impact? My tpo antibodies are always off the scale

[SlowDragon Ambassador in reply to Luckylady2]

Loads of hashimoto’s patients find gluten free extremely beneficial

[Luckylady2 in reply to SlowDragon]

Sorry for awful typos in my last reply! It was meant to read ‘massive impact’ I think I have absolutely nothing to lose by trying gluten free Thank you

[SlowDragon Ambassador in reply to Luckylady2]

I was astonished to discover I was gluten intolerant - had zero gut issues

It’s more that with autoimmune diseases we have leaky gut and this allows gluten to cross into blood and causes inflammation, brain fog etc etc

[Luckylady2 in reply to SlowDragon]

That makes absolute sense and I do have quite unpleasant gut issues, and have had for a while. Thank you I will look into this further.

[SlowDragon Ambassador in reply to Luckylady2]

Poor gut function can lead leaky gut (literally holes in gut wall) this can cause food intolerances.

Most common by far is gluten.

Dairy is second most common.

A trial of strictly gluten free diet is always worth doing

Only 5% of Hashimoto’s patients test positive for coeliac but a further 81% of Hashimoto’s patients who try gluten free diet find noticeable or significant improvement or find it’s essential

A strictly gluten free diet helps or is essential due to gluten intolerance (no test available) or due to leaky gut and gluten causing molecular mimicry (see Amy Myers link)

Changing to a strictly gluten free diet may help reduce symptoms, help gut heal and may slowly lower TPO antibodies

Trying gluten free diet for at least 6 months. If no noticeable improvement then reintroduce gluten and see if symptoms get worse

chriskresser.com/the-gluten...

amymyersmd.com/2018/04/3-re...

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

drknews.com/changing-your-d...

Non Coeliac Gluten sensitivity (NCGS) and autoimmune disease

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/296...

The predominance of Hashimoto thyroiditis represents an interesting finding, since it has been indirectly confirmed by an Italian study, showing that autoimmune thyroid disease is a risk factor for the evolution towards NCGS in a group of patients with minimal duodenal inflammation. On these bases, an autoimmune stigma in NCGS is strongly supported

nuclmed.gr/wp/wp-content/up...

In summary, whereas it is not yet clear whether a gluten free diet can prevent autoimmune diseases, it is worth mentioning that HT patients with or without CD benefit from a diet low in gluten as far as the progression and the potential disease complications are concerned

restartmed.com/hashimotos-g...

Despite the fact that 5-10% of patients have Celiac disease, in my experience and in the experience of many other physicians, at least 80% + of patients with Hashimoto's who go gluten-free notice a reduction in their symptoms almost immediately.

Similarly few months later consider trying dairy free too. Approx 50-60% find dairy free beneficial

Hashimoto’s and leaky gut often occur together

Post discussing gluten

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[Luckylady2 in reply to SlowDragon]

I have had so many issues with gut problems for years and this makes total sense. After trying diary free, I’ve definitely noticed an improvement but still having problems. I’ve also had random attacks of severe diarrhoea with hives and angio oedema. I will certainly see how going gluten free might help and make a careful note of what happens. Thanks so much for all that information! I’m very grateful! x

[waveylines]

Ive been on NDT for years and consequently my TSH has been suppressed likewise. My Endo told my GP & myself so long as you keep Ft3 & Ft4 in range no harm can occur. It's usual for TSH to be suppressed when on an optimum dose of NDT.Whoever it is whose treating you is trying to do so via the TSH level..... Never works. There is research evidence that this route leads to under treatment..... Why doctors pursue this as a goal I really don't know why. Refuse to comply and go with the GP who wants to increase.... Sounds far more switched on than most!!

[Luckylady2 in reply to waveylines]

Brilliant thank you 😊 I’ve started on the increased dose and noticed improvement already! For two years I’ve been under treated and have felt dreadful but trusted this doctor. Thank goodness I’ve found my new doctor is all I can say! Thanks for your reply I very much appreciate you getting back to me.

[waveylines in reply to Luckylady2]

Great to hear. 😊😊👍

[Hidden]

My TSH has been <0.01 for well over 15 years. And I´m still alive, despite what doctors told me! I don´t have heart disease, I don´t suffer from osteoporosis; in fact, I cannot think of a single problem caused by my very low TSH.

As far as I know, the TSH has two roles in the body: it signals to the thyroid gland to make more hormones, and it is also involved in T4 to T3 conversion at cellular level. Since your thyroid gland is not responding to the signals of the TSH anyway, and you are taking T3, I would say your TSH is pretty insignificant at this stage.

Just make sure your FT3 is optimal.

[Luckylady2 in reply to Hidden]

That’s very reassuring! Thanks so much for your reply 😊

[humanbean]

My previous endo would not increase dose despite low t3 and t4 as my tsh was optimal

I'm curious. What value of TSH is optimal according to your previous endo?

[Luckylady2 in reply to humanbean]

My last TSH result was 0.88 miu/L