How do you adjust Synthroid when TSH is low?
If the TSH is not at the desired goal, the levothyroxine dose can be adjusted up or down. TSH values that are slightly out of range may be corrected by a single dose increment or decrement, such as increasing from 100 to 112 μg or decreasing from 175 to 150 μg.
Should I take levothyroxine if my TSH is low?
New research shows that it may be safe for patients taking thyroxine replacement to have low but not suppressed thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels. The research shows for the first time that it may be safe for patients to take slightly higher doses of thyroxine than are currently recommended.
What TSH level requires Synthroid?
A normal TSH value is under 4.0 milli-international units per liter (mIU/L). When the TSH level is above 10 mIU/L, there’s uniform agreement that treatment with levothyroxine is appropriate.
What do you do if your TSH is too low?
Standard treatment for hypothyroidism involves daily use of the synthetic thyroid hormone levothyroxine (Levo-T, Synthroid, others). This oral medication restores adequate hormone levels, reversing the signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism. You’ll likely start to feel better soon after you start treatment.
What is considered a dangerously low TSH level?
A low TSH level—below 0.5 mU/l—indicates an overactive thyroid, also known as hyperthyroidism. This means your body is producing an excess amount of thyroid hormone.
Does low TSH cause weight gain?
According to Dr. Kitahara, if someone has low thyroid function, their TSH is high, and the thyroid hormones known as T3 and T4 are low—and weight gain often occurs. If someone has an overactive thyroid or hyperthyroidism, TSH is usually low, the T3 and T4 are high, and weight loss occurs.
Why is low TSH bad?
If the pituitary gland is not functioning to produce TSH as it should, then the thyroid will not make the level of hormones it should be. This reduction of hormones from the thyroid can lead to many health problems. Low TSH levels can affect your health, quality of life, and your relationships.
Can you survive without thyroid medication?
People can live for a very long time without thyroid hormones, but they will develop symptoms that decrease their quality of life. A lack of thyroid hormones can also increase your risk for other health conditions that can shorten your life expectancy, including heart disease and obesity.
What is a low TSH level number?
What causes low TSH levels?
Causes. Low TSH is caused by conditions that increase thyroxine production such as Graves’ disease, thyroiditis, and thyroid nodules, which are benign tumors symptomatic of Plummer’s disease and goiter.
Do you increase levothyroxine if low TSH?
A low TSH level signals that thyroid hormone levels are already high, and adding levothyroxine could cause them to increase to a dangerous level. Even if the TSH level is normal, frequent monitoring is required to make sure problems do not develop.
What your low TSH means with thyroid medication?
People who have a low TSH from taking thyroid medication may have low, normal, or high free T3/free T4 which differentiates this condition from low TSH (4) caused by overproduction of the body. Also, those with this condition may have variable symptoms ranging from those of hyperthyroidism to those of hypothyroidism.
What happens if your TSH is low?
Some people with a low TSH experience personality changes that run the gamut from depression to losing touch with reality. Confusion, difficulty concentrating and memory problems, including amnesia, may occur.