I just received my TSH blood test and its 96 (Norm .5-5.5).
Got thyroid ultrasound and it said:
The right lobe of the thyroid measures 5.6 x 2.4 x 1.9 cm and is heterogeneous.
The thyroid isthmus measures 7 mm.
The left lobe of the thyroid measures 5.0 x 1.8 x 1.8 cm and is heterogeneous.
PROMINENT HETEROGENEOUS THYROID GLAND WITHOUT FOCAL NODULE.
My doc put me on Levothryoidcine 50 and will do other blood tests in six weeks. He Said my ultrasound is normal.
is my thyroid enlarged? Isn't 96 very high? Should I request a endocrinologist? I have terrible symptoms and after all the non/misdiagnoses am ready to get some relief!
Well, I am no expert in interpreting sonargrams but here are a couple of facts.
Thyroids should be homogeneous. Homo means "the same", think of a black cat having a homogeneous fur whereas a tortoishell cat has heterogeneous fur. They found an uneven surface of your thyroid, a speckled texture, if you wish. But there was no nodule seen - that is good, although even if there was a nodule it isn't necessarily a bad thing it could be benign.
I do not know the average size of the thyroid gland but you can easily Google that.
96 is very high for TSH and you will need immediate T4 supplementation. If that doesn't alleviate your sypmtoms you may need T3 as well. They may put you on T3 only to start with so as not to stimulate any cancerous cells which MAY be starting to develope.
You will probably get a full thyroid panel blood test next to have a look to see if any antibodies are present - i.e. is your body fighting off a thyroid disease? And yes, after your GP has done some of this ground work he may or may not recommend an Endo, it depends what they find.
Hope this enlightens you some what.
Just found this on Google re average size of a thyroid gland:
Anatomy.
The normal thyroid weighs approximately 15 to 25 g, with each lobe 4 to 6 cm in length and 1.3 to 1.8 cm in thickness. The isthmus measures less than 4 to 5 mm.
So, your thyroid is not enlarged, it is about average - that's good!
I know just how you feel, I've trying to get answers for 10 years and have ben to several endo, and primary doesnt know what else to tell me to do. I would think that a TSH of 96 is way off. I have been having problems with my legs and the newest endo stopped my medication and my TSH went to 82 he then put me on 25mg of snythroid and am now on 88. I cant walk and wish I was dead.
Thanks for info. You are very clear in your words.
In six weeks he wants T4, free and T3, free and TSH 3rd generation. I don't see any antibody tests. Should I call and request those? I don't want to wait ANOTHER six weeks. Is T3/T4 same as LEVOTHYROXINE? So confusing and right now I am very confused, trust me!
Sorry you wish you were dead. It is very discouraging after all the doctors and you still feel bad. As you can see I don't know how to help you. But I do know the legs numb and giving out feeling. One day do something, next day home. Please don't despair. I am ecstatic after all the tests and docs they HOPEFULLY found something to get me back on track. Hope is a good thing.
Thanks, just looked up levo and t3/t4!
Marge, see if you can get on an NDT, e.g. Armour thyroid. Pains in the legs associated with thyroid problems is usually low T3. Synthroid is only T4 and the docs rely upon the patient's ability to convert T4 to T3. T3 is the active hormone which will enter your cells and give you energy.
Any TSH over 10 is hypothoiridic and needs at least 125 mcg of T4 for starters. Tell your primary you want a full thyroid panel done so that you can see where you stand. That will entail T4, T3, TSH, reverse T3 and antibodies. If he will not do this either get them done privately and read up on how to interpret the results or publish them here and you will get dozens of suggestions.
It's usually an ignorant or uninterested doctor which is the biggest problem. So it is not safe to rely upon them completely. Please do not give up, we have all been there and struggled out, but it does take time.
¿También se producen dolores en las piernas en el hipertiroidismo?
Lucy
Hola Ann:
Mi nombre es Shelly y soy enfermera en los Estados Unidos. Tengo enfermedad tiroidea de Hashimoto.
Heterogéneo significa uniforme en todo su recorrido y es una apariencia normal. No se observaron nódulos. La TSH normal es de 0,34 a 5,60, por lo tanto, estás en el rango normal.
Es prudente volver a revisar la sangre en 2 a 3 meses. A los médicos les gusta tener varios análisis en un período de 6 meses. También vuelven a realizar pruebas si estás tomando medicamentos como la tiroxina.
Puedes solicitar una derivación a un endocrinólogo si lo deseas. Puede ser útil ver a un especialista.
Háganos saber cómo te va.
Shelly
I was under the impression homogenous is smooth and normal. Heterogenous is bumpy and not normal.
My TSH is 96. That definitely is not normal.
Hi Shelly,
With the greatest respect, you are wonderful but please note that Ann's TSH was 96, nowhere in the normal range, and Homo is "the same" while Hetero is "different".
I hope you do not mind me pointing this out, but it's kind of serious.
Good question Lucy. I am very sorry but I am not sure since I have only had hypo and I have no familiarity with hyper. Perhaps someone who has hyper could answer this question from first hand experience.
Hola LAH:
Lo leí mal. Lo siento. Pensé que era 0.96, mi error. Sí, eso significaría que está baja o hipoglucémica.
Heterogéneo en mi diccionario médico significa uniforme en estructura.
También conozco esta palabra, ya que se usa mucho en el mundo médico. Puedes buscarla en Google.
Shelly
Hola Ann:
Tienes hipotiroidismo según tu TSH si es 96. Pensé que era 0.96. Heterogéneo significa “uniforme en estructura” en mi diccionario médico. Simplemente significa que la forma de la glándula es uniforme a lo que debería ser la forma de una tiroides. No se refiere a bultos, sino a la forma.
Si tuviera bultos, lo describirían como tiroides multinodular.
Por favor, toma tu Levo sin alimentos para que no se bloquee por la comida. Es muy importante hacerlo.
Háganos saber cómo te va.
Shelly
This is why I am confused. Different interpretations. I will advocate for my T's and anti tests and go from there.
I was concerned if my thyroid is causing my breathing to be hard and face feeling full when I look down. Also my face turns red and hard to breath when I wash or brush my hair. I thought it might be my thyroid pushing on my throat. It sounds like my thyroid is not that big tho.
thanks for your input
Si los anticuerpos están causando que la tiroides funcione mal, ¿la tiroides sería de tamaño normal o probablemente se hincharía? ¿Puede una TSH baja causar tetania severa, como espasmos en los pies y tobillos?
¿Ayudaría el yodo a una TSH baja?
Lucy.
Hola Ann:
Olvida las palabras del informe, si la tiroides no está funcionando bien, tendrás síntomas desagradables, como pérdida de cabello, dolores musculares, aumento de peso, piel seca, ausencia de períodos o períodos infrecuentes, confusión mental, etc.
Si no puedes respirar, eso es grave, y debes ir a la sala de emergencias o a la Unidad de Atención de Emergencias. A veces mejora una vez que se alcanza el nivel adecuado de medicación.
Es posible que tengas un bocio, que puede ocurrir si la tiroides no funciona bien y puede presionar la garganta. En algunas personas se elimina. Además, según las palabras del informe, es posible que tengas lo que yo tengo, que es la enfermedad de Hashimoto. Así que hazte la prueba de anticuerpos y eso nos permitirá saberlo con certeza.
Yo vería a un endocrinólogo, ya que conocen bien la glándula y pueden ordenar pruebas más importantes para diagnosticarla.
Tarda entre 6 y 8 semanas para que la medicación tiroidea (Levo) alcance un nuevo nivel. Por lo tanto, necesitarás análisis de sangre más adelante.
Manténnos informada, muchos de nosotros hemos estado donde tú estás ahora. Mejorará.
XO Shelly
¿Sabes cuál es el rango normal de la prueba de anticuerpos? ¿Es esta la anas?
Lucy
Hola Lucy:
La prueba de anticuerpos TPOA se realiza para la tiroiditis de Hashimoto y la enfermedad de Graves. El rango normal es de 0-34. A veces se utiliza una prueba de velocidad de sedimentación (SED RATE) que mide la inflamación en el cuerpo para determinar si hay una enfermedad autoinmune.
Normalmente, esta prueba es ordenada por un endocrinólogo. Algunos médicos generales también la ordenan.
Shelly