One last question- Elaine?

[Guest guest]

If I have subclinical hyperthyroidism will a thyroid scan hurt my

condition or make my eye worse. The doctor ordered it but I have not

made an appointment yet. Isn't this when they give you some

radioactive iodine? Thanks, Donna

[Guest guest]

Hi Donna,

In general, when I-123 is used, people don't have problems but they can. I

know of several people whose hyperthyroidism worsened after the scan. It's

harder to prove an effect between it and the eye disease, but if antibody

production is stimulated, it would be.

I don't see that you have a need for a repeat scan. You might want to ask

about having the TSI antibody blood test instead to confirm that your

subclinical hyperthyroidism is subclinical Graves' disease. It likely is

since you have eye symptoms, and it would be good to get the baseline levels.

Best, Elaine

[Guest guest]

what would one's overall labs/picture look like if one was " subclinical

graves' " ? can you elucidate for us/me? thanks

Re: One last question- Elaine?

Hi Donna,

In general, when I-123 is used, people don't have problems but they can. I

know of several people whose hyperthyroidism worsened after the scan. It's

harder to prove an effect between it and the eye disease, but if antibody

production is stimulated, it would be.

I don't see that you have a need for a repeat scan. You might want to ask

about having the TSI antibody blood test instead to confirm that your

subclinical hyperthyroidism is subclinical Graves' disease. It likely is

since you have eye symptoms, and it would be good to get the baseline

levels.

Best, Elaine

[Guest guest]

Hi S-

I'd be happy to elucidate it for you. If your TSH is suppressed but your

FT4 and FT3 levels are in the normal range, you have subclinical Graves.

Take care,

dx & RAI 1987 (at age 24)

> what would one's overall labs/picture look like if one was " subclinical

> graves' " ? can you elucidate for us/me? thanks

>

[Guest guest]

thank you. bear with me, i am lost without a copy of the original text (and

am perhaps losing touch or changing the direction here), but is it necessary

that FT4/3 be in normal range for this dx., or could they (one or the other

or both) be just above the high; would this change the dx to graves'

general? and again, without the original text, would wacked out antibodies

(say, TSI at 200) change the subclinical dx to regular ol' graves'?

and, as a rhetorical question, isn't the subclinical dx. about time and

place? couldnt one go untreated and develope full blown graves', or regular

ol' graves'? i dont quite get the dx. there appears some variables

thanks again.

Re: One last question- Elaine?

Hi S-

I'd be happy to elucidate it for you. If your TSH is suppressed but your

FT4 and FT3 levels are in the normal range, you have subclinical Graves.

Take care,

dx & RAI 1987 (at age 24)

> what would one's overall labs/picture look like if one was " subclinical

> graves' " ? can you elucidate for us/me? thanks

[Guest guest]

Hi,

In subclinical hyperthyroidism, TSH falls below the normal range, which would

be <0.3 mu/L, and the thyroid hormone levels, FT4 and FT3, falling within the

normal range.

TSH is a regulatory hormone so when the pituitary sees that we have more than

enough thyroid hormone for our needs, it stops secreting TSH in an effort to

help prevent us from becoming hyperthyroid. TSH falls, often to <.01 well

before thyroid hormone levels become abnormally high. Take care, Elaine

[Guest guest]

Hi,

Both FT4 and FT3 have to be normal for a diagnosis of subclinical

hyperthyroidism.

It's very common in GD to see people with only elevations of one of these

hormones. When only T3/FT3 is elevated, this is called T3 thyrotoxicosis,

which is describing the specific type of hyperthyroidism. When TSI are

positive and/or an uptake confirms Graves' disease, subclinical hyperT is

referred to as subclinical GD.

Subclinical disorders can resolve just as easily as they can progress. People

with small goiter and mild symptoms are most likely to experience spontaneous

remission. People who make lifestyle changes, like lowering iodine, also do.

Some people spend years having variable periods of remission, alternating

with mild symptoms.

Unlike most other disorders, autoimmune disorders frequently follow this

pattern. Autoimmune thyroid disease is even more interesting though, because

about 20% of people with subclinical or overt GD spontaneously move into mild

hypothyroidism after remission.

You can find more info on this topic at the online medical tex, Thyroid

Manager, www.thyroidmanager.org/thyroidbook.htm Take care, Elaine