Thyroid Issue? Does this sound right?

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-23-2003
Thyroid Issue? Does this sound right?
3
Mon, 09-13-2004 - 11:22am
At my annual exam two weeks ago my Dr noticed my Thyroid was enlarged so she ran some blood tests. She called me back last week and the first question she asked me was 'How are you really feeling? I told her 'I felt great'. She said this 'It's amazing you are even functioning with levels like this." She told me that normal ranges for the thyroid are between .35 and 5.3 and my levels came back at 63.5!!!!!! They told me to get with my Primary care dr and get on medicine. I asked them if it had anything to do with my pregnancy. I have 5 month old twins and developed alot of health issues right before delivery, (Gestational Diabetes, preeclampsia which forced me to deliver at 34 weeks)....They said no. My question is I feel great and Look great. I am 15lbs under my pre-pregnancy weight I have lots of energy. Course I have to with twins but I go from 4:00 am - 11:00pm and never blink and I sleep fine now that both are sleeping through the night. Do these results sound right and is it considered Hyper? or Hypo? I see my Dr on Wed and I hope that she decides to redo the blood test to make sure. I have read about Postpartum Hyperthyroidism that usually hits within 3- 6 months after delivery (I'm 5 months) and just requires short term medicine intervention. With that you can go from Hyper to Hypo with it flucuating every day. I had noticed my hair was very dry and brittle but everyone told me that was hormones. Any ideas? I'm not worried as I feel fine. Not tired or anything. Guess I just want to know if 63.5 is considered Hyper or Hypo. My aunt is a pathologist and she told me it's Hypo but I would think if it's high then it's overactive and considered Hyper? Do I have these backwords?

Brooke,

Wife to Matthew and Proud Mother to twinlings Sarah and Mason

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-19-2004
Mon, 09-13-2004 - 1:07pm
You are hypo. It's sorta the opposite of what you think it would be concerning the TSH test. I am hyper, my TSH was .03

If you search around the net and on here probably for symptoms of hypothyroid and hyperthyroid. But according to your TSH it would suggest hypo.

I gave birth 6 months ago, had gestational diabetes (had to take insulin shots) and was recently diagnosed with graves disease. I did have symptoms though.

There is a condition- postpartum thyroiditis that will sometimes clear itself up. But it's like gestational diabetes, if you had it, you have higher risk of getting it later in life.

Did she start you on any medicine? Did you get any more tests done like your t3 or t4's? I think they do a thyroid antibody test and that will tell more about your condition also.

I'm pretty new here so I dont know TOO much about what tests they run and why. I just know that high TSH means your thyroid is underactive. Low TSH thyroid is overactive, like mine. My body is sped up, which is why I have hand tremors, sweat a lot, anxious, can't sleep, go to the bathroom a lot, increased heart rate, etc.

Good luck to you! Keep us posted. I'm sure other people will read this and give more info!

http://www.aace.com/my.php?a=new

Website where you can find info on thyroid disorders!

April

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-09-2001
Mon, 09-13-2004 - 1:15pm
Hi and welcome - Yes, it's hypothyroidism. What the test measures is not how much thyroid hormone you have in your system but how much thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) you have. That's what your pituitary gland produces to get your thyroid moving. The higher the number, the more the pituitary is working which means the less your thyroid is working. So the higher the level of TSH, the less active the thyroid. That's why it's hypothyroid. If it were hyper - your body would be making too much thryoid hormone and your pituitary wouldn't have to make any TSH so the number would be very low. That's an overactive thyroid. Seems like it goes against logic but that's what it is! :)

It sounds like to me like you have post partum thyroiditis and I don't know why your doctor would say it isn't. Especially since you had gestational diabetes, you might have been more prone to hypothyroidism. And you're right - hypo also appears anywhere from the childbirth up to one full year afterward. Many times, it goes away on its own. But sometimes it doesn't and it has to be treated with synthetic or natural thyroid hormone medication, usually for the rest of your life. Your TSH is very high at 63.5. I felt absolutely awful at 8.7 when I was diagnosed. But everyone is different. A good reason to get it treated, though, even if you don't have many symptoms is because untreated or undertreated hypothyroidism can cause high cholesterol and high blood pressure, with many other symptoms that might develop over time.

The person to see is an endocrinologist, especially with a TSH level that high, the gestational diabetes, and the recent birth of your twins. (Congratulations by the way!) So even if you see your doctor, he or she may not know too much about your condition and you might get a more thorough exam, diagnosis and treatment from an endo. Your condition isn't anything to get nervous about - because it is treatable, but you want to make sure you're with a doctor who knows what he or she is doing!! If you have any other questions, please ask away!! Cathy :)

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-26-2004
Mon, 09-13-2004 - 4:09pm
Hi and welcome!

I was recently diagnosed after pregnancy as well. Went in for an anual check-up when the baby was 7 months old. The only complaint I had was irregular periods and more hair in my brush than usual. My CNM took a chance and tested me - I was at 28.9. My CNM left me a message saying she could give me a prescription and I was going to feel a whole lot better - I told her I didn't know I was feeling bad! And boy was I right.

I've been on 25MCG Syntheroid for 2 days shy of a month and WOW!! I had no idea. I thought I was doing just fine after the baby. I walked to work 2 to 3 days a week, worked full time as an administrative judge, took care of my 2 children (I have a 2 yo son, the baby is also a boy). But when I went on the meds is was amazing. I have so much energy - I feel like a kid. I'm not as tired when I go to bed, and I actually wake up refreshed every once and awhile (well actually I struggle out of bed and 5 minutes later I'm fine).

A friend of mine here at work was running marathons and hypo. They tested her on a whim because she was getting sick all the time. And now she doesn't get colds and the flu constantly.

So definately check into this, even if you think you're ok. With twins you could use all the energy you can get!!

Amanda