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Can Synthroid Be Replaced With The Thyroid-extract From Animals?
Question: Dear Dr,
My mother (65 yrs old) has been monitoring her thyroid gland levels over past 2 years. Results of T3 and T4 has been always within normal range. TSH has been fluctuating little bit above 4.
Five month ago, her readings were TSH 6 and T3 and T4 is normal.
After less than two months, her TSH levels showed a sudden rise to 16 . We repeated the test again after 3 weeks and her results are as follows:
TSH 14.2 [0.2 - 4]
T3 4.0 [3.5 - 6.5]
T4 11.6 [9-23]
normal antibodies test.
She has been under alot of stress over the past five months.
She has been advised to start the Synthroid 50 mg medications.
My questions are:
1. Does she need Synthroid even with normal T4 and T3 levels or could the rise in TSH be symptom for another hidden thing ?
2. Does the high TSH levels (while everything else is normal) indicate adernal fatigue ?
2. In case she does need to take a hypothyroidism medication, Can the thryoid-extract from animals be used as a replacement for the Synthroid ?
My mother (65 yrs old) has been monitoring her thyroid gland levels over past 2 years. Results of T3 and T4 has been always within normal range. TSH has been fluctuating little bit above 4.
Five month ago, her readings were TSH 6 and T3 and T4 is normal.
After less than two months, her TSH levels showed a sudden rise to 16 . We repeated the test again after 3 weeks and her results are as follows:
TSH 14.2 [0.2 - 4]
T3 4.0 [3.5 - 6.5]
T4 11.6 [9-23]
normal antibodies test.
She has been under alot of stress over the past five months.
She has been advised to start the Synthroid 50 mg medications.
My questions are:
1. Does she need Synthroid even with normal T4 and T3 levels or could the rise in TSH be symptom for another hidden thing ?
2. Does the high TSH levels (while everything else is normal) indicate adernal fatigue ?
2. In case she does need to take a hypothyroidism medication, Can the thryoid-extract from animals be used as a replacement for the Synthroid ?
Brief Answer:
Hello
Detailed Answer:
Good day,
Noted your concern and the Thyroid function tests.
You did mention that the antibody test was negative. Which test was done? Anti TPO or Anti TG ?
To answer your questions,
1) I feel she need Synthroid. She has TSH of 14 and normal Free T4. This is called as Subclinical Hypothyroidism. Thyroid gland is not working properly and pituitary gland is producing excess TSH ( thyroid stimulating hormone) to make thyroid work harder. The normal looking Free t4 is at the cost of rise in TSH. If left untreated, most people will progress to full hypothyroidism. Chances of progression is more if the antibody test is positive.
2) High TSH do not mean adrenal fatigue. But in people with primary auto immune hypothyroidism ( hashimoto's disease), few people can also have adrenal fatigue ( Addison's disease). This is rare though.
3)Animal preperations are not really recommended. It can induce immunogenicity and is impure. Synthroid is a safer preparation.
Regards
Binu
Hello
Detailed Answer:
Good day,
Noted your concern and the Thyroid function tests.
You did mention that the antibody test was negative. Which test was done? Anti TPO or Anti TG ?
To answer your questions,
1) I feel she need Synthroid. She has TSH of 14 and normal Free T4. This is called as Subclinical Hypothyroidism. Thyroid gland is not working properly and pituitary gland is producing excess TSH ( thyroid stimulating hormone) to make thyroid work harder. The normal looking Free t4 is at the cost of rise in TSH. If left untreated, most people will progress to full hypothyroidism. Chances of progression is more if the antibody test is positive.
2) High TSH do not mean adrenal fatigue. But in people with primary auto immune hypothyroidism ( hashimoto's disease), few people can also have adrenal fatigue ( Addison's disease). This is rare though.
3)Animal preperations are not really recommended. It can induce immunogenicity and is impure. Synthroid is a safer preparation.
Regards
Binu
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thanks Dr. for your response.
To answer your question: The Antibodies test conducted was Anti-TPO.
Her results are 13 ( <50)
I have couple of comments:
1. Is it normal for TSH to suddenly double over period of two months.
It also might worse mentioning that during these two months, she took some drops that were recommended by a naturopath and was drinking Almond milk daily. We stopped both of these and repeated the tests after 3 weeks and the results dropped from 16.07 to 14.2.
2. The last test showed a drop from 16 to 14 just by changes in her diet and taking some thyroid supplement. Would be ok to continue monitoring her sub-clinical case and delay taking the synthroid now ?
3. She had a history of breast cancer (10 yrs ago). The external examination for her thyroid didnot show anything alerting but we didnot do any screening.Do we need to do that ?
Thanks,
To answer your question: The Antibodies test conducted was Anti-TPO.
Her results are 13 ( <50)
I have couple of comments:
1. Is it normal for TSH to suddenly double over period of two months.
It also might worse mentioning that during these two months, she took some drops that were recommended by a naturopath and was drinking Almond milk daily. We stopped both of these and repeated the tests after 3 weeks and the results dropped from 16.07 to 14.2.
2. The last test showed a drop from 16 to 14 just by changes in her diet and taking some thyroid supplement. Would be ok to continue monitoring her sub-clinical case and delay taking the synthroid now ?
3. She had a history of breast cancer (10 yrs ago). The external examination for her thyroid didnot show anything alerting but we didnot do any screening.Do we need to do that ?
Thanks,
Brief Answer:
Hello.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thank you for the reply.
Most endocrinologists prefer to treat once TSH cross 10. This is because there is clear association of subclinical hypothyroidism with metabolic syndrome, high cholesterol, muscle weakness etc and most of these symptoms improve with treatment.
However, if the patient doesn't like to start on treatment immediately and if she is asymptomatic with normal cholesterol and a negative antibody profile, I do not see any harm in just observing the TSH value after couple of months.
Some homeopathy medicines contain large amount of iodine which blocks release of thyroid hormone ( iodine deficiency as well as iodine excess is not good for thyroid). But I can not comment on the effect of naturopathy drops on thyroid status.
If the thyroid is not palpable from outside, no need for a scan
Regards
Binu
Hello.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thank you for the reply.
Most endocrinologists prefer to treat once TSH cross 10. This is because there is clear association of subclinical hypothyroidism with metabolic syndrome, high cholesterol, muscle weakness etc and most of these symptoms improve with treatment.
However, if the patient doesn't like to start on treatment immediately and if she is asymptomatic with normal cholesterol and a negative antibody profile, I do not see any harm in just observing the TSH value after couple of months.
Some homeopathy medicines contain large amount of iodine which blocks release of thyroid hormone ( iodine deficiency as well as iodine excess is not good for thyroid). But I can not comment on the effect of naturopathy drops on thyroid status.
If the thyroid is not palpable from outside, no need for a scan
Regards
Binu
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thanks alot for your response.
- I do believe the naturopath hurted her. You are correct about iodine. She was taking iodine drops for these two months where her TSH levels doubled.
Her results dropped to 14 once we stopped all the naturopath drops. Now she just take a MEGAFOOD-Thyroid Strength supplement.
- Her cholestrol results were ok in her last test:
Cholestrol 5.15 (<6.20)
Triglyceride 0.87 (<1.70)
HDL Cholestrol 1.85 (>1.10)
LDL Cholestrol 2.9
Total Chol/HDL ratio 2.8
1. So based on info i provided here and your response. You think it should be ok to continue monitor her TSH without starting the Synthroid right away.
2. She was once told that her elevated TSH level could be sign of secondary hypothyroidism where the root reason is from adernal gland. How correct is this view ? Is there any test to be done to confirm that ?
Thanks
- I do believe the naturopath hurted her. You are correct about iodine. She was taking iodine drops for these two months where her TSH levels doubled.
Her results dropped to 14 once we stopped all the naturopath drops. Now she just take a MEGAFOOD-Thyroid Strength supplement.
- Her cholestrol results were ok in her last test:
Cholestrol 5.15 (<6.20)
Triglyceride 0.87 (<1.70)
HDL Cholestrol 1.85 (>1.10)
LDL Cholestrol 2.9
Total Chol/HDL ratio 2.8
1. So based on info i provided here and your response. You think it should be ok to continue monitor her TSH without starting the Synthroid right away.
2. She was once told that her elevated TSH level could be sign of secondary hypothyroidism where the root reason is from adernal gland. How correct is this view ? Is there any test to be done to confirm that ?
Thanks
Brief Answer:
Hi
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Noted the lipid panel, that looks good. If you are sure about the iodine content in those drops, that could be the culprit. Yes, certainly she can wait and re do the test after a month and we can see the trend of TSH.
There are reports that in adrenal failure, TSH can be elevated ( similar to subclinical hypothyroidism). But this is true only in auto immune adrenal disease where auto immunity is the common cause behind adrenal failure and thyroid dysfunction. In that case, Anti TPO antibody should have been elevated. ( inyour mom's case, it is negative)
Adrenal failure typically present with tiredness, excess pigmentation of face ,hand and mouth, salt craving, dizziness, weight loss etc. In the absence of these, I will not consider adrenal failure in her case
Regards
Binu
Hi
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Noted the lipid panel, that looks good. If you are sure about the iodine content in those drops, that could be the culprit. Yes, certainly she can wait and re do the test after a month and we can see the trend of TSH.
There are reports that in adrenal failure, TSH can be elevated ( similar to subclinical hypothyroidism). But this is true only in auto immune adrenal disease where auto immunity is the common cause behind adrenal failure and thyroid dysfunction. In that case, Anti TPO antibody should have been elevated. ( inyour mom's case, it is negative)
Adrenal failure typically present with tiredness, excess pigmentation of face ,hand and mouth, salt craving, dizziness, weight loss etc. In the absence of these, I will not consider adrenal failure in her case
Regards
Binu
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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