TSH between 5.5 - 6.0 and Insomnia

[Rick]

I've been going to my internal medicine doctor for a couple of years and he's been tracing my tsh as well as t3 and t4. My tsh has been consistently betweeen 5.5 -6.0, he says it just out of the "normal" range. My t3 and t4 have been in the normal range. A physical change I've had is a loss of weight, I know with Hypo you should gain weight but I've lost, also, in period of stress I can feel my pulse go through the roof. The biggest problem I've had though is with insomnia. I never sleep through the night, I wake up every 1 1/2 hours or so on nights I can fall asleep. When I go to bed just a little stressed out, or anxious about the next day, I can't sleep at all. Any advice?

[Maria]

Have you ever been evaluated for depression? How is your appetite?

[AZQuitter]

The "normal" range for TSH changed back in 2003. The range your doc is referring to is out of date. The current U.S. range should be .3 to 3.0. Your thyroid hormones are probably in the low end of normal (they should be testing FREE T3 and FREE T4) when they should be on the mid to higher end of the normal range.

[Rick]

Thanks AZ, I had Free T4 and Free T3 tested last April and they were in the normal range, 1.40 for Free T4 and 2.90 for Free T3. I'm having it tested again in about a month or so. I don't understand why the T4 and T3 are normal but tsh is high. Could my thyroid have to work extra hard to product T4 and T3, it does seem to be a bit inflammed.

[Maria]

It's not uncommon to have a normal T4/T3 but a high TSH. Yes - it means your thyroid is working extra hard to produce "enough". The high TSH indicated that your tissues are still starved, despite an adequate blood level.

[Rick]

Most of the people I read about that go on medication have tsh levels higher than mine at between 5.5 - 6.0. I'm begining to think that I need to press my doc for thyroid meds, Is it unusual to go on medicaiton with tsh between 5.5 and 6.0. Also, I've been going to an Internal Medicine doc, should I go to an Endocrinologist? Also, should docs be looking at other things like cholesterol and glucose levels, mine have been slightly elevated.

[Maria]

Yes - TSH above 3 is undeniably hypothyroid. Cholesterol can be caused by hypothyroid and should correct once you go on meds. Glucose is unrelated tho - depending on what the number is, you may be prediabetic.