Over Active Thyroid TSH results

[DavidMF]

My wife started in 2009 with OAThyroid, in 2013 She had a RadioActive pill as the Specialist Hospital no longer wanted her on the tablet regime, once the RA Iodine took action any issues could be then dealt with by our local Doctor 😂

Two months later she was like a normal person, this lasted for about 14 months. We then spent the next three years trying to get the balance right with Thyroxin. Margaret seemed best at under 1.0.

As it rose to 1.9 in 2017 I was confronted by a Doctor who said she was overdosing at 75mgs of Thyroxin and wanted to reduce to 50mgs. I challenged this requesting 100mgs, after I put the responsibility on the Doctor if he was wrong, she would go through 12 weeks of torture bought on by the reduction. We eventually agreed to 87.5mgs and she was now balanced and has been for the last 7 years + Margaret was diagnosed with Late onset Dementia Feb. 2022 and was given Donepezil 10mg which helped and keeps her happy.

Last December she had a blood test TSH was 2.75miu/L but seems to be O.K. should I be concerned ? Or can this happen after such a long time of balanced Thyroid ?

Sorry for the length of my note.

David F Husband

[DavidMF]

NotElissa

No T4 & T3 was not tested it was only a basic blood test re NHS guidelines.

[PurpleNails Administrator]

Doctors are taught if TSH in range replacement level is acceptable. So the doctor will argue against TSH having to be under 1.

There’s now lots of research & articles which support that a lower TSH in the reference range can mean a better FT4 & FT3 and help symptoms resolve. You’ve also noted she feel well when under 1.

The TSH is a pituitary signal to thyroid, but it’s not reliable. Being previously hyper can permanently dis-regulate it. Patients are well when the FT4 & FT3 are at the correct level for the individual. That’s different for each person.

TSH of 1.9 is well within range & does not usually prompt a reduction. Ideally FT4 & FT3 is tested were these over range? If not there was not reason to reduce.

Might help of you have a re-read of the replies you had in previous post of 3 years ago.

This posts gives a lot of information which would be relevant here.

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

This is link to view all previous posts

healthunlocked.com/user/Dav...

[PurpleNails Administrator]

DavidMF Were you aware that thyroid function should be checked annually & 6-8 weeks after a dose change. Was this done?

[DavidMF in reply to PurpleNails]

PurpleNails

Yes we do get an annual test and I've recorded all the TSH results since 2013. This hovers around 1.0. This test was done for other reasons hence my surprise when I saw 2.7 and no reaction from Margaret.

[pennyannie]

Hello David MF :

Generally speaking it is recommended that once on T4 medication the TSH is maintained under 2 in the range and we generally better when the TSH is around 1 or lower -

Does your wife take the Donepezil well away from her T4 - Levothyroxine ?

T4 - Levothyroxine is a very fussy hormone and needs to be taken well away from anything else - and should be taken with water on an empty stomach and she needs to wait another good hour before eating or drinking anything other than water.

T4 is a storage hormone and needs to be converted in the body into T3 the active hormone that the body needs in every part of the body with the thyroid synchronising both ones physical, mental, emotional, psychological and spiritual well being - one's inner central heating system and one's metabolism.

In order for T4 to work well and convert to T3 in the body we need optimal levels of ferritin, folate, B12 an vitamin D -

so maybe this is area that needs looking at - as without a thyroid your wife also needs optimal levels of T3 and T4 thyroid hormones and just being in a NHS range somewhere, anywhere, is not conducive to good health and well being as many NHS ranges are too wide to even be sensible.

[DavidMF]

Pennyannie

Yes she takes Thyroxin first thing and Donepezil at bed time.