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What Causes Low TSH Levels?

Posted on Thu, 27 Aug 2015

Question: I have just had my annual health check with a nurse at my surgery and have been told that because my TSH Is now .002 I will have to reduce my thyroxine. I don't want to do this as I still have hypothyroid symptoms. Is it possible that although my bloodtest showed this result I am still hypo and could benefit from continuing with the medication? I had ideally wanted to try a further increase in the dose of thryoxine.

Answered by Dr. Ronald Schubert (25 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Low TSH indicates too much thyroid hormone

Detailed Answer:
Thank you for contacting HCM with your health care concerns

You recently had a TSH test and it came back as low. This test is very specific for thyroid hormone levels and a low TSH indicates that you are taking too much replacement medication. I strongly urge you to follow your doctors advice. Continuing to take too much thyroid hormone can put you at risk fro high blood pressure and heart attack.

If your feeling of Hypothyroidism are still present then the feelings are not attributable to your thyroid hormone levels. Ask you doctor to investigate further for other causes of fatigue

In summary
1. TSH is very sensitive to thyroid hormone levels
2. hyperthyroid dangerous if goes on too long
3. can cause heart attacks and hypertension
4. Find other causes of fatigue

I hope I answered your question. Please contact HCM again with your health care concerns

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Ronald Schubert (4 hours later)

Thank you for your reply. However I don't just feel tired. The tiredness or complete and overwhelming exhaustion I feel during the day is just one of my symptoms. Others include feeling cold when others are hot. Dry itchy skin. Constipation. Cramps in feet and legs mainly in the evening and during the night but can happen at any time. Slow thinking including not remembering words or forgetting where a sentence was going. I actually feel better than I have done for a good long while but still feel unwell which is why I was going to ask for a further increase in medication. My pharmacist suggests that it would be better to treat my symptoms rather than be totally led by blood test results and I've read that this was the way hypothyroidism was treated in the past. I welcome your further thoughts on this matter please.

Answered by Dr. Ronald Schubert (14 hours later)

Brief Answer:
TSH monitoring

Detailed Answer:
THank you for returning to HSM with your health care concerns

I would be very cautious about using high doses of thyroid medication due to the side effects I mentioned above. High dose my make you feel better but if the precipitate a heart attack then that is putting your life at jeopardy. I recommend that you sit down with your provider and tell him/her exactly how you feel and see what their decision is. Perhaps additional testing will help discover the reason for your fatigue. Perhaps a sleep study. Poor sleep can also cause these same complaints

Note: For more information on hormonal imbalance symptoms or unmanaged diabetes with other comorbid conditions, get back to us & Consult with an Endocrinologist. Click here to book an appointment.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar