Re: New Labs -- Elaine or Anybody

[Guest guest]

Hi Terri,

Your thyroid function tests (FT4, FT3, TSH) all look good although we all

have optimal ranges. I would be hypothyroid with those results. For me, a TSH

higher than 0.4 causes hypoT and I need my FT4 and FT3 close to the high end of

the reference range. If you feel good, then they're the right labs for you.

With slightly higher levels, any remaining thyroid tissue also slows down,

and this can help lower thryoid antibody production. TPO antibodies aren't

related to GO the way TSH receptor antibodies are although they are a sign that

your immune system is still producing thyroid antibodies. Keep us posted on your

orbital radiotherapy results. I hope your next report shows some progress.

Take care, Elaine

[Guest guest]

Elaine,

I'm not sure what you mean by " with slightly higher levels... " Higher

levels of FT3 and FT4? If so, then that would mean that it's better to have

less ATD if your dose has you at the lower end, right? But what about the

risks of subclinical hyperT? I read your article on those having higher CV

risk if the thyroid levels are in range but TSH is suppressed. That had me

worried!

Thanks,

At 12:52 PM 7/24/2003, you wrote:

>With slightly higher levels, any remaining thyroid tissue also slows down,

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 7/24/2003 11:54:26 AM Central Daylight Time,

daisyelaine@... writes:

> Your thyroid function tests (FT4, FT3, TSH) all look good although we all

> have optimal ranges. I would be hypothyroid with those results. For me, a

> TSH

> higher than 0.4 causes hypoT and I need my FT4 and FT3 close to the high end

> of

> the reference range. If you feel good, then they're the right labs for you. >

> >

Actually, I feel exhausted most of the time. So I don't know if those ranges

are right for me or not. But how I feel is complicated by some other things,

including the Orbital Radiation (I don't know if my exhaustion is partly from

that). Also, since the radiation, I have large swollen lymphnodes in my neck

and in the back of my neck. The ones in the front are causing difficulty

swallowing. I was on 3 weeks of antibiotics (first keflex and then augmentin)

and they didn't change anything. My GP doesn't know what's causing the

swelling, so I'm going for a throat culture and CBC tomorrow. Does anyone know

if the

cause could be related to the thyroid or the radiation??

> <<With slightly higher levels, any remaining thyroid tissue also slows

> down,

> and this can help lower thryoid antibody production.>>

So does that mean an increase in the Unithroid would raise those levels??

<< TPO antibodies aren't > related to GO the way TSH receptor antibodies are

> although they are a sign that your immune system is still producing thyroid

> antibodies.>>

So should a different antibody test be run? And if my immune system is still

producing thyroid antibodies, can anything be done about it?

<<Keep us posted on your > orbital radiotherapy results. >>

So far, no results, except my vision is more blurry than before, but they

told me that should clear up in a few weeks. I have a re-check with the Eye doc

and the radiation doc on August 27th.

Sorry for all the questions, but I'm just trying to get a handle on what this

all means and what I can do about it. This helpless feeling is frustrating.

Terri

Graves disease 1979; treated with RAI; exothalmia 1982, treated with IV

steroids; since then on one or another form of replacement hormone. New flare

up

of TED with severe double vision, swelling in intraocular muscles and

inflammation in August of 2002. Currently hypoactive. Treated TED with

prednisone.

It worked while on prednisone, but TED came back worse after. Underwent

Orbital radiation June-July 2003. No change yet.

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

The high CV risk is with people who have subclinical hyperthyroidism. When

you're on ATDs and your TSH remains suppressed, you don't have subclinical

hyperthyroidism. You just have a TSH that is still low because your thyroid

hormone

levels are no longer under pituitary control. That is, TSH is no longer

controlling how much thyroid hormone you have. Thyroid antibodies are. The

pituitary recognizes that you have enough thyroid hormone and it recognizes TSH

receptor antibodies as if they were TSH so it no longer secretes TSH. This is

not

the same as subclinical hyperthyroidism.

In subclinical hyperthyroidism, your thyroid hormones slowly begin rising

over time. Before they become abnormally high, the pituitary slows down or stops

secreting TSH. You really can't tell if someone with ATDs has subclinical

hyperT, and this is why TSH is not supposed to be used to monitor ATD therapy.

You're correct in that your ATD should be lowered when your thyroid hormone

levels are at the low end of the normal range. Hypothyroidism is to be avoided

when you're on ATDs. Take care, Elaine