new labs -- Elaine

[Guest guest]

Thanks so much for clarifying, Elaine. That is a relief :-)

I don't mean to be a pest, but I'm still wondering about something you

said, which was that having " slightly higher levels " is good because

thyroid tissue slows down... maybe I'm misunderstanding, but it sounds like

it is better for us to be at the high end of normal? Or maybe it is good to

be in the middle, if we feel all right? Still trying to get the hang of this!

Thanks,

At 12:47 PM 7/25/2003, you wrote:

>Hi ,

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

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

What's important is not becoming hypothyroid. When you have enough thyroid

hormone for your body's needs, your pituitary and thyroid gland recognize this

so the cells sort of rest. Some doctors call this putting the thyroid to sleep.

So you want your levels on the high side but within the normal range because

this slows thyroid cell growth, hormone production and thyroid antibody

production. Take care, Elaine

[Guest guest]

Yes , you understand it perfectly.

And we all have an optimal range so you could perhaps feel hyper at an FT4 of

1.7 and great at an FT4 of 1.5 whereas other people may feel their best at an

FT4 of 1.8. I don't know very many people who even function well at an FT4 of

say 1.1, with a reference range of 0.8-1.8. Take care, Elaine

[Guest guest]

Thank you so much, Elaine. If I am understanding you correctly, it seems

that being at the high end of the normal range is preferable even to being

in the middle, as it makes the thyroid less active. So I'm guessing that

the optimal level for any one person is having the FT3 and FT4 at the

highest level within the normal range but without feeling hyper?

At 12:40 PM 7/26/2003, you wrote:

>Hi ,

>What's important is not becoming hypothyroid. When you have enough thyroid

>hormone for your body's needs, your pituitary and thyroid gland recognize

>this

>so the cells sort of rest. Some doctors call this putting the thyroid to

>sleep.

>So you want your levels on the high side but within the normal range because

>this slows thyroid cell growth, hormone production and thyroid antibody

>production. Take care, Elaine

[Guest guest]

Elaine,

Thank you for your response. I am clear now.

Have a great day,

At 12:20 PM 7/27/2003, you wrote:

>Yes , you understand it perfectly.

>And we all have an optimal range so you could perhaps feel hyper at an FT4 of

>1.7 and great at an FT4 of 1.5 whereas other people may feel their best at an

>FT4 of 1.8. I don't know very many people who even function well at an FT4 of

>say 1.1, with a reference range of 0.8-1.8. Take care, Elaine

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

You were fine on the lower dose and had a borderline FT4 then, and your FT3

was fine. Your FT4 will continue to fall if you stay on the 25 mg PTU. However,

with your getting by well on 12.5 mg PTU, which is not much of a dose, there

is the possibility that you're in remission.

It would be great if your doctor ran a TSI level to see if you're in

remission.

Also, TSH can still take a long time to rise even after you become

hypothyroid so you can't go by this result. Hypot will reduce your chances of

becoming

pregnant and even slight hypothyroidism isn't desirable in pregnancy since the

fetus relies on your sources of thryoid hormone for the first 11-12 weeks.

Sounds like you've really done a good job of bringing your levels down. Take

care, Elaine

[Guest guest]

Hello,

I just received these numbers, after taking 25mg PTU for about 2 weeks (I

had been on 12.5mg, but my doc thought I should be on a higher dose, saying

that 12.5 would leave me without medication for most of the day; and he is

adamant about not adding synthroid):

On 9/25

TSH: 0.18 (.4 - 5.5)

FT4 0.8 (.8 - 1.8)

FT3 297 (230 - 420)

When I was on 12.5mg for a couple of weeks (after being overdosed), my FT4

was 1.0 and FT3 was 383.

I am a bit nervous to be hypO, as I may get or be pregnant (I will know by

the end of the week) and don't want to be hypO if that is the case. Is

really bad to be hypO for even a short period of time during the early

stages of pregnancy? And should I lower my dose again to 12.5, or try to

cut the pill in smaller slivers to take 1/8 pill 2x/day?

Thanks,

[Guest guest]

Hi Elaine,

Thanks for getting back to me. I just had a TSI test, which was 199

(identical to the 198 I had when first diagnosed, 3 months ago). My doctor

is fixated on the TSH. I keep saying " what about the FT4, " and he says " but

the TSH. " I need a new doc.

I hope that this level isn't going to affect an embryo, if I already

conceived. I am so annoyed with this doctor :-(

At 03:57 PM 9/29/2003, you wrote:

>Hi ,

>You were fine on the lower dose and had a borderline FT4 then, and your FT3

>was fine. Your FT4 will continue to fall if you stay on the 25 mg PTU.

>However,

>with your getting by well on 12.5 mg PTU, which is not much of a dose, there

>is the possibility that you're in remission.

>It would be great if your doctor ran a TSI level to see if you're in

>remission.

>Also, TSH can still take a long time to rise even after you become

>hypothyroid so you can't go by this result. Hypot will reduce your chances

>of becoming

>pregnant and even slight hypothyroidism isn't desirable in pregnancy since

>the

>fetus relies on your sources of thryoid hormone for the first 11-12 weeks.

>Sounds like you've really done a good job of bringing your levels down. Take

>care, Elaine