Thyroid Concern - Lowering TSH Levels Naturally

[rungirlrun]

Hi ladies - There was a thyroid discussion on the Tuesday TWW, and it's giving me a nagging feeling.  I was tested a few weeks ago (no real reason but hadn't had blood work done in a while so figured it wasn't a bad idea).  My TSH level was 2.1.  Spoke with my doctor, and she's not concerned (said below 2.5 is fine for TTC).  But I wish it was a bit lower.  

I'm planning on getting it checked again in a few months, but in the meantime, are there any natural remedies for lowering it?  Obviously, I'm not going to start popping OTC meds all willy nilly but wanted to see if there may be anything I can do to possibly lower it besides the obvious of eating well/exercising.  Thanks!

[joy]

2.1 is healthy and fine.

No, don't try to lower it "naturally."

Synthroid/levothyroxine/etc that is prescribed for high TSH is simply purified T4. T4 secretion from the thyroid is stimulated by TSH. More T4 around? Less TSH. That's actually a pretty darn natural way to help your thyroid.

TSH is a barometer for your body's energy levels. Your TSH is good, which indicates healthy thyroid function and good energy levels.

Don't stress over 2.1. I was 12.8. That was something to stress about!

[RajahMD]

Seconding everything Joy said. Your level is perfectly fine. Why would you want it lower?

Also, I'd be hesitant about any over the counter remedies if your TSH was actually high. A high TSH implies that you don't have enough T4, which isn't healthy. Over the counter methods of lowering the TSH may not actually increase the T4, meaning you wouldn't be treating what's actually wrong.

[joy]

Uncontrolled lowering of TSH (like, without blood monitoring) could cause you to go hyperthyroid, which sounds much worse than hypo. Body tremors, racing heart... No, thank you!

[penguin129]

I'm waiting at the doctors office for my thyroid check up appointment now. Last level was. .38. Hoping have my meds lowered. What do you think about my levels joy ?

[penguin129]

I think a lot of people recommend a level between 1 and 2 to ttc. I wasn't diagnosed when I ttc DD so I have no clue what my levels were 3 years ago.

[rungirlrun]

Thanks for talking me off the ledge all! I guess I was a little concerned bc I have been noticing hair loss and thyroid issues run in my family. And it is over the ideal 1-2 for TTC (barely but it is).

I'll have it checked again in a few months just for peace of mine, but I'll stop being so crazy. Thanks!

[penguin129]

rungirlrun I wanted to say I think you're fine at 2.1. I don't think you can get a solid 2 anyway.

[joy]

Nov 11, 2015 9:25:29 GMT -5 rungirlrun said:

Thanks for talking me off the ledge all! I guess I was a little concerned bc I have been noticing hair loss and thyroid issues run in my family. And it is over the ideal 1-2 for TTC (barely but it is).

I'll have it checked again in a few months just for peace of mine, but I'll stop being so crazy. Thanks!

YAY!  Thanks for taking the advice so well!!

[joy]

Nov 11, 2015 8:59:10 GMT -5 penguin129 said:

 What do you think about my levels joy ?

Haha.  I'm not a doctor.  Ask yours!  :-)

[penguin129]

Nov 11, 2015 10:16:15 GMT -5 joy said:

Nov 11, 2015 8:59:10 GMT -5 penguin129 said:

 What do you think about my levels joy ?

Haha.  I'm not a doctor.  Ask yours!  :-)

I know. You just seem to be an expert . My office lost the results of my last labs. How does that happen? Now I'm trying to login to the patient portal with no luck. Blah. They are dropping my dose.

[joy]

Nov 11, 2015 10:30:17 GMT -5 penguin129 said:

Nov 11, 2015 10:16:15 GMT -5 joy said:

Haha.  I'm not a doctor.  Ask yours!  :-)

I know. You just seem to be an expert . My office lost the results of my last labs. How does that happen? Now I'm trying to login to the patient portal with no luck. Blah. They are dropping my dose.

I only understand the high end of TSH.  Old rules were anything over 5 was bad.  New rules are anything over 3. 

I'm lost on the lower limit!

But yeah - I read a ton about thyroids last October after I was diagnosed.

[emilie]

Nov 11, 2015 9:25:29 GMT -5 rungirlrun said:

Thanks for talking me off the ledge all! I guess I was a little concerned bc I have been noticing hair loss and thyroid issues run in my family. And it is over the ideal 1-2 for TTC (barely but it is).

I'll have it checked again in a few months just for peace of mine, but I'll stop being so crazy. Thanks!

Yeah, just have it checked every year at this point.  Thyroid issues run in my family too so I had my levels monitored at my annual physical every year.  Keep in mind that TSH can fluctuate over the course of a day, even.  A 2.1 at 9AM could be a 1.7 at 3PM.  

But yeah, don't stress.  Hair loss can also be caused by a lot of things.  Did you recently go off hormonal birth control?  Have you been eating well?  It's not always thyroid-related.

[rungirlrun]

Nov 11, 2015 13:23:26 GMT -5 emilie said:

Nov 11, 2015 9:25:29 GMT -5 rungirlrun said:

Thanks for talking me off the ledge all! I guess I was a little concerned bc I have been noticing hair loss and thyroid issues run in my family. And it is over the ideal 1-2 for TTC (barely but it is).

I'll have it checked again in a few months just for peace of mine, but I'll stop being so crazy. Thanks!

Yeah, just have it checked every year at this point.  Thyroid issues run in my family too so I had my levels monitored at my annual physical every year.  Keep in mind that TSH can fluctuate over the course of a day, even.  A 2.1 at 9AM could be a 1.7 at 3PM.  

But yeah, don't stress.  Hair loss can also be caused by a lot of things.  Did you recently go off hormonal birth control?  Have you been eating well?  It's not always thyroid-related.

Thanks for the reassurance!  No, I haven't been on birth control for 3.5 years, but life has been a little hectic and stressful these past 6 months so that may be it.

Also, after having my hair short for about a decade, I recently grew it out so possibly longer hair just makes hair loss more noticeable?  I remember back in middle school, one hairdresser asked if I was going though chemo because she noticed hair loss when doing my hair.  That scarred me!  But clearly someone would have caught a thyroid issue in the past 15+ years if it started back then and was that bad.

So just going to relax and monitor it.  Thanks!

[Rama]

Nov 11, 2015 15:46:12 GMT -5 rungirlrun said:

Nov 11, 2015 13:23:26 GMT -5 emilie said:

Yeah, just have it checked every year at this point.  Thyroid issues run in my family too so I had my levels monitored at my annual physical every year.  Keep in mind that TSH can fluctuate over the course of a day, even.  A 2.1 at 9AM could be a 1.7 at 3PM.  

But yeah, don't stress.  Hair loss can also be caused by a lot of things.  Did you recently go off hormonal birth control?  Have you been eating well?  It's not always thyroid-related.

Thanks for the reassurance!  No, I haven't been on birth control for 3.5 years, but life has been a little hectic and stressful these past 6 months so that may be it.

Also, after having my hair short for about a decade, I recently grew it out so possibly longer hair just makes hair loss more noticeable?  I remember back in middle school, one hairdresser asked if I was going though chemo because she noticed hair loss when doing my hair.  That scarred me!  But clearly someone would have caught a thyroid issue in the past 15+ years if it started back then and was that bad.

So just going to relax and monitor it.  Thanks!

Lemme just say that as a person with long hair, I shed something fierce. Maybe more than my cat. Sometimes I'm shocked I'm not bald with the amount of hair I brush out each time.

[thechickencoop]

Nov 11, 2015 17:21:31 GMT -5 Rama said:

Nov 11, 2015 15:46:12 GMT -5 rungirlrun said:

Thanks for the reassurance!  No, I haven't been on birth control for 3.5 years, but life has been a little hectic and stressful these past 6 months so that may be it.

Also, after having my hair short for about a decade, I recently grew it out so possibly longer hair just makes hair loss more noticeable?  I remember back in middle school, one hairdresser asked if I was going though chemo because she noticed hair loss when doing my hair.  That scarred me!  But clearly someone would have caught a thyroid issue in the past 15+ years if it started back then and was that bad.

So just going to relax and monitor it.  Thanks!

Lemme just say that as a person with long hair, I shed something fierce. Maybe more than my cat. Sometimes I'm shocked I'm not bald with the amount of hair I brush out each time.

Ditto. Do you have thick hair? Mine was down to my lower back and it's really thick. I wash it like every other day and I swear I would brush out like something the size of a cat in the shower each time. I just cut 11 inches off though

[pismoduo]

Nov 11, 2015 20:29:11 GMT -5 thechickencoop said:

Nov 11, 2015 17:21:31 GMT -5 Rama said:

Lemme just say that as a person with long hair, I shed something fierce. Maybe more than my cat. Sometimes I'm shocked I'm not bald with the amount of hair I brush out each time.

Ditto. Do you have thick hair? Mine was down to my lower back and it's really thick. I wash it like every other day and I swear I would brush out like something the size of a cat in the shower each time. I just cut 11 inches off though

God yes. H likes to tease me that I shed worse than our dog. I have to clean out the brush every time I brush my hair. Always have.

[RajahMD]

Add me to the "sheds more than the animals" group. Even after I chopped most of my hair off. Sometimes so much hair comes off when I wash it that the a shower wall becomes furry.

[thechickencoop]

Nov 11, 2015 21:51:25 GMT -5 RajahMD said:

Add me to the "sheds more than the animals" group. Even after I chopped most of my hair off. Sometimes so much hair comes off when I wash it that the a shower wall becomes furry.

H calls it the Chewbacca wall haha.