My TSH is high. What does that mean?

TSH is the pituitary shouting at a sluggish thyroid: high TSH usually means the thyroid is underperforming. With low T4 it is overt hypothyroidism; with normal T4 it is subclinical, a gray zone often just watched.

Symptoms of the real thing: tiredness, cold intolerance, constipation, dry skin, weight gain, heavy periods, slowed thinking.

TSH also wobbles with illness, some medicines and biotin supplements, stop biotin several days before retesting. Mild elevations get rechecked in six to twelve weeks with antibodies before anyone commits to lifelong tablets.