Well, I am not terribly experienced, but I have read an awful lot about this so I will take a stab at it....

Most endocrinologists feel that any reading above 2.0 is strongly indicative of an evolving hypothyroid disease.

The normal healthy TSH reading for non-hypothyroid populations is right around 1.0

Most doctors, unfortunately, will not allow patients to try medication until their TSH number goes above a certain level - the old guidelines were, anything below 5.5 was considered euthyroid (no thyroid disease).

Very recently, the AACE (the ruling authority on this) revised the guidelines to indicate that "normal" TSH is .3 to 3.04.

Many doctors are not aware of these new guidelines, which advise treating (medicating) patients who exceed the 3.04 number for the TSH level.

My last TSH level testing indicated my number at that time was 2.95 (up from 2.61 a few years previously) - I do not know what it is now but suspect my TSH number is even higher from the symptoms I have been having.

I intend to have another thyroid test done the next time I go to the doctor. I will be very surprised if my number has not jumped again to over 3.04 - I have so many hypothyroid symptoms at this point, and also TSH levels tend to rise with age....it's almost a sure bet that I have gone over the "magic number" of 3.04 and am ready to receive medication for my sluggish thyroid.


Does your TSH number reflect a borderline hypo situation? Perhaps. Most endocrinologists now suspect that any TSH reading above 2.0 is indicative of an evolving hypothyroid situation.

On the other hand, most doctors will not give medication until a patient reaches the "magic TSH" number (which is now 3.04) no matter how bad their symptoms are. So you might have a ways to go before you can get a doctor to actually treat your hypothyroidism

What are your symptoms? Do you feel you have some symptoms of hypothryoidism, or are you feeling just fine with no symptoms? Some patients feel fine with high TSH levels (say, 4 or 5) and others feel absolutely lousy with a number anything above about 1.5.

Hope this helps some, I will be glad to try to answer any other questions or to give links to websites that might explain things more in depth.

Love, Leora