Frustrated and Stopping ATDs

October 9, 2003

I sent in a post the other day and only got one response? Maybe it was

too rambly for anyone to understand? The main gist is I provide all my

labs for the last year, along with my beginning labs and am now stopping

my meds. Exactly what classifies someone as hyperthyroid? Is it a

suppressed TSH? What if T4 is well in the normal range and T3 is

slightly elevated and your TSH is suppressed?

My endo, who started out so nice a year ago, is starting to bug me. She

won't run FT3 anymore as she says it takes too long to get a result back

and is really expensive. Based on my last labs (see my post at:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/graves_support/message/33811) my endo is

reducing my dosage to 1 PTU per day. She won't run any anti-body tests,

says they're useless, so how am I to know how I'm doing?

Before I went to this endo a year ago I had been off all medications for

well over three years. In my post I show the lab results that my primary

care ran after a routine physical. They just wanted me to see the endo

as they didn't feel " experienced " enough to treat Graves. When I first

went euthroid over three years ago I stopped all meds and then stopped

most contact with my physicians. I did go in for labs once every six

months with my primary care and based on what they ran I was fine other

than a suppressed TSH. But after a few years of it they sent me to the

endo as they were not comfortable with the TSH being so low all the

time.

Next question: can you build a dependency on ATDs? I was feeling good

when I went to the endo a year ago and over the last 12 months started

to feel pretty bad. I was cold easily, battled bouts of depression, got

tired easily and generally felt lethargic more than I think I should. I

also gained 30 pounds in a yea despite eating a healthy, low

carbohydrate food plan (same way I've been eating since 1999). But, I

promised the endo I would take the ATDs for a year and I did. Well now I

have been off them for a month and I'm feeling a little hyper. So I'm

wondering if my body became dependant on the ATDs over the last year and

now is trying to learn how to regulate my thyroid hormones on its own?

Sorry for all the babbling but I'm just really frustrated with this

stupid disease, with stupid doctors and my weight!

in MA USA

Graves since March 1997

Currently on 0 PTU tablets per day

Was in remission from 2000-2003

Will not undergo RAI

October 9, 2003

,

Sorry... I did get lost in the post. The lab ranges were up at the tor, and

results showed slowly as I scrolled down. Can not put things together that

way.

I normally can print out such things, and then make notes on the paper, but

I have had some computer thing going on just now, and have not been willing

to hit 'print' as the whole works shuts down !

I assume others have the same problem, because the people that post in this

manner are often only replied to , in an intelligent manner, my me. Then the

pressure is on. :-(

In my frustration in not being able to reply to you, you may have noticed my

recent addition to how I suggest all post. I have started saying :

" post your lab results with the normal range next to them. "

My 'puter is acting better today, so when I get home from work, I 'might'

risk giving the printer a go.

Hope this helps ALL.

-Pam L- easily overwhelmed ;-)

3 1/2 years Graves', TED, and PTU. Remission due to SLOW reduction of PTU

(despite an incompetent endo ! ), improved lifestyle, excellent nutrition,

herbs, and looking at the big picture.

Pills alone only help the symptoms. We must help our bodies to heal.

October 9, 2003

Thanks Pam,

I'll try to repost in another format, see if it helps!

in MA USA

Graves since March 1997

Currently on 2 PTU tablets per day

Was in remission from 2000-2003

Will not undergo RAI

October 9, 2003

Here's the labs not included in message sent earlier (normal ranges are

in ( ):

Sep 2002: TSH 0.01 (0.34-5.00) Total T4 10.5 (5.0-12.0) T3 Uptake 31.5

(range 21.6-34.1)

Jan 2003: (on 1 PTU per day for 3 months) FT4 1.4 (0.6-1.6) TSH 0.04

(0.34-5.00) FT3 437 (230-420)

Apr 2003: (on 1 PTU per day for 6 months) FT4 1.3 (0.6-1.6) TSH 0.01

(0.34-5.00) FT3 459 (230-420)

May 2003: (on 1 PTU per day for 7 months, upped to 2) FT4 1.5 (0.6-1.6)

TSH 0.01 (0.34-5.00) FT3 530 (230-420)

June 2003: (on 2 PTU per day for 1 month) FT4 1.3 (0.6-1.6) FT3 494

(230-420) T3 Total 209 (87-178)

Sep 2003: (on 2 PTU per day for 2 months) FT4 0.9 (0.6-1.6) TSH 0.01

(0.34-5.00) T3 Total 187 (87-178)

in MA USA

Graves since March 1997

Currently on 2 PTU tablets per day

Was in remission from 2000-2003

Will not undergo RAI

-----Original Message-----

From: L. O'Hearn

Sent: Thursday, October 09, 2003 2:59 PM