Hello,
I am new to this forum - I have recently had a blood test which showed that I have a serum TSH 5.1 - i don't really understand what this means and was wondering what the ball point number is that determines whether you are hypo or hyper - i have assumed that at 5.1 I would by hypo-throidism - is the base level number 3 or 5 or does this vary according to country to country and different labs?
If I am hypo should I be eating certain foods to help create more hormones or should i take thyroxine or a natural form? Is there anyway I can heal/balance this naturally?
Also, I have what I beleive is melasma hyperpigmentation on my upper cheek around my orbital area - is this linked to hormone imbalance?
I have to go back to see my GP next week to discuss the test results?
Thank you very much,
Hi Tra and welcome to Healthypages,
It's true that the scale used does vary from country to country.
In the UK, the general concensus is that anything below 6 is "normal" (I can't remember what the low end of the scale is for over-active thyroid). If it's over 6 then you may be considered to be under-active thyroid (hypothyroidism), but a good doctor will not just go on the levels in the blood but will actually look at your general health and how you actually feel too. In the US they have a more restricted view of "normal" and anything over, I think it's, 4 is considered possible hypothyroidism and they treat that. Also, it can vary from doctor to doctor in the UK, so some may treat the upper level as 5. I guess it one of those "it depends" things.
I myself was hovering around the 6 level (at one point I was 6.3 and another I was 5.9). In the end I discussed it with my GP, especially the fact that the US would be treating someone with such levels, and she agreed to try me on a low dose of levothyroxine (25mg/day which is a childs dose) to see if there was any improvement to any of my symptoms after 6-8 weeks. There was an improvement, which I think surprised her a little, but she is now continuing the investigation and treatment.
Bear in mind that it's not just the TSH levels that matter, it's also the T4, because hypothyroidism is determined as an increased TSH and a reduced T4. Ideally they should also check for T3 levels (T4 gets converted to T3), though that's rarely done in the UK as far as I'm aware.
The following website that doctors use to advise patients may be of use:
There are, supposedly, certain foods that can be of benefit and certain ones to avoid, though I can't recall them off-hand. Certainly there has been some indication, at least in the complementary therapy/nutritionalist viewpoint, that Iodine can be of benefit as it's required in the conversion from T4 to T3. The best thing to do is to do your research, try and weed out the fact from the fiction/speculation, and take that information with you to your GP to discuss.
All Love and Reiki Hugs