Guest guest Posted March 13, 2001 Report Share Posted March 13, 2001 Elaine, congrats on the book!!! Can't wait to buy it!!! Mona Re: Elaine Elaine!!!! Congratulations on your book!! I'm thrilled!! Everyone should rush out and buy it. Re: Elaine > Hi Marilyn, > I'm happy to hear your daughter's Giardia results. She should be feeling lots > better. Hope the 3rd test turns out just as well. Hopefully the lab told you > the specimen must be received fairly quickly for the test to be accurate. > When you get to the contributors on themestream, click on under my name and > the articles should come up. If not, try a search under autoimmune thyroid > disease or graves' disease. > > Good news here in that my Graves' disease book made the Spring list at my > publisher, McFarland and Company. > The title is Graves' Disease, a Practical Guide, 408 pp. softcover, $35 ISBN > 0-1011-6 and can be ordered through the > publisher 1-800-253-2187 or through the website, www.mcfarlandpub.com > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 15, 2001 Report Share Posted March 15, 2001 Dear Elaine, Three cheers for you Elaine! CONGRATULATIONS! I just hope that I will have a chance to get hold of your book, I'll look for it this summer, God willing I shall be able to kiss America this summer. IN the meantime I'll be contended to read your articles in themestream, i hope i'll be lucky this time. And I'll see to it that the stool specimen will be really fresh! May God Bless Us All! marilyn --- daisyelaine@... wrote: > Hi Marilyn, > I'm happy to hear your daughter's Giardia results. > She should be feeling lots > better. Hope the 3rd test turns out just as well. > Hopefully the lab told you > the specimen must be received fairly quickly for the > test to be accurate. > When you get to the contributors on themestream, > click on under my name and > the articles should come up. If not, try a search > under autoimmune thyroid > disease or graves' disease. > > Good news here in that my Graves' disease book made > the Spring list at my > publisher, McFarland and Company. > The title is Graves' Disease, a Practical Guide, 408 > pp. softcover, $35 ISBN > 0-1011-6 and can be ordered through the > publisher 1-800-253-2187 or through the website, > www.mcfarlandpub.com > __________________________________________________ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 29, 2001 Report Share Posted March 29, 2001 Elaine Hi there.The three of us will certainly have to work on getting together this summer...Joan and I have already discussed the Ice Cream Parlor where the band my husband is in plays every Thur night...Its a Rag Time band....So we will work on it.... Right now we live in NJ...pretty close to Great Adventures....Ty has been working there is the summer for 2 yrs...They just contacted him the end of last week and have made him assistant manager....at 18...gets a raise...He is very excited....So we are hoping that this summer goes really well for him...Last summer was so great.....he worked...played golf...when to the water slides at GA....had a great time....I am so looking forward to him having a wonderful summer....... Yes being a member of the group does help to make you feel not alone...whether you are a person with liver disease or the caretaker....it certainly does help..... Well we will have to keep in touch and make a date for this summer.... We leave for Chicago in 6 days ....so excited.... Luanne Ty's mom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 18, 2001 Report Share Posted June 18, 2001 Elaine, my FT4 was 1.0. I was on 15 mg of Tap. Would you lower it or raise it. The gyn forgot to do the T3. Can you base the dosage of Tapazole on FT4 alone or do you need to know T3? thanks Kim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 19, 2001 Report Share Posted June 19, 2001 In a message dated 6/19/01 2:21:11 AM Central Daylight Time, palomino03@... writes: Subj: Re: Elaine Date: 6/19/01 2:21:11 AM Central Daylight Time From: palomino03@... Reply-to: hyperthyroidism hyperthyroidism Elaine, my FT4 was 1.0. I was on 15 mg of Tap. Would you lower it or raise it. The gyn forgot to do the T3. Can you base the dosage of Tapazole on FT4 alone or do you need to know T3? thanks Kim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 19, 2001 Report Share Posted June 19, 2001 Hi Kim, It's better to have both thyroid determinations, but the FT4 gives you a pretty good idea of what's going on. You are very close to being hypothyroid. Myself, at an FT4 of 1.0 I'm very hypothyroid. You have to look at symptoms along with blood levels too when deciding on dosage changes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 19, 2001 Report Share Posted June 19, 2001 > Hi Kim, > It's better to have both thyroid determinations, but the FT4 gives you a > pretty good idea of what's going on. You are very close to being hypothyroid. > Myself, at an FT4 of 1.0 I'm very hypothyroid. You have to look at symptoms > along with blood levels too when deciding on dosage changes. Could the T3 be hyper and the FT4 hypo? How do they do the dosage if so? thanks Kim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 30, 2001 Report Share Posted July 30, 2001 Elaine, My grandmothers doctor is out of town and I'm curious about some of her test results. Her potassium is 3.2 and they are calling in tablets for it. Here are the other things that are out of range. Could you please tell me what each one is? thanks Kim Hemoglobin blood 17.0 12.0 - 16.0 PCV blood 49.0 37 - 44 MCH 31.2 27.0 - 31.0 Chloride Blood 93 95 - 105 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 30, 2001 Report Share Posted July 30, 2001 In a message dated 07/30/2001 7:46:19 AM Mountain Daylight Time, palomino03@... writes: << Hemoglobin blood 17.0 12.0 - 16.0 PCV blood 49.0 37 - 44 MCH 31.2 27.0 - 31.0 Chloride Blood 93 95 - 105 >> Kim, hemoglobin is the protein compound in red blood cells. When it's low, one is anemic. When it's high, this can be hard on the heart. Here in CO, many people have this because of the altitude. It's also seen in people who are dehydrated. Low chloride is also seen in dehydration. Older people tend to get dehydrated in the hot water, and need to drink water before they feel thirsty. PCV has to do with the size of one's platelets. Platelets are blood components that help blood clot. What's more significant is the actual platelet count. MCH is the mean corpuscular hemoglobin or simply, how fat one's red blood cells are. Your grandmother's are a little on the heavy side which goes along with the extra hemoglobin and being dehydrated. Hope things work out well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 4, 2001 Report Share Posted October 4, 2001 Wow, Zoey I thought things like your vacuum cleaner incident only happened to me. I hope it starts healing soon. I'm just going to quote directly from the book, Endocrinology, Test Selection and Interpretation, 2nd Edition, 1998 by Delbert Fisher. Let me know if you still have questions. "Hypothalamic TRH (this is thyrotropin releasing hormone, which is really a factor more than a hormone, like a growth hormone...my words here) deficeincy or pituitary TSH deficiency from any cause is associated with thyroid gland hypofunction. Hypothtalamic or pituitary anomalies, neoplastic or inflammatory diseases involving the hypothalamic-pituitary axis, or congenital abnormalities of TRH or TSH secretion may be involved. These disorders have been referred to as secondary (pituitary) or tertiary (hypothalamic) hypothyroidism. Serum TSH levels are in the low or normal range in the presence of low concentrations of free T4. TSH bioactivity tends to be reduced in these patients because of abnormal glycosylation of the secreted and circulating TSH isoforms (there's an alpha and a beta component to TSH...my words). ituitary TSH deficiency can be confirmed by showing a deficient TSH response to exogenous TRH. Patients with hypothalamic TRH deficiency and a normal pituitary gland usually manifest a normal TSH response to TRH, but the response may be relatively prolonged, persisting for 30 to 60 minutes rather than falling off after 30 minuts. Patients with these central forms of hypothyroidism plot below the normal range." Zoey, then go to pg. 111 of my book and read about the TRH stimultion test. It explains the test in further detail and mentions that the test is used for hypothyroid patients who continue to have suppressed TSH levels. So in Graves' disease, it's used for people treated with ablation or who've gone into remission and now are hypothyroid. This really is a test that I should have one of these days. And thanks for giving me another good reason not to clean my house, Elaine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 4, 2001 Report Share Posted October 4, 2001 Hi Elaine, In the post below you said: "Another reason could be a blunted pituitary response causing your pituitary to fail in its secretion of TSH". Can you tell me some of the things that might cause a blunted pituitary response and some of the possible things one might do to correct a blunted pituitary response and increase secretion of TSH? Thanks so much, Elaine. I would write more but the vacuum cleaner sucked up one of my fingers the other day which makes typing a difficult 2 finger exercise. I am very lucky, however and my finger is intact and healing. My best to everyone, Zoey Re: A few possibilities come to mind. It could be that you were hyperthyroid and have now changed to hypothyroid. If you'd been hyperthyroid a while, it can take quite some time for your TSH to start rising again, even though your thyroid hormone levels are dwindling. Another possiblity is autoantibodies to thyroid hormone or TSH. These aren't very common, but they do occur. Another reason is medications that affect either your TSH level or your T4 levels. Dopamine and a few other drugs will do this. Depression also falsely lower TSH. Another reason could be a blunted pituitary response causing your pituitary to fail in its secretion of TSH. Goiter, or an enlarged thyroid, can occur in both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism. In hypoT, the thyroid cells enlarge in their effort to trap more iodine and make more thyroid hormone. In hyperT, the thyroid cells elongate and enlarge in their efforts to churn out excess thyroid hormone. Enlarged goiter is also sometimes referred to as thyroiditis since there's always some inflammation going on. This is usually caused by an immune system defect causing an autoimmune thyroid condition. Or it can be caused by a viral or bacterial infection. Viral and bacterial thyroiditis usually cause hypoT, but they can also cause hyperT. Last of all, I'll have to say lab error. Although this is rare, it can happen. I've probably gotten you pretty confused by now, but maybe one of these suggestions will be an obvious explanation for what's going on. Most likely, though, you'll need more lab tests to figure out what's going on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 15, 2001 Report Share Posted October 15, 2001 Hi Zoey, It could be that something like aspirin or ibuprofen or estrogen is causing your T4 to be elevated. In comparison, your T3 appears low. Or it could be a conversion problem. Whatever the problem, the TRH test won't likely help. Have you tried adding selenium to boost conversion? Or pituitary extract in case you're not secreting as much TSH as you should? I know you don't want to add T3, but it could be that you, like me, have antibodies blocking thyroid hormone from reaching your cells. because of this, my doc doesn't pay attention to my TSH levels, since TSH is just a physiological response to your blood thyroid hormone levels. If the thyroid hormone in the blood isn't reaching the cells, it doesn't matter what the TSH level is. My thyroid hormone levels are within the normal range, but on the high side which brings my TSH to <0.01. What I'm saying is that you can't be too concerned about your TSH level if you have thyroid antibodies or symptoms of hypothyrodism. Let me know if you still have questions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 7, 2001 Report Share Posted December 7, 2001 Elaine, why would blood be in my Grandmothers stomach? It appears to be old as its coming out of feeding tube it is dark red with bright every now and then. They said gastritis, ulcer or stress on body..thanks for any insight..Kim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 7, 2001 Report Share Posted December 7, 2001 Hi Kim, They're likely monitoring your grandmother with blood tests to make sure she isn't becoming anemic. She could have irritation or gastritis from the various medications that she's on. Stress will also irritate the stomach. Hope she starts feeling better soon. Take care, Elaine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 21, 2002 Report Share Posted February 21, 2002 Elaine, my gyn would like to know where to find documentation that people with Grave's have a higher risk for ovarian cancer. Do you know where to find it? thanks Kim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 21, 2002 Report Share Posted February 21, 2002 Hi Kim, You're the one that told me about it, and I was thinking that you had included a study about it with your post. I think I mentioned then that you had shown us this once before, a while back, and told you the risk wasn't actually increased, and this was just one study. Other than this one study, and I think it may have been on About.com's thyroid site, I've never heard of us having an increased risk of ovarian cancer. I can see why your doctor might be skeptical. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 21, 2002 Report Share Posted February 21, 2002 In a message dated 2/21/02 8:35:35 PM Central Standard Time, daisyelaine@... writes: Subj:Re: Elaine Date:2/21/02 8:35:35 PM Central Standard Time From:daisyelaine@... Reply-to:hyperthyroidism To:hyperthyroidism Sent from the Internet Hi Kim, You're the one that told me about it, and I was thinking that you had included a study about it with your post. I think I mentioned then that you had shown us this once before, a while back, and told you the risk wasn't actually increased, and this was just one study. Other than this one study, and I think it may have been on About.com's thyroid site, I've never heard of us having an increased risk of ovarian cancer. I can see why your doctor might be skeptical. Someone on the list had told me to check my risks and I thought it was you..I guess I'll have to go thru old email..thanks Kim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 30, 2003 Report Share Posted May 30, 2003 Hi Billie, T3 is the total measure of T3 and also the protein molecules that transport it through the blood. So it's falseley elevated by anything that raises levels of these proteins, like estrogens, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory meds, etc. As needed, the T3 molecules cleave or split from the protein and are called free T3. Free T3 reacts with your body's cells causing the effects of thyroid hormone. Linked to protein, T3 molecules can't do this. Free T3 is also not affected by these meds, whereas total levels are. Best, Elaine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 1, 2003 Report Share Posted June 1, 2003 Hi, It would be good to know what your daughter's thyroid hormone levels are before surgery. If they're high, it's often helpful to reduce these levels by using anti-thyroid drugs or a strong solution of potassium iodide (SSKI) for a week or so before surgery. For thyroidectomy on hyperthyroid patients, pre-treatment with beta blockers alone is not considered adequate, but perhaps your daughter's pre-op levels aren't very high. Surgery doesn't cause the risk of thyroid storm that RAI does, but in some instances the stress of surgery can cause thyroid storm in patients who are hyperthyroid. This is why it's really a good idea to bring levels into the normal range before surgery. Surgery doesn't usually cause the rise in thyroid hormone levels that almost always occur after RAI. This is because the tissue is removed, whereas with RAI, thyroid hormone and antibodies from dying thyroid cells are removed into the normal circulation. So I don't think there's a general rule here. It would depend on her levels and also on her heart rate after surgery. Beta blockers shouldn't be used in someone with a heart rate of 60 or less. Depending on what other meds are used pre-op and post-op, her heart rate could be too low. I'd ask to see lab reports showing what her thyroid hormone levels have been running, from within the last week or two, and I'd ask about considerations for taking beta-blockers post-op. Like find out what dose should be used (or not used) based on certain heart rate readings. Best to you and your daughter, Elaine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 26, 2003 Report Share Posted July 26, 2003 Elaine, my stepfather fell off a ladder and broke his back. The doctor is now saying he has Anemia of Chronic Disease (his hemocrit is 30). She said this could signify Lupus, RA, or Cancer..do you know of anything else? He went to an oncologist in 12/2001 about his low red blood cells and they said it was from the bacterial meningitis he had and it returned to normal. He just met this doctor in the hospital so I'm curious how she can even diagnose it as Anemia of Chronic Disease. Second this they can't figure out. He had a red place about 6 inches long catty corned from about 2 inches from his big toe up about 1 inch on his ankle. His foot and ankle was swollen. They checked for DVT and it was fine. They then passed it off as Gout (he had this years ago until taking MSM but it wasn't like this). Then it left his right foot/ankle and went to the left. Do you have any idea what that might be? They drew fluid out to test and only got blood so couldn't culture it. A friend that's a nurse mentioned celluitis but said she had never heard of it switching legs.. everyone please pray for him. The cancer thing has me concerned as ya'll remember Mama died in 12/2001 from it..and to further stress me ..my aunt is most likely contesting my Grandmothers will (she left everything to my little girl Kimber). Oh and my mother has two spots they keep doing CT scans of on her lung and they aren't calcium. She's overdue for the scan..do they turn out to be ok often? She's had them about two years... I'm on her to have the CT scans..a Oncologist wanted her to have 3 in a row to compare the spots. Then Yancey, my boyfriend got bitten by a Coatimundi and is having rabies shots. He had a reaction last week but thought it was mosquito bites..they gave the shot today and then the nurse noticed the rash..then he broke out in huge hives all over him. He has one shot left and they are concerned it will be a worse reaction..oh and the Coatamundi is still lose! I doubt my TSI will go down soon ( Thanks for prayers and advice about these things! We need both ) ..Kim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 27, 2003 Report Share Posted July 27, 2003 Hi Kim, I thought I had a lot going on! Anemia could be from anything and a hematocrit of 30 isn't that unusual in older people. The differential they did with the CBC will give them an idea of what type of anemia this could be, but most often it's low iron. I'm not sure what the red spots are. Cellulitis would be an infection and it would be unlikely to develop in two places. But if they did an EKG and attached leads on his legs, he could have a reaction to the gel adhesive. Or he could have a reaction to any of a number of meds. Sounds like your boyfriend could be reacting to the rabies shots as more of an allergic type reaction. It's too bad he had to get the shots. What is a cotamundi, by the way? I don't think I've heard of this before. As we get older, we often have spots of scar tissue on imaging studies of lungs. Even my 6-yr old dog has scar tissue. It's always best to follow up with a biopsy though if her doctor has suggested this. Anything they find, and it may be nothing, can be taken care of easiest in the early stages. The spots could just be cysts or scar tissue, but it's best to be sure. Hope things get better. It's hard to avoid stress but if you react to it positively, like doing what you can, rather than worrying too much, your immune system won't suffer. Remember your stress vitamins too--vitamin B complex and C. Take care, Elaine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 27, 2003 Report Share Posted July 27, 2003 In a message dated 7/27/03 6:29:47 AM Central Daylight Time, hyperthyroidism writes: > but most often it's low iron Elaine, It's not low iron in Jerry..is there anything else not negative like cancer, lupus, or RA that can cause low hemacrit? Thanks Kim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 27, 2003 Report Share Posted July 27, 2003 In a message dated 7/27/03 6:29:47 AM Central Daylight Time, hyperthyroidism writes: > What is a cotamundi, by the way? I don't think I've heard of this before. > It's like a raccoon from South America..Kim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 28, 2003 Report Share Posted July 28, 2003 Hct is also low in older people. A 30 hematocrit is on the low side but this isn't a critically low value. Anemia is not even common in the diseases you mention unless immunosuppressant drug therapy was being used. I have no idea why your doctor chose to mention those disorders. There are lots of causes of anemia: low iron, poor diet, medications like blood thinners, internal bleeding, low ferritin, low transferrin. Hematocrit is also low in hospitalized patients who are on intravenous fluids. When your doctor said chronic anemia, he meant that this has been going on over time, which usually suggests diet. If he said acute anemia, that would be more worrisome. That would be a sudden onset related to internal bleeding or a blood disorder. Take care, Elaine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 28, 2003 Report Share Posted July 28, 2003 Oh, thanks, no one at work had heard of these before either but they probably do better in the warmer climate. Too bad he had to bite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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