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Fluctuating TSH and T4
Dear Doctor,
Let me start this by saying that I am a 34 year old in good health. My BMI is great and I work out about 6 hours a week, my period has been like the atomic clock it arrives to the day and minute. But, in July I suffered from an intermittent fevers that topped out at 101. I felt horrible and took it really easy but after three weeks I still had symptoms. I got blood tests done in July 2007 and they showed I was slightly anemic with a hematocrit of 32 and my TSH was low at 0.01 and T4 was 2.5. I then went back a month later even though I was feeling much better and got the tests done again twice, here is the summary.
Test Hematocrit TSH T4
Day 0 32 0.01 2.5
Day 34 36 30 0.6
Day 40 36 24 0.9
My doctor encouraged me to take Thyroid hormone on Day 40 but I refused since I have had no symptoms of hypothyroidism. Also, it seems to be coming back up between Day 34 and 40. In fact, at that rate of linear progression I calculated it would be back up around day 44. I am now on Day 85 and feel fine, no fevers and have normal energy. the only symptom I have right now is that I have missed my period, which is very unusual for me and a pregnancy test says I am not pregnant.
My question is this...how common are such thyroid fluctutations? Could this be signalling some other problem?
What should I do at this point?
Thanks!
Science Girl
Let me start this by saying that I am a 34 year old in good health. My BMI is great and I work out about 6 hours a week, my period has been like the atomic clock it arrives to the day and minute. But, in July I suffered from an intermittent fevers that topped out at 101. I felt horrible and took it really easy but after three weeks I still had symptoms. I got blood tests done in July 2007 and they showed I was slightly anemic with a hematocrit of 32 and my TSH was low at 0.01 and T4 was 2.5. I then went back a month later even though I was feeling much better and got the tests done again twice, here is the summary.
Test Hematocrit TSH T4
Day 0 32 0.01 2.5
Day 34 36 30 0.6
Day 40 36 24 0.9
My doctor encouraged me to take Thyroid hormone on Day 40 but I refused since I have had no symptoms of hypothyroidism. Also, it seems to be coming back up between Day 34 and 40. In fact, at that rate of linear progression I calculated it would be back up around day 44. I am now on Day 85 and feel fine, no fevers and have normal energy. the only symptom I have right now is that I have missed my period, which is very unusual for me and a pregnancy test says I am not pregnant.
My question is this...how common are such thyroid fluctutations? Could this be signalling some other problem?
What should I do at this point?
Thanks!
Science Girl
Thank you for your comments. I just got more lab results, my TSH is now 8.5. It has come down quite a bit. I didn't get T4 done so I don't know what those are. I am concerned that with a flucutating TSH level medicine might send me into even more astronomical changes in thryoid. My concern is that the thyroid fluctuations are a secondary effect not a primary one.
day one could have been Lab error
day 34 and 40 relates to hypothyroid.
Could be many reasons for the difference between day 36 and 40. However the issue is that they both relate the same, hypothyroid.
I'd personally would go on thyroid meds. before TSH really goes out farther, in which might bring on the hypo/hell symptoms, plus make it harder to treat you back to normal, by taking longer, as well as your healing time.
Playing around with hypothyroid and delaying treatment can be dangerous to you and your health. It could become serious.
day 34 and 40 relates to hypothyroid.
Could be many reasons for the difference between day 36 and 40. However the issue is that they both relate the same, hypothyroid.
I'd personally would go on thyroid meds. before TSH really goes out farther, in which might bring on the hypo/hell symptoms, plus make it harder to treat you back to normal, by taking longer, as well as your healing time.
Playing around with hypothyroid and delaying treatment can be dangerous to you and your health. It could become serious.
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