There are several things that I think you should follow up on, based on the information you posted.

First, you should be aware that the TSH test is not enough in and of itself to diagnose hypothyroidism sufficiently. If you have a TSH of 14, though, then be advised that your thyroid problem is a lot more serious than the majority of thyroid sufferers. That is because a lot of hypothyroidism is not a result of the thyroid gland malfunctioning [which is all the TSH can test for] but a result of higher amounts of proteins present in the body that in effect nullify the hormones produced by the thyroid gland, or your body producing antibodies that attack thyroid hormone.

That having been said, I think that your continued thyroid problems are attributable to your medication. I don't think the dosage of Synthroid that you are on will impact your thyroid, because Synthroid itself is not sufficient to alleviate the symptoms of hypothyroidism. That is because Synthroid consists of only T4, and not T3.

T3 is the hormone that your thyroid gland produces that regulates metabolism and energy level. Because the body naturally produces more T4 than T3, and because the body naturally converts T4 to T3, many doctors do not prescribe replacement T3 medication. This is too bad for us sufferers, because T4 supplemented by medication does NOT convert itself into T3.

You may be interested to note that my mother was on varying dosages of Synthroid for 20 years, and still suffered from both weight & energy issues. I convinced her to visit my doctor, who put me on replacement T4/T3. My mom visited with him in April of 2002, and switched off of Synthroid and onto T3/T4 in May of 2002. She did not reach full dosage until August of 2002, because my doctor did not want to shock her system by introducing adequate amounts of T3 into her system all at once. Since then, my mom has lost 32 pounds. T3 enabled her diet & exercise, which she has always been on top of, to actually have an impact on her metabolism and health.

If you have any questions about this or any other thyroid issue that you would like to chat with me about, please e-mail me at thyroid~justice.com [thyroid AT justice.com] or see my site at http://diagnosis.4t.com

Good luck!

Margie