THS levels rising

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I was treated for papillary thyroid cancer 8 years ago. I am on a suppression dosage of 100mcgs and 125mcgs alternate days. I have been on this dosage for 2 years. 

I had a blood test a month ago and my THS has increased from around 0.1 to 0.7 and then another was taken last week and its at 1.2

Is this something to be alarmed about? I am confused as to what is happening. 

  • I think you mean "TSH", yes?  (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone).  Your body produces TSH when it thinks it is not getting enough Thyroid Hormone, also known as "Thyroxine"  (which is what you are replacing with your Levothyroxine doses of 100 and 125 mcg on alternate days).  TSH causes a thyroid (if you had one) to produce more of the main Thyroid hormone Thyroxine.  You might already know all that, but I want to be sure you do.

    The normal range of TSH is 0.35 to 5.00 mcUnits/mL.  Though your TSH number has risen, it is still in the very low range (which is what you want in order to suppress any metastatic tumor spread and/or growth because that low number indicates your body has plenty of Thyroxine in it).

    That said, while I am a Critical Care Nurse, I am not a doctor, much less an Endocrinologist.  I suggest you voice your concern to your doctor.  But in the meantime, don't stress out - I don't think you have anything to worry about.

    By the way, from your online name, I am wondering, do you live in Berlin?  I ask because though I am a U.S. citizen and live now back in the States, I lived in Brieselang (20 km west of the Berlin Zentrum) back in the early 2,000's and played trumpet in the Pit Orchester for Disney's Der Glöckner von Notre Dame at the Theater am Potsdamer Platz during the years it ran there (through the Summer of 2002).  I have fond memories of my time in Germany, both in Lübeck and the Berlin area.

    MFG,

    John Mohan, RN

  • Hello there, nice to see you again.

    A rising TSH is not something to be too worried about - it just means your dose isn't high enough to keep the TSH lower.

    Check with your doctors if they're happy for your TSH to be that high (it wouldn't be high for so-called 'normal' people, but for anybody in TSH suppression, it's too high). Docs will probably up your dose a wee bit to get it back in their desired range.

    It can also happen if - for example - you changed the brand you're taking, started taking other medication that could interfere with the absorption, or if your weight had increased without the dose going up to keep things alligned.

    Best wishes

    Barbara

    “Scars are tattoos with better stories.” – Anonymous

  • Hi my tsh is 0.07 and t4 29.1 I'm just over 2 months post surgery I guess  thats normal too. Tsh I lower then normal range and t 4 higher. Ent calling me on Thursday.