New Labs, New Symptoms

[Guest guest]

After juggling my medication over the past few months

(neo-mercazole/Carbimazole) my FT4 is now 12.8 (was 72, then 10.9)

FT3 is 4.1 (was 23, then 3.9) which are both now in normal ranges, BUT

my TSH still has not altered one bit. It has stayed at <0.01 the entire

time, the normal range is 0.35-5.50.

My Endo is happy that the FT3 & 4's are now normal, but she has

increased by dose again for 2 weeks only, to 20mg per day to see what

happens to my TSH. Then I will reduce dose again to 15mg a day.

My resting pulse has reduced from about 120 to 68 which is fantastic as

I don't have those awful palpitations and hot flushes anymore. However,

when I increase my dose I feel really lethargic and tired for about 10

days and I have had the worst killer headaches which go on for days at a

time.

I have now had this awful sore throat for about 10 days which feels like

I am coming down with flu' but it doesn't eventuate.

The Endo said there is not as much " activity " in my thyroid as

previously. However when I had my ultrasound, the technician said it was

about as good an example of a graves' thyroid that he had ever seen!

Meaning it was big and ugly I think!

After all that, I am wondering if my TSH is ever likely to change? Is

there anything else I could possibly do to alter this? Is it my TSH (or

lack of) which is making me feel awful?

I would be grateful for any comments or wisdom.

Thanks,

Alison

Melbourne, Australia

[Guest guest]

Hi Alison,

Your doctor is trying to get your TSH in range--and the TSH is generally

suppressed when you're taking the ATD's. If your FT's are in range (you

didn't provide the reference ranges--are they high normal or midway?) you

shouldn't have to increase your meds, which will make you hypo. My endo said

" I could increase your meds to try to get your TSH in range, but then you'd

feel hypO and miserable. There's no reason to do that! " . If, in fact you are

mid-range or low-range, increasing your dose will send you seriously hypO.

This is a far greater risk to your health and well-being than a suppressed

TSH!

With regard to your other post, I'm amazed that they actually show this on

tV! But maybe I haven't looked around here, I know we have delivery room

video, etc.-- maybe we do it in the US and I just don't know.

Terry

>

> Reply-To: graves_support

> Date: Thu, 20 Nov 2003 11:36:44 +1100

> To: <graves_support >

> Subject: New Labs, New Symptoms

>

>

> After juggling my medication over the past few months

> (neo-mercazole/Carbimazole) my FT4 is now 12.8 (was 72, then 10.9)

> FT3 is 4.1 (was 23, then 3.9) which are both now in normal ranges, BUT

> my TSH still has not altered one bit. It has stayed at <0.01 the entire

> time, the normal range is 0.35-5.50.

> My Endo is happy that the FT3 & 4's are now normal, but she has

> increased by dose again for 2 weeks only, to 20mg per day to see what

> happens to my TSH. Then I will reduce dose again to 15mg a day.

> My resting pulse has reduced from about 120 to 68 which is fantastic as

> I don't have those awful palpitations and hot flushes anymore. However,

> when I increase my dose I feel really lethargic and tired for about 10

> days and I have had the worst killer headaches which go on for days at a

> time.

> I have now had this awful sore throat for about 10 days which feels like

> I am coming down with flu' but it doesn't eventuate.

> The Endo said there is not as much " activity " in my thyroid as

> previously. However when I had my ultrasound, the technician said it was

> about as good an example of a graves' thyroid that he had ever seen!

> Meaning it was big and ugly I think!

> After all that, I am wondering if my TSH is ever likely to change? Is

> there anything else I could possibly do to alter this? Is it my TSH (or

> lack of) which is making me feel awful?

>

> I would be grateful for any comments or wisdom.

> Thanks,

> Alison

> Melbourne, Australia

>

>

>

>

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[Guest guest]

Oh my goodness!

I usually don't feel I have enough experience to answer most questions but

what I *do* know is that by increasing your dosage of carbimazole, you will

put yourself straight into hypo-hell, in fact, it sounds like you are

heading there.

What I don't understand is... does your doctor really expect your TSH to

rise and if so.. is that at the expense of normal T4 and T4 levels that you

have thankfully achieved? Surely your doctor realises that Carbimazole

REDUCES your T3 and T4 levels and by increasing the dosage it can make your

life hell? Carbimazole also supressed TSH levels which, as somebody pointed

out to you is not an indicator.

It think you should be reducing your dosage to try and stabilise your levels

now that they are normal and your aim should be to remain there for as long

as necessary to get you into remission.

Please don't wait the full 2 weeks.

Maybe you should start looking around for a doctor who is more informed or

is at least prepared to educate him/herself with GD.

Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and

the last fish has been caught will we realise that we cannot eat money.