Hyper Hypo???HELP

[Guest guest]

Can anybody please explain the difference between Hyper and Hypo? I

have been reading these messages and there is a lot I don't

understand. Also what is the normal range for T levels? This is the

only information my husbands doctor gives. He says 'your T levels are

high' which tells us nothing really. I think one of them was 140?? I

notice on this board there is a lot of discussion about TSH and other

abbreviated terms. I'm not familiar with any of these

abbreviations. We are going to see his doctor in a weeks time and I

want to go armed with as much knowledge as I can in order to ask the

correct questions. I think we have a different system in the UK as

we don't have endo's and we don't get a choice who we see.

Thanks to all who have helped me so far. My husband has now decided

RAI is NOT for him in view of his eye disease. I am furious his

doctor even considered it AND told us once it was done that would be

the end of it!!!!!

Jemima

[Guest guest]

Hi Jemima,

I don't often write on this list, but as I am in the UK I thought I

would try to help you out a bit! I'm going to be cutting and pasting

a little....

> Can anybody please explain the difference between Hyper and Hypo?

> I think we have a different system in the UK as

> we don't have endo's and we don't get a choice who we see.

You are right in that we don't get a choice who we see. However, if

your husband is hyperthyroid (that is, his thyroid is overactive and

producing too much thyroid hormone) it is the recommended practice

for the GP to refer him to the " Thyroid Clinic " at the local NHS

hospital. This is where the endos - endocrinologists - live (some of

whom are good, some who are not so good) though they go by other

terms not usually stating they are endos - e.g. consultant,

specialist etc. ;-) So if you husband is hyper and diagnosed with

Graves, which I believe from your past postings he has been, he

probably has seen/been seeing an endo.

Indeed when I was diagnosed hyper my GP had referred me to the clinic

before he even told me my test results....

If your husband is hypothyroid (that is, his thyroid is underactive)

the GP will probably try and treat it by himself. They only

refer " difficult " hypo cases to the Thyroid Clinic.

> Also what is the normal range for T levels? This is the

> only information my husbands doctor gives. He says 'your T levels

are

> high' which tells us nothing really. I think one of them was 140??

I

> notice on this board there is a lot of discussion about TSH and

other

> abbreviated terms.

The main abbreviated terms you'll see on this board are:

TSH - Thyroid stimulating Hormone. It is a pituitary hormone which

tells the thyroid what to do. This would be high if your husband is

hypothyroid, low if he is hyper.

FT4 & FT3 - Free Thyroxine (FT4) and Free Triiodothyronine (sp?)

(FT3). These are the main thyroid hormones. They will be low if your

husband is hypothyroid, high if he hyper. The fact that these

are " Free " indicates that this test measures the amount of thyroid

hormone available for use by the body. You will also see TT4 & TT3

(Total T4/T3) which are not so useful. In the UK, certainly where I

am, they only use FT4/FT3.

ATD - Anti Thyroid Drug. These are drugs that block your thyroid from

producing so much hormone and are taken if you hyperthyroid. They can

be any of the following: PTU (propylthyuracil?), Carb (Carbimazole),

Tap (Tapezole), MMI/meth (methimazole). In the UK you would normally

be on Carb or PTU as an ATD.

As for the normal range - that depends on the test and the lab where

it was run. You need to ask your husbands doctor for copies of his

blood work. My GP has no problems giving it to me, though my mums

makes life really difficult for her. They are all different. But if

you ask specifically for this information they have to at least tell

you. So take a pen & paper to write it down. If they say " What do you

want to know for, it won't mean anything to you " , just tell them that

you are quite capable of making that decision for yourself!

You not only need the actual value of husband's tests, but the

reference range otherwise you cannot interpret them properly. So make

sure you get the reference range. You can then post them here or at

mediboard and people will help you read them.

Best wishes and feel free to contact me off list if you want to.

Zoë

http://www.zoe73.net/thyroid.htm