I went off abx 2 years ago, after 6 years of treatment. I was not totally well, by any means, but wanted to see how I would do.
In those two years, my thyroid tests worsened fairly dramatically, w/TSH going from 2's in 2007, then 3's, then, in late 2008, 5+.
I have been back on tetracycline for 2 weeks.
My TSH is now back to the 2's, and fine.
Lucky I did not go on meds, as most docs wanted me to do!
Anyway, is it possible that abx could improve TSH this quickly?
Anyone know?
Posted by Shosty (Member # 12232) on :
Just trying one more time. The first page fills up fast!
Posted by tdtid (Member # 10276) on :
I don't have an answer to your question, but can say that in my case, when I was still trying to get a diagnosis, I was sent to tons of specialists.
They would keep saying this or that was wrong but always followed it up by "but something else is going on" and send me to a different kind of specialist.
In the end, I found it was lyme and co's.....BUT while going through the search, one of the doctors said my thyroid was bouncing around more than normal.
Eventually, it was said I should be taking Armour thyroid and desperate to feel better, I did.
They took awhile to find the right dose and THEN I got the lyme diagnosis much later.
So while on various different antibiotics, my dosage keeps changing because yes, even from antibiotic to antibiotic I get different levels.
So my GUESS would be taht yes, these changes could happen quickly when off abx as well. I'm obviously not a doctor and can only talk of my own personal experiences.
I imagine that my appointment later this month is going to have yet another thyroid med change so around and around it goes. Lyme definitely tamperrs with all our various hormones and yes, lyme treatment DOES reverse so many, including our thyroid.
My LLMD said that he expects I'll be treatment totally after getting the lyme under control. Time will tell.
Cathy
Posted by 22dreams (Member # 17846) on :
I'm not sure about Abx effects on TSH.
However, My sister's thyroid doc stated that if a person is tested within the same day or even hours, his/her TSH fluctuates.
Like lyme, Thyroid disease is ultimately clinical diagnosis. Patients can't be diagnosed by looking at labs alone as they can be misleading.
I have had clinical symptoms of hypothyroid for quite some time.
My TSH is now in the 2s, range between low 2s and closer to 3.0 the times I've been tested.
So my LLMD tested me last month for Thyroid antibodies. Came back positive for 2 of 3.
My TSH is in the 2s and I have Hoshimoto's. Will start taking Armour this week.
Unfortunately, my original PCP looked at my TSH and stated it was ``within normal limits''--yet, my immune system has been attacking my thyroid as an invader the whole time.
``...the findings of this substantial observation suggest that the ranges of TSH usually regarded as normal contribute to coronary events, cardiac death, as well as lipid patterns....''
Posted by Shosty (Member # 12232) on :
You are from Cambridge and my know the Marino center. The MD there did not want to treat my fairly high TSh yet, and thought it might be "sick euthyroid syndrome", which means the thryoid itself is okay, but the thryoid hormones are not being used/absorbed properly, so the body thinks it needs more and pumps up the TSH.
I am familiar with the controversy and have a couple of books on my shelf, mainly because I thought my daughter really did have hypothyroid, despite her also being told it might be sick euthyroid syndrome. Her clinical signs were strong for hypo, and she felt better on meds (T3 and T4).
For me, though, it seemed smart to wait and see. My fatigue gets bad in the late afternoon, which may be more due to adrenal problems.
Interesting that the TSH fluctuates so much. It certainly makes sense that it would.
Thanks for responding, both of you!
Posted by mustluvdogs (Member # 18273) on :
HI. I am Hypothyroid. This past summer when I was flaring bad, always did in summer too, my thyroid went out of whack. Lyme does affect every system in the body and our bodies are under constant stress. So I guess once you start killing it off, it may start reversing the processes a bit.
I don't know for sure but it kind of makes sense.
Posted by Shosty (Member # 12232) on :
My question was not so much about whether abx could reverse things, but if it could happen that fast, in people's experience.
I have GI issues that make it hard to take the abx. But in the last 3 weeks, not only has my TSH normalized, but my left arm, which has been shorter than my other arm w/constant painful pulling sensation, now feels normal and is the same length as the other arm again. Also, my horrible whiplash symptoms, which I've had since last year, are almost gone.
I was skeptical about taking them. I had the pill bottle on the kitchen table for 6 months, and just resisted taking them.
Without abx, I am quite sick, even after 6 years of treatment in the past. Sorry to discourage anyone, but that does seem to be the case for me.
Someone mentioned flares in the summer. For me, that is part of the autoimmune illness that Lyme has triggered: trouble in the sun and heat. Abx don't affect or improve that, however.
Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :
i don't know either. i was on 20 mo. of abx; i do NOT believe my thyroid medicine changed!!
Posted by mustluvdogs (Member # 18273) on :
When I started taking ABX 10-23-08 my facial tics, numbness and floaters went away in a matter of days. Also elbow pain and knee pain too. Took a little longer for the burning pain though. So it seemed to work fast for me. I know this doesn't answer your question about TSH. But, my doctor had told me in the very beginning that we wouldn't check cholesterol, etc. until Spring because Lyme stresses out our body and the thyroid, adrenals etc. would still be fluctuating and out of whack while fighting this off.
I could always tell when my thyroid seemed to be off for few months and then back to normal. I could tell by the nails, skin and hair loss.
I also noticed that as soon as I started abx like soon after my hair loss was gone. So maybe it does.
I just got my results on my thyroid panel and they are all normal and didn't change my meds from summer when it went low again. I think in my gut I knew it was from something else even then, I was suspecting Lyme.