Re: To Jen Re: Facial Swelling, possible Hypo symptom??

[Guest guest]

Actually Barb, the FT4 and Tsh will tell you a lot. That is pretty much the

" standard " set of tests on an every-month level at this point from what I've

seen. The TSH for the doctor, and the FT4 for us--that's how I look at it.

Often when hyper and being treated with ATD's the TSH doesn't budge from the

low end, but what I'm now finding, is that as I get closer to remission it

has changed, so might not be as useless as I thought. At any rate it lags at

least 6 weeks behind, so may not reflect what's happening right now.

FT4, for most of us on ATD's is a pretty accurate reflection of how much

hormone there is, therefore, how hyper (or not) we are. My lab's normal

reference range is something like .8-1.8, and I know I feel best when at

about 1.6, and hypO at 1.1.

I would venture a guess that you've gone hypO from your description of

'blobby' feelings, which are a pretty great expression of how I feel when

hypo, too. Probably time to reduce your meds, if so.

Terry

>

> Reply-To: graves_support

> Date: Sun, 25 May 2003 15:36:01 -0700 (PDT)

> To: graves_support

> Subject: Re: To Jen Re: Facial Swelling, possible Hypo

> symptom??

>

> I did have my blood drawn yesterday. No results until Tuesday. I would say

> my symptoms now are puffy face, VERY tired (blobby is my word for it!) and

> very anxious and depressed at times. So, we shall see what the tests show.

> Although all he's testing for at this time is TSH and FT4. I'm not sure

> that's enough to tell me much.

>

[Guest guest]

Oops! Forgot a paragraph. What I meant to say is, I get my FT3 tested every

once in a while, but what seems to be the case (I'm no expert) is that if

it's OK/in line with your other numbers once, it's likely to be relatively

the same ratio every time. It's an expensive test, and it seems like the

people who most need to have it checked are hypo's not converting T4 to T3

properly, often post-RAI. That said, I did get it checked, along with TSI

this time, and I usually do these two expensive tests much less often than

just the FT4 and TSH. Perhaps once or twice a year, depending on where I'm

at with my symptoms and meds.

Terry

>

> Reply-To: graves_support

> Date: Sun, 25 May 2003 15:36:01 -0700 (PDT)

> To: graves_support

> Subject: Re: To Jen Re: Facial Swelling, possible Hypo

> symptom??

>

> Although all he's testing for at this time is TSH and FT4. I'm not sure

> that's enough to tell me much.