Aa
TSH IS 0.01. Is this so low to make me feel so tired and loss of weight?
I have an appt. next wk. with an endocrinologist....would I assume they will put me on medication for a blood count of 0.01? I'm already on a blood pressure med. I wonder if another med. could cause me more problems. And is it normail to lose 11 lbs. within a month?
first you must find out if the T4 and T3 are FREE T4 and FREE T3. If they are in fact free and not total. Then yes your FT3 level is high and would explain the weight loss, the high antibody test would be consistent with an autoimmune issues that is causing the high thyroid level. with the information you have provided, we have no idea if this is a Hashimoto's induced surge, or caused by Graves. Since we do not know which antibody was tested.
You need to know specifically what is being tested. DEMAND a copy of the recent blood labs and post exactly what they say. For example we still do not know if the thyroid tests were free or total. We also do not know which of three different antibody test was done? We also need the reference ranges for each test.
My PERSONAL opinion is that if you do not have the lab reports, and only going off of verbal from you Dr. It might be time to consider finding a new Dr.
I also personally have found that endocrinologists are about the WORST specialty to deal with thyroid. They spend 99% of their time with diabetes and NOT thyroid. They tend to be very arrogant and have superiority complex and are unwilling to listen to the patient. These are my own personal experience, and have found some PA's or primary care doctors more willing to listen to the patient and be more agreeable and open to additional testing etc.
Yes there are really good endo's and there are really bad primary care Dr's. Finding a "good" thyroid doctor is unfortunately for the most part a trial and error process. My wife and I had to go through about 6 doctors before finding one we could work with and listen to us. Your experience may vary from my own. And frankly I hope you have better luck than we did.
A bad doctor will end up putting you on a roller coaster ride from H-E double hockey sticks! A good doctor will be deliberate and go low and slow. It takes more time and you have to be more patient, but in the long run. Making deliberate and small dosage changes over time is the best way to go! Otherwise you will be like a yo-yo with huge swings.
You need to know specifically what is being tested. DEMAND a copy of the recent blood labs and post exactly what they say. For example we still do not know if the thyroid tests were free or total. We also do not know which of three different antibody test was done? We also need the reference ranges for each test.
My PERSONAL opinion is that if you do not have the lab reports, and only going off of verbal from you Dr. It might be time to consider finding a new Dr.
I also personally have found that endocrinologists are about the WORST specialty to deal with thyroid. They spend 99% of their time with diabetes and NOT thyroid. They tend to be very arrogant and have superiority complex and are unwilling to listen to the patient. These are my own personal experience, and have found some PA's or primary care doctors more willing to listen to the patient and be more agreeable and open to additional testing etc.
Yes there are really good endo's and there are really bad primary care Dr's. Finding a "good" thyroid doctor is unfortunately for the most part a trial and error process. My wife and I had to go through about 6 doctors before finding one we could work with and listen to us. Your experience may vary from my own. And frankly I hope you have better luck than we did.
A bad doctor will end up putting you on a roller coaster ride from H-E double hockey sticks! A good doctor will be deliberate and go low and slow. It takes more time and you have to be more patient, but in the long run. Making deliberate and small dosage changes over time is the best way to go! Otherwise you will be like a yo-yo with huge swings.
COMMUNITY LEADER
Is TSH the only thyroid related test that was done? They should also have tested Free T4 and Free T3, as those are the actual thyroid hormones and give a much better picture of what's going on. If those were tested, please post their results and reference ranges, which vary from lab to lab and have to come from your own report.
That said, a TSH of 0.01 is very low and assuming that you aren't taking any replacement thyroid hormones, it would indicate that you have hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid). A good doctor will to ahead and test Free T4 and Free T3, since TSH doesn't always correlate with actual thyroid hormone status. If it's determined that you do have hyperthyroidism (actual high thyroid hormone levels, not just low TSH), they should then find out the cause of your hyperthyroidism, which could be Graves Disease, a nodule producing hormones independently of the thyroid or a hyper phase of Hashimoto's. Once the cause of your hyper is determined, along with symptoms, the best course of treatment will be determined.
Hyperthyroidism can cause high blood pressure, so once hyperthyroidism is under control, you may not need the blood pressure medication you're currently taking... that's just a thought. At any rate, it will be up to your doctor to make sure medications do not interact and cause problems for you. Many of us take more than one medication with no problems.
Rapid weight loss, such as your 11 pounds in one month is not normal and is a symptom of hyperthyroidism.
Do you have other symptoms, such as rapid heart rate, heart palpitations, hand tremors, mood swings, etc?
That said, a TSH of 0.01 is very low and assuming that you aren't taking any replacement thyroid hormones, it would indicate that you have hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid). A good doctor will to ahead and test Free T4 and Free T3, since TSH doesn't always correlate with actual thyroid hormone status. If it's determined that you do have hyperthyroidism (actual high thyroid hormone levels, not just low TSH), they should then find out the cause of your hyperthyroidism, which could be Graves Disease, a nodule producing hormones independently of the thyroid or a hyper phase of Hashimoto's. Once the cause of your hyper is determined, along with symptoms, the best course of treatment will be determined.
Hyperthyroidism can cause high blood pressure, so once hyperthyroidism is under control, you may not need the blood pressure medication you're currently taking... that's just a thought. At any rate, it will be up to your doctor to make sure medications do not interact and cause problems for you. Many of us take more than one medication with no problems.
Rapid weight loss, such as your 11 pounds in one month is not normal and is a symptom of hyperthyroidism.
Do you have other symptoms, such as rapid heart rate, heart palpitations, hand tremors, mood swings, etc?
3 Comments
Yes I have hand tremors and leg tremors, Yea, I would say some mood swings. My eyes seem to be affected. They are itchy and light senstive. Never had this before. I thank you for your comments!
TSH 0.01. T3 2.11. T4 1.0
I am responding to your other post, not here.
COMMUNITY LEADER
Which antibody test did they do that was 113.1?
Do you know if the T4 and T3 were Free T4 and Free T3 or if they were Total T4 and Total T3? Tests for Total T4 and Total T3 are considered obsolete and not very useful.
Also, what are the reference ranges for the T4 and T3? Reference ranges vary from lab to lab and have to come from your own report.
It shouldn't take too long for the med to kick in, but it may take a little time for your hormones to drop to comfortable levels.
Do you know if the T4 and T3 were Free T4 and Free T3 or if they were Total T4 and Total T3? Tests for Total T4 and Total T3 are considered obsolete and not very useful.
Also, what are the reference ranges for the T4 and T3? Reference ranges vary from lab to lab and have to come from your own report.
It shouldn't take too long for the med to kick in, but it may take a little time for your hormones to drop to comfortable levels.
COMMUNITY LEADER
A good endocrinologist will order the Free T4 and Free T3, along with the antibody tests to determine whether you have Graves Disease or Hashimoto's.
To determine if you have Hashimoto's, the antibody tests you need are Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies (TPOab) and Thyroglobulin Antibodies (TgAb). You need them both, as they are both markers for Hashimoto's, and some of us have one or the other, while others have them both. Thyroid Stimulating Immunoglobulin is the definitive test for Grave Disease. A thyroid ultrasound will determine if you have nodules that could be producing hormones independently of the thyroid.
Graves Disease is often treated with an anti-thyroid medication, such as methimazole or PTU. These meds prevent the thyroid from over-producing hormones. Graves does, sometimes, go into remission, but not real often. Thyroidectomy is often the treatment of choice for many doctors and of course, once the thyroid is gone, one is left permanently hypo and must be on thyroid replacement medication for life.
With Hashimoto's, antibodies, ultimately, destroy the thyroid and one is left permanently hypo, as well and must take replacement thyroid hormones for life. Hashimoto's is the most common cause of hypothyroidism in the developed world and that's what many of us on the forum have. Taking a pill a day isn't so bad, when it means living a normal, healthy life. Besides, many of us take vitamin/mineral supplements every day and think nothing of it, so adding a tiny thyroid hormone pill doesn't take much room in the pill box... :-)
To determine if you have Hashimoto's, the antibody tests you need are Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies (TPOab) and Thyroglobulin Antibodies (TgAb). You need them both, as they are both markers for Hashimoto's, and some of us have one or the other, while others have them both. Thyroid Stimulating Immunoglobulin is the definitive test for Grave Disease. A thyroid ultrasound will determine if you have nodules that could be producing hormones independently of the thyroid.
Graves Disease is often treated with an anti-thyroid medication, such as methimazole or PTU. These meds prevent the thyroid from over-producing hormones. Graves does, sometimes, go into remission, but not real often. Thyroidectomy is often the treatment of choice for many doctors and of course, once the thyroid is gone, one is left permanently hypo and must be on thyroid replacement medication for life.
With Hashimoto's, antibodies, ultimately, destroy the thyroid and one is left permanently hypo, as well and must take replacement thyroid hormones for life. Hashimoto's is the most common cause of hypothyroidism in the developed world and that's what many of us on the forum have. Taking a pill a day isn't so bad, when it means living a normal, healthy life. Besides, many of us take vitamin/mineral supplements every day and think nothing of it, so adding a tiny thyroid hormone pill doesn't take much room in the pill box... :-)
COMMUNITY LEADER
Since you have the symptoms you have, you should be tested for, both, Free T4 and Free T3, as well Graves disease and Hashimoto's, along with nodules to find the cause of your hyperthyroidism.
There are a number of scenarios that may take place, depending on the condition you end up being diagnosed with. It's best to learn as much as you can about, both, Graves and Hashimoto's, in order to be able to advocate in your own behalf. We'll be happy to help you, if you like.
There are a number of scenarios that may take place, depending on the condition you end up being diagnosed with. It's best to learn as much as you can about, both, Graves and Hashimoto's, in order to be able to advocate in your own behalf. We'll be happy to help you, if you like.
2 Comments
As far as I know there has not been a free T4 or free T3 done. I would think the Edocrinologist will order that? Is Graves and Hashimoto treatable and maybe I would'nt have to take meds. the rest of my life? I am taking Bystolic for the bl. pressure and hormone replacement such as estrace and provera. I'm going to need a bigger pill box! Thank you for your help, I do need to be prepared for what will be the best for me.
I had blood work done a few days ago, and my doctor notified me today that the antibodies was at 113.1, That is on the high level. The T3 was at 7.6 and the T4 is 1.76. My doctor has currently put me on Tapazole 10mg. Another blood work draw in 3 wks. I sure hope this medicine kicks in soon, I still get so tired after I do anything. I am grateful for all the knowledge of doctors and nurses. But I am depending on God to help thru this.
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