First low Tsh, now I have high Tsh?

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-22-2005
First low Tsh, now I have high Tsh?
7
Sat, 01-22-2005 - 12:35pm

I am hoping someone here can help!! I have never had any thyroid diagnoses until last Nov., when my hair began falling out RAPIDLY. My general Dr. did a thyroid panel and my TSH level was .164 so diagnosed me as "subclinical HYPERthyroid" and put me on Zoloft for the anxiety I was having. I began having severe, hard heart palpatations but they told me stay on it, it takes awhile to get used to it, even though the palpatations were ALL day and night. They then wanted me to start on Atenenol (beta-blocker) but after research I decided not to, as it lowers blood pressure and I have had very LOW blood pressure all my life, so I didn't want to chance that. I went off the Zoloft after 3 weeks, as my mother died form a stroke at 42 and my father from heart disease. I felt like I would end up with one or the other, a person's heart shouldn't have to beat that hard for that long. That is at least better now, although I do have palpatations occasionally. I saw my dermatologist about 4 days after my General Dr., and since my scalp looked fine, he gave me 2 Kenalog shots -cortisteroid (3 weeks apart) and that slowed the hair loss almost immediately. That was a huge relief, since at the rate I was going I would have been bald in another week or two!!

I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia 5 years ago, so when I saw my Rheumatologist 2 weeks ago he ran all kinds of tests again, Lupus, RA, MS and all were normal except this time my TSH level was 4.27 and my T-4 Free was .94, so I went from HYPER to HYPO in seven weeks. Have an appt. with an Endrocronologist on Jan. 3l, but in the mean time have never felt so sick in my life, worse than normal migraines, exhaustion,forgetfulness, eye pressure, nausea, constantly COLD, and more hair loss again.

It does seems so insignificant to feel bad about hair loss, compared to the seriousness of ALL other symptoms, but I had always LOVED my hair and worn it long for many years as it was so pretty (past tense), now I don't even know how to style it, or if I should cut it all off, or what. I know many or you feel exactly like this... it's like adding SALT to a wound, you're already not feeling like "yourself" anymore, and then you don't even LOOK like yourself, either. Have found that Biotin shampoo & conditioner seem to help, along with same Vitamins, and Lysine.

I am very allergic to IVP Dye (iodine), so if anyone knows of any connection, to iodine allergy and thyroid problems PLEASE let me know. I am concerned what they will do for treatment if I ever need that, since I can't have it.
Has anyone out there started out HYPER then gone to HYPO even before starting any treatment? ANY thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!!! THANKS!!

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-19-2004
Sat, 01-22-2005 - 5:28pm

I haevn't been through that. The only thing I can think of is Hashi's. Hashi's tends to go all over the place. IF you aren't on meds, aren't postpartum or anything like that.

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-19-2004
Sun, 01-23-2005 - 1:18am
There is some kind of connection between iodine and thyroid problems, I'll have to research and get back with you, but i do know that your thyroid uses iodine to make thyroid hormone. Anti thyroid drugs like tapazole, which is what i take block your thyroid from using the iodine in your diet and making too much hormone. I know several people who had an allergy to iodine and also had thyroid problems. I would be careful. I take atenolol and it helps my rapid heartbeat and anxiety alot, but i've had high blood pressure since i was a teen, so it helped me in that area too. I did take inderal la at first and i think it about killed me. My bp feel way too low along with my pulse. I didn't realize for a very long time why i felt like i did, thought it was my thyroid, since it was at the beginning, but thank God i realized what it was before i collapsed. I couldn't breathe, was weak and lightheaded like never before, slurred my speech, my hands turned blue, etc. I was constantly on the verge of collapse, so if you do decide to take the beta blockers watch out for those symptoms. I'll see if i can find any more info for you.
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-09-2001
Sun, 01-23-2005 - 3:57pm

Hi - sorry it took me a while to get to you!! Iodine is what is used to make thyroid hormone, so if you are alergic to iodine, then I don't know what kind of reaction your body/thyroid will have and how that is affecting your body's production of thyroid hormone.

That said, it is possible to go from hypo to hyper or hyper to hypo as you have done. It's not uncommon but you seem to have something else going on, it's just a gut feeling that I have, I'm certainly not an expert or anything. But for you to have such dramatic hair loss, heart palpitations, a history of low blood pressure, and a diagnosis of fibrolyalgia, I would say that I hope you have a really excellent endo that can connect all these "dots" to see what is really going on with you. Did you know that fibro and hypothyroidism are linked? It is very common to have fibromyalgia when you are hypothyroid.

Here's an excert from an article on why we need iodine:

Why do we need iodine?
The answer to this question is that without iodine the thyroid gland is not able to make thyroid hormones. The thyroid gland has rightly been called the "Conductor of the Orchestra of the Body" because it contributes so greatly to our health and wellbeing.

For example, thyroid hormones…

stimulate oxygen consumption. This function is also called the calorigenic action which immediately indicates that this hormone increases the use of oxygen in practically all body tissues and helps to burn fuel stores and release energy
help to maintain body temperature and prevent us from feeling cold
stimulate the heart to beat faster
help convert beta-carotene to vitamin A in the body
stimulate milk production during breastfeeding
help to ensure that nerve impulses are transmitted through the nervous system quickly and efficiently
have a dramatic effect on the normal development of the brain while in the foetus is still in womb, and on children during childhood.
are essential for normal menstrual cycles and fertility
increase the rate of carbohydrate absorption out of the digestive system
lower cholesterol levels in the blood
play an essential role in normal growth and development of infants and children
The list just goes on and on - proof that the thyroid is one gland we cannot do without. At the same time, we need iodine to make sure that our thyroid glands are functioning in peak condition. - (Dr I.V. van Heerden, DietDoc)

Here's the site it's from: http://www.health24.com/dietnfood/Food_as_medicine/15-48-468,14430.asp

Here's an interesting way to find out if you need iodine: Iodine. Paint a silver dollar size of drugstore tincture of iodine on your skin. If it soaks in quickly (the stain is gone in less than 24 hours), you need iodine unless you have an iodine allergy.
From the site: http://www.royalrife.com/hypothyroid.html

On the hair loss, I found this: It is important to know that sudden dramatic hair loss can occur from severe stress, hormonal imbalances or childbirth in women and the use of certain drugs (street drugs or prescription drugs). But it can also be a sign of a more serious underlying physical condition. If a person's hair loss is rapid and severe it is recommended that they see their doctor to rule out any of the serious conditions that can cause this to occur.

From this site:http://www.quickfactscenter.com/nydailynews/qfcArticle.cfm?topic=83&borough=313

Here's an interesting and pretty comprehensive article on hair loss: http://www.hair-transplant-helpdesk.com/female_hair_loss.html

I hope some of this things help you! Another idea that I have and that I think I would do if I were in your position is to have a complete physical if that's possible and you haven't done so in awhile. You need to make sure that there isn't something underlying the sudden changes that your body is going through. If I find any other info for you, I'll post it here. Cathy

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-22-2005
Tue, 01-25-2005 - 11:56pm
Hi! Thanks very much for getting back to me so soon. Feel I need all the info and help I can get right now. You said you knew several people who had an iodine allergy and also thyroid problems? Do you know if they were hypo or hyper? And what do they take for meds and so forth, especially if the are hyper? This is a serious allergy for me, I stopped breathing when they injected that IVP dye into me many years ago, now just have to be careful of too much iodine in any food, although I can eat SOME, just not over due it. My endo appt is still Monday... wish it were here, I feel terrible this week! Thanks again and have a great week!
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-22-2005
Wed, 01-26-2005 - 12:31am
Thanks so much for that reply, Cathy! Everyone on here is so helpful to each other, it's great to see that. My symptoms are much worse this week so Monday can't come soon enough. I took a cancellation to get that moved up from Feb. 25, so this Dr. has only been there a year, but at least it's a start. Normally, I would be one not to go to anyone without a lot of time and experience in the same practice, but if I don't feel I'm getting results I will change. Have also considered going to Mayo. We have taken our DS who has special needs there and really liked the care. Wanted to avoid that much time and travel if possible as we have our own business, and that would be a little hard right now, but I am just about that desperate. I'm with you, in that I think someone needs to connect all these "dots" I've just learned to live. That's exactly why we took our DS there.
Yes, I did just have a full physical in September, when I had a "breast cancer" scare which I am having a follow up ultrasound for in February. The breast surgeon's opinion was that those were NOT nodules they saw just more fibrocystic "cysts". Ironically, that was about the time I saw some "moderate" hair loss, then worse in Oct and Nov, so the docs and I thought it might have been from the stress of all that, along with some stress and worry I had over a family member's health at that time. Obviously not, since my Nov. Doctor appt. was when the TSH was .164.
I did know that Fibromyalgia & thyroid could be connected but amazingly enough I did not know that until I started researching on the web. My Rheumotologist never mentioned that in the 5 years I've been going. I kept asking him if he was sure my tests were negative for Lupus and Rheumotoid Arthritis, because I have an Aunt and 2 cousins who all go to this Center and ALL have fibro, plus one also has Lupus & RA, one has fibro & RA, and one was like me with just Fibro -- well, at least until NOW. We come from a very large extended family- our grandparents were both part of 11 children (each family) but the really prevelant disease we always watched for were cancer (all kinds) and tons of diabetes, not thryroid anything--that I've heard of anyway.
I had a pretty difficult hysterectomy 3 years ago and then they overdosed me on morphine in the recovery room and my respirations dropped way down,they put me on oxygen, and I just about didn't make it thru that. This was after my Gyno had ordered half the normal amount of anethestic, and half the amount of pain meds (for a person of my body weight-116 pounds) because I have never done well with just about ANY meds.
I've always known and so has my husband, that I have a problem with just about every procedure or meds, so I've just learned to be careful. But I would really like someone to take a look at this whole "picture", as you were saying!!
Sorry, so long, I really appreciate your help, Cathy. Thyroid is such a scary thing. Medical research and symptoms, medications and so forth have been something I've done a LOT of over the years,mainly because of our son, and my daughter's and my "female" problems. But THYROID- this is a new one, even for me. So, thanks a bunch and have a great week!!!
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-22-2005
Wed, 01-26-2005 - 12:44am
Thanks a bunch for your note! I have been doing some reasearch on Hashimoto's since you wrote that, and I honestly don't know what to think, but hopefuly my Monday appt with the Endo will shed some light on this, since symptoms are so much worse. You asked what my other symptoms were, the worst ones right now are: Starting to have hair loss again, and also it's becoming dry, thin and brittle again (after it had started getting better from Kenalog shots), EXTREME fatigue, naseau (a lot), worse than normal amount of migraines and waking up almost every morning with one, "brain fog", forgetfulness that's getting worse - when I have always been the family member with the "best memory"- now I forget really important things, a swollen throat (just went to family doc today & have acute sinus & throat infection I picked up from my granddaughters over the weekend, but she thought the thyroid looked very swollen), dry skin, shortened "outside" of eyebrows, but I've had that for many years.. thought it was really nothing. Not sleeping well, and lots of joint & muscle pain but have dealt with that off & on for many years since I have fibromyalgia.
Feel like a hypocondriac(?), but I'm on a B-complex vitamin, Lysine, iron, and a couple other things to try to boost my immune system. Just wish they would get to the bottom of this, it's been a long 4 months!
Thank you again for your reply. Have a great week!
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-09-2001
Wed, 01-26-2005 - 5:30pm

Hi - just peeking in on your note to April. The eyebrows are also a symptom of hypo. I lost most of my eyelashes and the outside of my brows. The brows have grown back but not the eyelashes. :(

Having lots of diabetes in your family is also a good indicator for hypo and fibro and any other autoimmune condition. So it isn't surprising. Do you have anyone with any thyroid conditions? I'm not sure if you mentioned that or not. Once I was finally diagnosed, I found out that it was pretty rampant in my extended family! No on had ever talked about it, though.

I have to run to make dinner! I'll get back to you later! Cathy :)