TSH level

[Mom4tip]

My TSH was 4.8 and since I have multiple symptoms that no physician has been able to explain or treat I was wondering if such a slight elevation in my TSH could be related to my very bothersome symptoms such as numb feet extreme fatigue, horrible episodes of excessive sweating multiple times each day and awakening me at night to the point my shirt is soaked and sweat pours down my face and neck and a 20 lb weight gain over the last 2 years. When I called my primary doctor to ask how we were going to follow up with my elevated TSH I was told by the nurse that hypothyroid does not need to be treated so there was no need to any follow up. I realize my TSH isn't really that high but I was hoping I had finally found a cause for these symptoms I hate living with each day or there was some follow up blood work that could at least clue me in on the reason I have these symptoms. Here is just my background - I am 63, female have a history of breast cancer 10 years ago with mastectomies and thrombocytopenia from an enlarged spleen from hepatitis C which I had unknowingly for about 20 years from a needle stick I assume since I am a nurse and was accidentally stuck many times in the early 1980's when I worked at a trauma unit. Hep C was not even recognized at that time. I wasn't diagnosed until 2000 when my 14 year old daughter became very ill and the doctors tested her for hep C and we discovered she had acquired it from me at birth. Luckily we were both successfully treated with interferon but I do have cirrhosis of course but liver functions are normal so far. Sorry to ramble but back to the TSH level and my symptoms... Any thoughts?

[Barb135]

While you're getting more tests, you might also want to ask for thyroid antibody tests to see if you have Hashimoto's.  Hashimoto's is an autoimmune disease in which the sees the thyroid as foreign and produces antibodies to destroy it.  As the disease progresses, the thyroid produces less and less of the thyroid hormones Sally mentioned, Free T3 and Free T4, until eventually, it will produce none at all.

Your symptoms indicate that you could have more than one thing going on.  The profuse sweating is not, typically, a hypo symptom.  You might want to have your reproductive hormones tested, as well.  

Hypothyroidism is an illness and can have serious repercussions if not treated adequately.  The newest recommended reference range for TSH is 0.3-3.0, though most labs, therefore, doctors have been slow to recognize it.

It sounds like you need to start looking for a different doctor, as one who refuses to treat hypothyroidism is one who might be likely to refuse to treat other serious illnesses, as well.

[Mom4tip]

Thank you, I will

[Super_sally888]

Hello,

TSH is only part of the picture when it comes to thyroid, and a TSH of 4.8 is definitely higher than it should be (ideal is regarded as < 2.0, and 4.8 is higher than nearly all reference ranges).

You need to insist on more complete testing.  They must test FT3 and FT4, which are they active thyroid hormones.  Both of these should be at least middle of the reference range.

I think more testing is definitely in line.

Let us know.

Let us know.