tsh test

We are facing a number of scenarios, each of which begin and end in the same place. (This will be a TAD long, so grab a cup of coffee to see the end.)

The adventure begins when you pull into the doctor's office complaining about weight gain, extreme fatigue, thinning hair, mood swings, feeling a little lower, and thus on the history of hypothyroidism standard. Dr. Sherlock, if you're lucky, will take these tracks and decide to test for a thyroid problem.

And then give you a little blood in some tests, and our initial scenario.

Big Kahuna thyroid blood tests are illegal TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) test, our topic here.

Here the theory behind the test: the pituitary gland, which controls the thyroid and the entire endocrine system creates a more TSH to tell the thyroid to make thyroid hormone.

If the pituitary gland, or to decide to have enough thyroid hormone system, close order more. TSH results for the country to normal levels.

o If you produce too much thyroid hormone, pituitary TSH whole back off and make it a factor that tells the thyroid to turn it off. TSH is low.

o If you do not have enough thyroid hormones racing through your cells, pituitary leaning more and more TSH to the thyroid to do its duty. The results show TSH somewhere between normal and high stratosphere.

Based on the theory, decide on a quick look at your thyroid TSH results destiny.

o If the TSH is in the "normal" seems to be very good. The problem is that nobody agrees on what "normal". Most likely not in one extreme or another, although the TSH test is not reliable, so who knows, but that does not mean you're safe. It is not necessary to be off the mark of the problems. For example, even mild hypothyroidism exploit the possibilities of heart disease, but can still be in the "normal".

In addition, you feel bad. Thus, care doctor will offer an antidepressant. And you probably feel miserable enough to take it. It will not do some good, but the deal is sealed. You will have to change doctors and try again to get proper treatment. It is not uncommon to go to six or seven doctors-or more-before someone found the right one.

o If your TSH is low, the doctor said hyperthyroidism. Maybe not, Sherlock. If the pituitary is broken, it will not produce TSH, whatever the circumstances. Most of the damage concussion of the pituitary gland, and it can never be enough to tell the thyroid to do something wonderful. Thus, the thyroid gland does not matter, and test the TSH said in someone. This creates a problem because med schools teach doctors a low TSH can only mean one hyperthyroidism.

They reject contrast between hyper complaints about weight loss, heart palpitations, extreme nervousness, etc., and the patient nearly catatonic in front of them. A touch of the ankle reflex is to control separate from the hyper hypo, but doctors do not do more.

As the seemingly impossible combination of a low TSH and thyroid symptoms baffled doctors for a prescription for an antidepressant clear. As if! Do not have a damn good little. It 's like putting a cast on his leg because you have a cold.

But what if the TSH test is legitimately low? Well, you could have an infection. And as I said, the test is not reliable. Or, you can be very hyperactive. In any case, be careful before getting involved in the treatment of hyperthyroidism irreversible. Search options being of alternative medicine. That is a last resort irreversible.

In the meantime, and I can not believe the words coming out of my fingers, you might think to drink V8 juice. It contains soy (natural flavor on the label), that suppresses your thyroid, which will allow the symptoms. Contrary to popular belief, soy is a major health threat, but the V8 has a high nutritional value and do not drink for a short time until you fix things.

o Finally, if your TSH is high, the doctor says that hypothyroidism, and this time, a prescription for a thyroid medication, rather than an antidepressant. But do not rejoice too soon.

You will receive a prescription for Synthroid, levothyroxine or T4 any other drug that is worth spit. Doctors, however, see T4 as the drug of choice, in fact the only one for. Some of them know that does not work, but they are still around.

Why drugs do not work T4 is a story very, very long, so I will talk about the results or lack thereof.

T4 drugs help people very, very, very little. Like, maybe not. Your symptoms persist, unchanged. Oh, we try to make things better, because they are so tired of feeling like crap, but nothing happens.

Then drag you back to the doctor for a new test. Here, where the Catch-22 rears its ugly head. Although P4 medicine will not show any symptoms, not to normalize the blood test. Your TSH is normal, when you take drugs T4. The doctor can fine-tune the dose of a couple of times, but in the end, if you continue to complain about feeling terrible, you can order an antidepressant. That of course does not help.

What I can offer, but a ray of hope: doctors lose faith in the TSH test. Some medical schools do not teach. It was time, but does not help today.

Before the advent of the TSH test forties, doctors treat the problems in the treatment of thyroid symptoms, the method works. Also at the time, doctors have prescribed Armour Thyroid Bioidentical instead of taking synthetic drugs of T4 (which appeared on the scene with the TSH test). Armour has worked well. Very good. All that remains, if you can get a doctor to order.

So here's a suggestion: When your doctor hands you a prescription for an antidepressant, and then try to negotiate a trial of Armour Thyroid before trying the antidepressant. What you got to lose but your misery?

Bette Dowdell is not a doctor, and he aims to be one. He, a patient who has studied the endocrine system, and successfully treat their endocrine problems for over 30 years. Bette offers a free e-zine of endocrine-related health issues, such as in this article, more in-depth teleseminars and AS-deep-as-you-will program 12 months subscription, "Move for Health." He explains how the endocrine system works or not, deals with issues that affect the endocrine system, and propose things that will help answer questions. Consult your doctor about all, as lawyers say.