hyper ?thyroid ?

my energy level shot up ,after 13 weeks of  peg /riba .nurse mentioned hyper thyroid possible ,but blood work is good . what bothers me ,is shes looking at blood that was drawn 4 wks ago .could something have developed in that time ? what other signs would I get ?   also on my last draw ,no thyroid tests were givin. It seems like these doctors we trust ,are always a bit slow to the punch !

[meakea]

Yes, it's possible that things could have changed in 4 weeks but it's also possible that your increase in energy is because your body is getting used to the meds.  What was your TSH level 4 weeks ago?  Was it getting close to being out of normal range?  

Google the symptoms of hyperthyroid and, if you think you are having those symptoms, ask your doc for a new blood test.  

[meakea]

Common symptoms and signs of hyperthyroidism

    * Palpitations
    * Heat intolerance
    * Nervousness
    * Insomnia
    * Breathlessness
    * Increased bowel movements
    * Light or absent menstrual periods
    * Fatigue

    * Fast heart rate
    * Trembling hands
    * Weight loss
    * Muscle weakness
    * Warm moist skin
    * Hair loss
    * Staring gaze


Remember, the words "signs" and "symptoms" have different medical meanings. Symptoms are those problems that a patient notices or feels. Signs are those things that a physician can objectively detect or measure. For instance, a patient will feel hot, this is a symptom. The physician will touch the patient's skin and note that it is warm and moist, this is a sign.

[Tippyclubb]

Whats wrong with your nurse?  If she suggested you may have hyper thyroid she should have done the test then.  You should demand they do a thyroid test and check your TSH , T3 and T4 levels.  Developing thyroid problems is nothing to play with and can cause all kinds of problems.  Have them check it to ease your mind.

I am hypo thyroid so have I don't know much about hyper.  I do know it takes a while for it develop and you may not feel anything but the longer it goes untreated you can develop  some serious side effects.  Not good when your already dealing with tx sides.  Been there, done that.

[winner727]

oh ,okay I get it. my TSH was   0.89 their lab reference is  0.39  -  5.50  .the nurse did say ,she thought I was also getting used to  tx .        man ! their stingy w what tests they do .seems to me ,more attention should be payed to thyroid ,kidneys etc .  she says they wont test my ths again during tx !  when my research says "at different times during treatment "  you should be tested .  mabey Its a money thing .    also ,the only "symptom ,"other than energy & less huffing & puffin     is  insomnia .   Im jumping out of bed at 2 am .      bob

[winner727]

I know tippy, dont you just wanna bang somthing? I do !     Ive caught her contradicting her own words !  I know we have to be proactive w our illness ,but they {drs} seem to be all over the place with standards of length of tx  , some give rescue drugs ,some dont . he  ,{the doctor } actually told me "you wont need those drugs"" because your numbers are fine "  how the h8ll would he know I wont need somthing down the line ?  very depressing   !           bob    

[meakea]

Bob, don't be afraid to ask them to test your TSH more often.  Some of us have doctors that are going by the older standards for how often blood tests are done.  My doc didn't test as often as others either but I did ask him to test me more often and he did and my insurance had no problem covering those tests.  I think they probably should be testing your TSH again (and not wait until the end of treatment) since you are getting on the lower edge for your TSH reading.

Keep on top of them Bob...you're doing a great job so far!

[newleaf09]

Depending on how you feel, you may need to request extra labs.  The standard is to go to monthy labs after several months, then 6 weeks.  That never worked for me, I stayed on weeklies for 7 mos.  If you think something is wrong, get more frequent draws.  They absolutely cannot predict anything on 4 wk. old bloodwork.  They are also only watching the expected homotological side effects.  You have to watch the others yourself and draw to their attention.  The recs from NIH, given in 9/2008 are:
-Blood counts, ALT, AST at wk. 1,2,4 & at 4 to 8 wk intervals afterward
-TSH every 3 to 6 mos. during TX

[Tippyclubb]

Yes you are on the lower side of TSH level and your still early in tx.  Demand they check it in a month even if you have to pay for it yourself.  If you have insurance your cost would be about $60.

They also lied to me about doing blood work.  My thyroid has not been checked in two and a half months.  Always a different excuse and I had a run in with the nurse about it.  Didn't do any good though.    I am not worried about it because I always know when the thyroid is acting up.  Plenty years of experience and know the signs well.

[IMstacie]

When I first started tx my energy levels increased.  I remember, I felt like I had lost all my strength but I was wide awake, even had a hard time sleeping.  I also read other's posts that had experienced the same thing.

[Kristina538]

My TSH was 'slightly' hyper before tx.  During tx it plummeted more into hypo.  By week 5 of tx I was begging for something to help me sleep and I'm sure it was the thyroid readings that caused it.  My nurse didn't think to test me until week 12 (I had gone to see her rugged up with jacket and beanie when it apparantly wasn't cold which gave her a hint)

Pre tx:   TSH .24   (Normal Range here .4 - 4)

12 weeks:   TSH:  .08
20 weeks:   TSH: .09
24 weeks:   TSH: .6
4 weeks post:  TSH .07   (The cut-off for my med team was .06.  If I had reached .06 the team would have prescribed me beta blockers.   The nurse would have prescribed at this point, but the specialist said to hold off for another 4 weeks).   It was summer when I had this reading and I found the heat really unbearable - I think it's both heat and cold that are more intense when you're hyper.
8 weeks Post: TSH: .36
15 weeks Post: TSH: 1.8
24 weeks Post:  TSH .26

I hope this helps.  

[lalapple]

hey winner whats up!  yep definitely get TSH checked and have the results read to you immediately.  mine dropped from 56 to 5 within a week which is almost unheard of, all the docs seeing me at the hospital are stunned by how my TSH fluctuated so test TSH often although some endocrinologists suggests once every 3 months, personally, i would monitor it closely like at least once a month IF it turns out you have abnormal thyroid.

[Kristina538]

Correction above :  "During tx it plummeted more into hypo"  should have been "plummeted more into hyper"....