Honolulu,
You have been told that your Thyroid Stimulating Hormone is low. This means that you are hyperthyroid. If your TSH is high – you are hypothyroid.
You have been diagnosed with thyroid disease. Your physician has given you a prescription. You are taking the medication. Your Thyroid Stimulating Hormone levels continue to fluctuate. You don’t feel quite right and can’t help but think – maybe something is wrong.
Thyroid Stimulating Hormone levels are confusing.
Even when you take your medication correctly, your TSH levels may change. What could account for the change?
· Have you been stressed or ill? Both affect TSH levels. Increased levels of stress and a recent illness may require higher doses of thyroid medications. You may need to check with your physician to check your TSH levels.
· Seasonal changes. Thyroid Stimulating Hormone levels naturally rise during the winter and may drop in warmer months.
· Have you started taking hormone replacement therapy or birth control pills? Both of these medications may require you to take more thyroid medications. Menopause also causes fluctuates in TSH levels.
· Are you pregnant? The natural surge of estrogen that comes with pregnancy may increase your need for additional thyroid medications.
· Are you taking a new prescription medication? Many can cause fluctuations in TSH levels. Many of the more popular antidepressants may decrease the effectiveness of thyroid medications. Steroids can suppress TSH.
· No real reason at all. As time goes by your thyroid disease may progress. Some thyroid diseases are autoimmune and these may progressively attack your thyroid changing your Thyroid Stimulating Hormone levels.
· Have you started taking an antacid? These can affect the absorption of thyroid medications.
A Process to Determine Why Your TSH is Fluctuating
No comments:
Post a Comment