I have hypothyroidism and I supplement with T4 (75mcg// Man 26yo). In my annual lab results, I had a little bit of an increase of TSH, T4 within the normal range but I was worried about my Prolactin level. It was 29 with th normal range 22 (for women I think it is 22, for men 15). The previous 2 days before blood test I had poor sleep ( the first one 5 hours and the second one 2 to 4 hours). Moreover, I have a lot of stress during this period of time and the night before the blood test I had a workout.Does prolactin get affected by this parameters? I am catastrophizing about the possibility of having something in the brain area.
I do not know why it is being measured. Every year that I do lab work for my hypothyroidism my physician orders a panel of hormones. It includes testosterone and other hormones. The previous 2 years it was within the normal levels (but near the upper limit). I am guessing that in a way hypothyroidism and prolactin goes hand by hand sometimes. I think there is a connection when your brain produces more TSH because of the need of T4, prolactin goes up too. I have not discussed my findings with my physician yet. I have an appointment in 10 days. I somehow panicked and thought of asking here.
In clinical medicine, there should be a very specific reason or concern to justify performing any given test. For the majority of patients with common (primary) hypothyroidism, there is no reason to continue monitoring all these other hormones (aside from TSH/FT4) on a regular/ongoing basis.
I would recommend discussing with your physician to determine whether there is a specific reason they are measuring these. If so, they should be able to explain why to you. If not, I would either stop checking them or find a new physician.
My endocrinologist last year gave me a bigger dose (of 88 mcg T4). I checked tsh at christmas and it was fine, near 1.4 (sry i do not remeber the units, no other hormone was checked). This july I did again the full panel of hormones and my tsh was 9.4 elevated and my prolactin was 38 (testosterone within the normal limit). I had a bad night sleep and a workout the previous day. I did not ask why we measure prolactin last year, I will do it now. I read that prolactin could be elevated after a work out and when your TSH is high. I am somehow stressed because i think that there is something going on in the pituitary gland like a prolactinoma (I have no symptoms of a prolactinoma)
By the way I have found many papers that suggest that training increases prolactin (it is like a recovery process or something) and I had a week full of training everyday, Monday Wednesday heavy days and Tuesday Thursday liss + hitt and accessories. Moreover, I have found that prolactin increases during the night (and you have to wait like 3 to 4 hours after you woke up for a blood test) and I have slept from 4 in the morning to 8 in the morning and got my blood test at 8 45. I used to wake up at 11 30 in the previous days. I do not know if this parameters play a role on my blood results.