Thyroid q

[velogirl]

First, don't rule out a mistake with the test. I would be re-tested immediately. I know, thyroid panels are expensive (I have to get them 3-4 times a year), but a mistake with your thyroid meds could be deadly.

This result could also be the result of being inconsistent with taking your meds. If you're not consistent in how you take your meds (see below), you could have false results on TSH, T3, T4, etc.

An elevated TSH (without the accompanying hypo symptoms) could indicate an auto-immune disorder (Grave's Disease or Hashimoto's Thyroiditis). These are difficult to diagnose and require a Thyroid Antibody test in addition to TSH and the T3 T4s.

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Drift (for those of you on thyroid meds):

Did you know that your meds are heat and humidity sensitive? You cannot let them get hot or they will completely degrade. You won't know you're taking bad meds (they don't look, smell or taste bad), but you won't be getting the correct dose. Do not store them in the bathroom. Do not leave them in a closed car (even in your purse) for even a minute.

For best results, you need to be consistent with the time you take your meds. It should be as close to the same time as possible each day.

You need to take your meds at least one hour before you eat and at least five hours after you eat. Thyroid meds are absorbed in your large intenstine (thus the reason for the empty stomach and lots of water). For most folks, this means taking your meds first thing in the morning (or in the middle of the night).

Calcium has a negative interaction with thyroid meds, so you need to eliminate calcium intake (tums, coffee, ice cream, milk,any form of calcium) within the same guidelines as above (1 hr after/5 hrs before). My doc actually recommends waiting 5 hours after taking my meds before I consume any calcium.

[mtbdarby]

TSH also lags 4-6 weeks behind your medication adjustments. Your dr. should not be changing meds based off of your tsh but off of your Ft3 and Ft4 levels. Are you getting those checked as well?

I have graves. My endo would LOVE to see my tsh hit 1! But it's really irrelative what my tsh is as long as my FT3 and FT4 is where it needs to be. Because I have an autoimmune disease, my tsh will be naturally suppressed, yet most endo's focus and treat off of tsh levels. Be informed. Have you ever checked out the mediboards? http://mediboard.com/groupee/forums/a/cfrm/f/470109542
There's a lot of good information here.