Latest Labs, Info on Me and Opinions Wanted

[Guest guest]

Hi all,

Okay, I have been looking over my labs for the last year. Someone define

for me exactly what qualifies you as hyperthyroid? The labs that sent me

to this particular endo were run by my primary care back in 09/02. My

TSH was 0.01 (which is what they were trying to monitor me by), Total T4

was 10.5 (range 5.0-12.0), T3 Uptake was 31.5 (range 21.6-34.1). Based

on these results I was started on 1 PTU per day. Here's how my labs have

been in the last year.

Ranges for tests run by the endo:

FT4 is 0.6-1.6

TSH is 0.34-5.00

FT3 230-420

T3 Total 87-178

Jan 2003 (on 1 PTU per day for 3 months)

FT4 1.4

TSH 0.04

FT3 437

Apr 2003 (on 1 PTU per day for 6 months)

FT4 1.3

TSH 0.01

FT3 459

May 2003 (on 1 PTU per day for 7 months, upped to 2)

FT4 1.5

TSH 0.01

FT3 530

June 2003 (on 2 PTU per day for 1 month)

FT4 1.3

FT3 494

T3 Total 209

Sep 2003 (on 2 PTU per day for 2 months)

FT4 0.9

TSH 0.01

T3 Total 187

The TSH has not been in the " normal " range for me since I was diagnosed

6 and a half years ago. Don't think it will ever be " normal " again. My

FT4 has been in range all along. FT3 or Total T3 is the number that has

always been " high " . On 2 PTU per day my FT4 went from 1.5 to 0.9 in 4

months, do you think 2 PTU per day is too high a dose for me? I do. I

have currently stopped my medication and have not taken it in almost

three weeks. I am supposed to go back for more labs next month, the endo

thinks I'm taking 1 PTU per day. Think I'm going to stay off the meds

and see what my labs are after two months of no medication. I have been

feeling fine since stopping my meds and even feel a little more

energetic. I also have been feeling less " blue " . The last several months

I have been feeling slightly depressed and lethargic. Did I mention that

in the last 12 months I have also gained 30 pounds? I have made no

dietary changes in the last year and gained 30 pounds! I eat a

controlled carbohydrate diet and have been since 1999. I also eat only

natural foods.

I have heard time and time again that stress can raise thyroid levels

and affects Graves. My labs in May were up from the previous labs and

that time coincides with me learning that my son has a learning

disorder. This meant meetings at the school, evaluations and all stuff I

had never dealt with before. It was a bit stressful and I think my body

showed the stress in higher lab results. Since then I was on 2 PTU per

day, stress in my life was returned to a normal level and my FT4 went

down to 0.9 which seems low for me. Okay, feedback and opinions welcome!

in MA USA

Graves since March 1997

Currently on 0 PTU tablets per day

Was euthroid from 2000-2003

Will not undergo RAI

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

Looking over your message, I have two concerns. One is that PTU is best

taken 3 times a day, especially if you are at a dose that allows for

division (which you are). You can use a pill cutter to get doses even, or

roughly so. The other is that it is not good to yo-yo from being

overmedicated to unmedicated. I do think that your FT4 was getting low and

a dose decrease would probably be a good idea (the Total T3 may be

misleading, so maybe you can request a FT3 next time).

At 02:03 PM 10/7/2003, you wrote:

>Hi all,

>

>Okay, I have been looking over my labs for the last year. Someone define

>for me exactly what qualifies you as hyperthyroid? The labs that sent me

>to this particular endo were run by my primary care back in 09/02. My

>TSH was 0.01 (which is what they were trying to monitor me by), Total T4

>was 10.5 (range 5.0-12.0), T3 Uptake was 31.5 (range 21.6-34.1). Based

>on these results I was started on 1 PTU per day. Here's how my labs have

>been in the last year.