Re: Elaine...and all. TSH ....a rear view mirror.

[Guest guest]

Hi,

You're correct. TSH should not be used for monitoring ATDs. Many people do

not produce TSH until they're hypothryoid. You have to rely on FT4 and FT3 tests

alone while you're on ATDs. In the rare patient without thryoid antibodies,

TSH will rise quickly in hypoT like it does in normal people, but this isn't

the case with us.

Your low FT4 can indeed cause hypo symptoms, and depression is one of the

earliest hypo symptoms to emerge.

Go to Pub Med and see if you can find the article by Brokken on Suppression

of Serum TSH by Graves' Ig. The abstract explains why TSH can't be relied on,

and you can access the entire article either through the link at PubMed or

through The Endocrine Society. Utiger also had an article on the American

Thryoid Association web site last year but I'm not sure it can still be

accessed. Take care, Elaine

[Guest guest]

Is your dr only taking into consideration the TSH levels?

SandyE~Houston

Elaine...and all. TSH ....a rear view mirror.

Hi Elaine and all,

My bloodtests for Graves' Disease

TSH (.5-5.0) Free T4 (.8-1.8) Time on med at test

5-03 0.01 (FT3 1448 High) 4.1

6-03 0.01 3.36 2 weeks Beta Blocker

7-3 0.01 2.3 3 weeks BB 200mg PTU

8-03 0.05 (FT3 398 " normal " ) 1.4 3 weeks BB 200mg PTU

9-03 1.09 1.0 < 4 weeks BB 150 PTU

10-03 Next appointment 6-8 weeks 100 PTU No BB

My endo did not want to decrease my med...everything is " normal " . I

did it the day I had the blood drawn...I e-mailed her...because of

what I believe are hypO symptoms. Body aches...cold hands...chest

pain..blood pressure 90/50.

I am now taking 100 mg PTU daily divided into 3 equal doses taken 8

hours apart. I have had no Beta Blocker for 2 weeks.

I believe the FT4 is too close to bottoming out.

She responded that I could not have symptoms due to low thyroid with

my scores in the " normal " range. She wants me to wait 6 more weeks

for another reduction.

Please give me your reactions.

I predict my TSH will be a higer more hypo number next blood draw.

(Is that true?) TSH lags 6 weeks. Is that right? Looking at past

years, my " feel good " TSH numbers are near .5 I believe that is

normal for me.

My FT4 has continued to fall with 2 med changes. How to raise it?

Will it raise on the present 100 mg dose?

I believe my med should be reduced again my 25 mg in less than a

week.? That will be 3 weeks at the 100 mg dose. (My hands are

FrEEZING as I type.)

I'm concerned about depression. How close to .8 do I need to be

before my body can not chemically support a " normal " mood and

function? Saratonin (sp)

Do all thyroid patients eventually get treated with antidepressants?

What else can I do to support my body's need for sarotonon (sp)? I

exercise, pray, play cello, laugh...at least 3 hours a day.

Aj

P.S. TSH is like looking thru a rearview mirror. It tells where

you have been. It makes it awful hard to drive down the road.

My General Practioner said that!! He didn't know that 2 weeks ago!

He must be doing research!! He also sincerely complimented me on

the research and knowledge I have acquired about GRaves' Disease to

actively participate in my own treatment. I believe he meant it!! I

believe he listens to me more attentively now, too.

Thank you all!!

[Guest guest]

Thank you, Elaine,

Thank you for the pubmed info. I'll get copies in the am.

I'll send the articles for her. Is it best to send them

certified/registered mail rather than e-mail them? I think I will

do both.

Thank you for all you do,

Ever hopeful,

AJ...cello

P.s. Great Pop's concert last night. I love show tunes.

My " insecurities " were working during the afternoon before the

concert. But by the second measure of the music...I was a free,

happy spirit. Saratonin therapy.

> Hi,

> You're correct. TSH should not be used for monitoring ATDs. Many

people do

> not produce TSH until they're hypothryoid. You have to rely on FT4

and FT3 tests

> alone while you're on ATDs. In the rare patient without thryoid

antibodies,

> TSH will rise quickly in hypoT like it does in normal people, but

this isn't

> the case with us.

> Your low FT4 can indeed cause hypo symptoms, and depression is one

of the

> earliest hypo symptoms to emerge.

> Go to Pub Med and see if you can find the article by Brokken on

Suppression

> of Serum TSH by Graves' Ig. The abstract explains why TSH can't

be relied on,

> and you can access the entire article either through the link at

PubMed or

> through The Endocrine Society. Utiger also had an article

on the American

> Thryoid Association web site last year but I'm not sure it can

still be

> accessed. Take care, Elaine

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Sandy,

Have you found your bird, yet? I am so sorry that she is " out there

alone waiting for you to find her " .

On our 10th anniversary, my husband and I had that kind of

experience with our Shelty dog. We posted fliers everywhere, and a

week later received a call that she was about 10 miles from where we

last saw her.

When we got her back, she was muddy and kept a distance from people.

(She didn't recognize us at first.) Other than that, she was well

and healthy.

I hope you are able to get your bird back. A pet is such an

important part of our lives. Let us know.

Yes. I believe my endo looks at the TSH..(only). She says she

looks at it all...and both TSH and FT4 are " normal " . Therefore, she

wrote me that she was not convinced my symptoms could be from low

thyroid.

I'm going to try to get this resolved. I still don't have another

doc in the wings,so I really don't want her to fire me or vise/versa.

Take care and good health,

Ever hopeful,

Aj

> Is your dr only taking into consideration the TSH levels?

>

> SandyE~Houston

>

> Elaine...and all. TSH ....a rear view

mirror.

>

>

> Hi Elaine and all,

>

> My bloodtests for Graves' Disease

>

> TSH (.5-5.0) Free T4 (.8-1.8) Time on med at test

>

> 5-03 0.01 (FT3 1448 High) 4.1

> 6-03 0.01 3.36 2 weeks Beta Blocker

> 7-3 0.01 2.3 3 weeks BB 200mg PTU

> 8-03 0.05 (FT3 398 " normal " ) 1.4 3 weeks BB 200mg PTU

> 9-03 1.09 1.0 < 4 weeks BB 150 PTU

> 10-03 Next appointment 6-8 weeks 100 PTU

No BB

>

> My endo did not want to decrease my med...everything

is " normal " . I

> did it the day I had the blood drawn...I e-mailed her...because

of

> what I believe are hypO symptoms. Body aches...cold

hands...chest

> pain..blood pressure 90/50.

>

> I am now taking 100 mg PTU daily divided into 3 equal doses

taken 8

> hours apart. I have had no Beta Blocker for 2 weeks.

>

> I believe the FT4 is too close to bottoming out.

>

> She responded that I could not have symptoms due to low thyroid

with

> my scores in the " normal " range. She wants me to wait 6 more

weeks

> for another reduction.

>

> Please give me your reactions.

>

> I predict my TSH will be a higer more hypo number next blood

draw.

> (Is that true?) TSH lags 6 weeks. Is that right? Looking at

past

> years, my " feel good " TSH numbers are near .5 I believe that is

> normal for me.

>

> My FT4 has continued to fall with 2 med changes. How to raise

it?

> Will it raise on the present 100 mg dose?

>

> I believe my med should be reduced again my 25 mg in less than a

> week.? That will be 3 weeks at the 100 mg dose. (My hands are

> FrEEZING as I type.)

>

> I'm concerned about depression. How close to .8 do I need to be

> before my body can not chemically support a " normal " mood and

> function? Saratonin (sp)

>

> Do all thyroid patients eventually get treated with

antidepressants?

>

> What else can I do to support my body's need for sarotonon

(sp)? I

> exercise, pray, play cello, laugh...at least 3 hours a day.

>

> Aj

>

> P.S. TSH is like looking thru a rearview mirror. It tells

where

> you have been. It makes it awful hard to drive down the road.

>

> My General Practioner said that!! He didn't know that 2 weeks

ago!

> He must be doing research!! He also sincerely complimented me

on

> the research and knowledge I have acquired about GRaves' Disease

to

> actively participate in my own treatment. I believe he meant

it!! I

> believe he listens to me more attentively now, too.

>

> Thank you all!!

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

nope, unfortunately i've not found my Gabby. She's out there, on in somebody's

house who's prolly not planning on giving her back. Sadly enuff when some

people see something like that, they think, oh yippie, look at what I found.

But what they don't realize is this is a breeder, not a young bird either, and

that she doesn't talk, and she actually didn't do much of anything. Except sit

in the cage with her mate. sigh.

I hope I get her back, and I'm hoping it doesn't cost me a large ransom....but I

know how these things can go. thanx for the thoughts on her. Maybe I'll have

better news later. :-(

Sandy

Elaine...and all. TSH ....a rear view

mirror.

>

>

> Hi Elaine and all,

>

> My bloodtests for Graves' Disease

>

> TSH (.5-5.0) Free T4 (.8-1.8) Time on med at test

>

> 5-03 0.01 (FT3 1448 High) 4.1

> 6-03 0.01 3.36 2 weeks Beta Blocker

> 7-3 0.01 2.3 3 weeks BB 200mg PTU

> 8-03 0.05 (FT3 398 " normal " ) 1.4 3 weeks BB 200mg PTU

> 9-03 1.09 1.0 < 4 weeks BB 150 PTU

> 10-03 Next appointment 6-8 weeks 100 PTU

No BB

>

> My endo did not want to decrease my med...everything

is " normal " . I

> did it the day I had the blood drawn...I e-mailed her...because

of

> what I believe are hypO symptoms. Body aches...cold

hands...chest

> pain..blood pressure 90/50.

>

> I am now taking 100 mg PTU daily divided into 3 equal doses

taken 8

> hours apart. I have had no Beta Blocker for 2 weeks.

>

> I believe the FT4 is too close to bottoming out.

>

> She responded that I could not have symptoms due to low thyroid

with

> my scores in the " normal " range. She wants me to wait 6 more

weeks

> for another reduction.

>

> Please give me your reactions.

>

> I predict my TSH will be a higer more hypo number next blood

draw.

> (Is that true?) TSH lags 6 weeks. Is that right? Looking at

past

> years, my " feel good " TSH numbers are near .5 I believe that is

> normal for me.

>

> My FT4 has continued to fall with 2 med changes. How to raise

it?

> Will it raise on the present 100 mg dose?

>

> I believe my med should be reduced again my 25 mg in less than a

> week.? That will be 3 weeks at the 100 mg dose. (My hands are

> FrEEZING as I type.)

>

> I'm concerned about depression. How close to .8 do I need to be

> before my body can not chemically support a " normal " mood and

> function? Saratonin (sp)

>

> Do all thyroid patients eventually get treated with

antidepressants?

>

> What else can I do to support my body's need for sarotonon

(sp)? I

> exercise, pray, play cello, laugh...at least 3 hours a day.

>

> Aj

>

> P.S. TSH is like looking thru a rearview mirror. It tells

where

> you have been. It makes it awful hard to drive down the road.

>

> My General Practioner said that!! He didn't know that 2 weeks

ago!

> He must be doing research!! He also sincerely complimented me

on

> the research and knowledge I have acquired about GRaves' Disease

to

> actively participate in my own treatment. I believe he meant

it!! I

> believe he listens to me more attentively now, too.

>

> Thank you all!!

>

>

>

>