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Hello Can You Please Tell Me If Birth Control Affects
Question: Hello can you please tell me if birth control affects TSH test results? Do you consider 4.29 to be a high TSH if I am also on birth control?
Brief Answer:
Birth control should not affect thyroid function
Detailed Answer:
Hello, I'm Dr. Branch, thanks for using Ask a Doctor. No, birth control is not known to affect thyroid function at all, so consideration of TSH levels would not be affected by being on birth control. It depends on the specific laboratory, and what they put as their normal range for TSH, but for some labs above 4.0 is considered high. So in that case, I would consider hypothyroidism (or low thyroid) in your case, and would want to get a free T4 to confirm whether or not your thyroid hormone is low (low thyroid hormone makes the TSH go up, because the body is trying to stimulate your thyroid gland to produce more hormone).
I hope that helps, please let me know if you have any questions about any of that, and I would be glad to discuss it with you further.
Birth control should not affect thyroid function
Detailed Answer:
Hello, I'm Dr. Branch, thanks for using Ask a Doctor. No, birth control is not known to affect thyroid function at all, so consideration of TSH levels would not be affected by being on birth control. It depends on the specific laboratory, and what they put as their normal range for TSH, but for some labs above 4.0 is considered high. So in that case, I would consider hypothyroidism (or low thyroid) in your case, and would want to get a free T4 to confirm whether or not your thyroid hormone is low (low thyroid hormone makes the TSH go up, because the body is trying to stimulate your thyroid gland to produce more hormone).
I hope that helps, please let me know if you have any questions about any of that, and I would be glad to discuss it with you further.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Nagamani Ng
Thank you Dr Branch for your reply. I did not think 4.29 was a very optimal number. Can you please provide any additional recommended testing based on these results and considerations:
Thyroxine tested at 12.4 (high) - I've read this is affected by birth control
T3 Uptake - 26
Free Thyroxine Index - 3.2
TPO AB 10
My mother has hypothyroid
I am on birth control to control bleeding between periods. I have ruled out a polyp with a hysteroscopy and have had a pap smear to rule out cervical cancer.
I have had IBS for the last 8 years, which tends more toward IBS-C. IBS-C tends to get worse when I am bleeding between periods.
I am going off of birth control in two days because I switched birth controls (after again bleeding between periods) and am very depressed on it. Going off birth control should give a more accurate thyroid picture, yes?
Thyroxine tested at 12.4 (high) - I've read this is affected by birth control
T3 Uptake - 26
Free Thyroxine Index - 3.2
TPO AB 10
My mother has hypothyroid
I am on birth control to control bleeding between periods. I have ruled out a polyp with a hysteroscopy and have had a pap smear to rule out cervical cancer.
I have had IBS for the last 8 years, which tends more toward IBS-C. IBS-C tends to get worse when I am bleeding between periods.
I am going off of birth control in two days because I switched birth controls (after again bleeding between periods) and am very depressed on it. Going off birth control should give a more accurate thyroid picture, yes?
Brief Answer:
Birth control should not make a major difference
Detailed Answer:
I have never heard of birth control pills making a major difference, and I went back and looked at all the medications that can affect thyroid levels, and birth control pills are not one of them. There may be places on the internet that claim this, but as far as I know there is no evidence that it makes a significant difference. However, checking a free T4 would likely be more helpful, and less likely to be affected by other medications if birth control is having any affect. If the free T4 was normal, I would just recheck the TSH again after 2 months and see if it is still high.
Are you having any symptoms that you know of? Also, if you can send a picture of the results, since every lab has different reference ranges, it might help give me a more clear picture of what is going on.
Birth control should not make a major difference
Detailed Answer:
I have never heard of birth control pills making a major difference, and I went back and looked at all the medications that can affect thyroid levels, and birth control pills are not one of them. There may be places on the internet that claim this, but as far as I know there is no evidence that it makes a significant difference. However, checking a free T4 would likely be more helpful, and less likely to be affected by other medications if birth control is having any affect. If the free T4 was normal, I would just recheck the TSH again after 2 months and see if it is still high.
Are you having any symptoms that you know of? Also, if you can send a picture of the results, since every lab has different reference ranges, it might help give me a more clear picture of what is going on.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Kampana
Hello - I do not have ability to send a scan, but I can tell you that the normal reference range for TSH for the clinic where I was tested is 0.45 - 4.5.
I have many symptoms that fit under a hypothyroid umbrella, which is why I am questioning my results: including constipation which has continued to get worse for the last 8 years (especially in the last year), bleeding between periods (which started happening last year and I was prescribed birth control because of it. Turns out, not even the birth control could always stop it), My husband makes fun of me because I'm cold all the time, I have eczema and sometimes have dry and itchy skin. I also have a mother who was diagnosed hypothyroid in her early 40s.
All I want is to find a clinic who will believe that this is not normal and agree that perhaps my higher than optimal TSH could be to blame for all my symptoms that take so much from my life.
I have many symptoms that fit under a hypothyroid umbrella, which is why I am questioning my results: including constipation which has continued to get worse for the last 8 years (especially in the last year), bleeding between periods (which started happening last year and I was prescribed birth control because of it. Turns out, not even the birth control could always stop it), My husband makes fun of me because I'm cold all the time, I have eczema and sometimes have dry and itchy skin. I also have a mother who was diagnosed hypothyroid in her early 40s.
All I want is to find a clinic who will believe that this is not normal and agree that perhaps my higher than optimal TSH could be to blame for all my symptoms that take so much from my life.
Brief Answer:
Thyroid hormone is likely not going to help
Detailed Answer:
Based on your lab results so far, I don't see any evidence that your thyroid is the cause of your symptoms. You might be able to find a doctor who will prescribe you thyroid hormone, but I doubt that it is going to help you, and may cause serious side effects. But first I would get a free T4 to make sure what your level of active thyroid hormone is.
Please let me know if you have any other questions, I'd be glad to help any way I can.
Thyroid hormone is likely not going to help
Detailed Answer:
Based on your lab results so far, I don't see any evidence that your thyroid is the cause of your symptoms. You might be able to find a doctor who will prescribe you thyroid hormone, but I doubt that it is going to help you, and may cause serious side effects. But first I would get a free T4 to make sure what your level of active thyroid hormone is.
Please let me know if you have any other questions, I'd be glad to help any way I can.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vaishalee Punj
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