What will happen if tsh level is high

Further, an association has been suggested between TSH levels near the upper limit of the normal range and death in some studies. This study evaluates the risk of death associated with levels of TSH in the normal range. Association between serum thyrotropin levels and mortality among euthyroid adults in the United States. September 13, Associations between thyroid tests TSH and death from all causes, heart disease and cancer was studied.

The reference normal range for the TSH test in this survey was 0. If you change brands, let your doctor know to ensure you're still receiving the right dosage. Also, don't skip doses or stop taking the drug because you're feeling better. If you do, the symptoms of hypothyroidism will gradually return. Certain medications, supplements and even some foods may affect your ability to absorb levothyroxine.

Talk to your doctor if you eat large amounts of soy products or a high-fiber diet or you take other medications, such as:. Levothyroxine is best taken on an empty stomach at the same time every day. Ideally, you'll take the hormone in the morning and wait an hour before eating or taking other medications.

If you take it at bedtime, wait four hours after your last meal or snack. If you have subclinical hypothyroidism, discuss treatment with your doctor. For a relatively mild increase in TSH, you probably won't benefit from thyroid hormone therapy, and treatment could even be harmful.

On the other hand, for a higher TSH level, thyroid hormones may improve your cholesterol level, the pumping ability of your heart and your energy level. Although most doctors recommend synthetic thyroxine, natural extracts containing thyroid hormone derived from the thyroid glands of pigs are available.

These products contain both thyroxine and triiodothyronine. Synthetic thyroid medications contain thyroxine only, and the triiodothyronine your body needs is derived from the thyroxine. Extracts are available by prescription only and shouldn't be confused with the glandular concentrates sold in natural foods stores.

These products aren't regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, and their potency and purity isn't guaranteed. You'll likely start by seeing your family doctor or a general practitioner.

In some cases, you may be referred to a doctor who specializes in the body's hormone-secreting glands endocrinologist. Infants with hypothyroidism need immediate referral to a pediatrics endocrinologist for treatment. Children or teens need to see a pediatric endocrinologist if there is any uncertainly about starting levothyroxine or proper dosing of the hormone. Here's some information to help you get ready for your appointment and know what to expect from your doctor. Preparing a list of questions will help you make the most of your time with your doctor.

For hypothyroidism, some basic questions to ask include:. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. This content does not have an English version.

This content does not have an Arabic version. A low TSH suggests your thyroid is overactive hyperthyroid and producing excess thyroid hormone. TSH levels seem counterintuitive. Why does a high TSH mean you have an underactive thyroid gland? And why do low levels mean it's overactive? To answer that, you have to know that TSH and thyroid hormones are different things. Thyroid hormones are:.

Your body uses thyroid hormones to regulate all kinds of processes. That includes how fast you burn calories, your heart rate, and many other automatic functions. When these hormones are low, your pituitary makes more TSH.

That signals the thyroid to increase production. When levels are high, the pituitary releases less TSH. That signals the thyroid to slow down. This is why high TSH indicates low thyroid function and vice versa. Understanding when and why thyroid hormone is released or not helps clear up what a low TSH and a high TSH level reveal about your thyroid's function. This abbreviation stands for milliunits per litre, with one milliunit equating to one-thousandth of a unit. The normal range for TSH is generally between 0.

As with most medical conditions and tests, however, there are exceptions to this rule. Thyroid hormone levels that are considered normal may be abnormal for you under certain conditions. It's for this reason that healthcare providers have varied opinions about what the optimal TSH level should be. While most laboratories define a normal TSH as between roughly 0.

The reasoning behind this is that the vast majority of adults without thyroid disease have a TSH value between 0. In addition, some healthcare providers believe older patients should have a TSH level that is greater than 4. Healthcare providers can avoid some of this controversy simply by looking at each person as an individual.

For example, a person who still has significant symptoms of hypothyroidism at a TSH of 4. In contrast, someone who has health risks—such as heart disease or osteoporosis—may benefit from having a goal TSH that is higher, perhaps around 5. In pregnancy, TSH should not be allowed to rise above 2.

That protects the health of both the baby and mother. A normal TSH value is generally defined as between. But opinions about this vary, since everyone has a personal "normal" that depends on their age and overall health.

For example, your target level may be higher if you have heart disease or lower if you are pregnant. A high TSH means different things depending on whether a person has known thyroid disease or not. A high TSH in people who are not undergoing thyroid disease treatment usually indicates the presence of primary hypothyroidism. This is by far the most common form of hypothyroidism , and it occurs because the thyroid gland produces an inadequate amount of thyroid hormones. The pituitary gland senses these low levels and increases the production of TSH.

An elevated TSH may also occur with normal thyroid function due to the presence of antibodies , proteins made by the immune system. A high TSH may be found in people being treated for either hypo- or hyperthyroidism. With hypothyroidism, a high TSH usually means that the dose of thyroid hormone replacement needs to be increased. In some cases, however, the dose is okay, but the medication is not being fully absorbed. For example, many foods and medications can affect the absorption of Synthroid levothyroxine in your system.

Learning what to avoid while taking this medication is important for it to work properly. With hyperthyroidism, a high TSH usually means that the treatment —be it surgery, radioactive iodine, or medications—was so effective in limiting the production of thyroid hormone it caused the person to become hypothyroid.

A low TSH often means that a person has an elevated level of thyroid hormones. Low TSH is most often associated with hyperthyroidism. This can be due to a number of causes, ranging from autoimmune disease to lumps in the thyroid gland toxic nodules to an abnormally enlarged thyroid gland goiter. It can also occur during a normal pregnancy as thyroid hormones are affected by "the pregnancy hormone" human chorionic gonadotropin HCG.

Less often, a lack of TSH produced by the pituitary gland due to dysfunction can lead to low levels of thyroid hormone in the blood—a condition known as central hypothyroidism. This is an exception to the general rule that hypothyroidism is associated with a high TSH. Central hypothyroidism is uncommon and usually associated with a deficiency of other pituitary hormones.

This deficiency leads to a number of other symptoms as well. In people being treated for hypothyroidism, a low TSH level may mean:. In people being treated for hyperthyroidism, a low TSH level usually means that further treatment is needed to reduce thyroid hormone levels.

It could also mean that a person must continue to be monitored to make sure thyroid hormone levels return to normal. This is often the case for people who have temporary thyroiditis related to pregnancy or chemotherapy treatment. There are a number of factors that can affect TSH levels. These are important to consider because lab values don't tell the whole story about someone's condition. A treatment plan that does not also consider someone's symptoms may prove to be ineffective.

If a TSH test result is unexpected, simply repeating the test is often the best course of action. Errors can occur during the blood draw, in transcribing the results, or due to mix-ups in the lab. Statistically, there is always a risk of lab error, and results should always be interpreted along with clinical symptoms and findings. A number of other factors can affect TSH test results , including:.