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Help, doctor has given me mixed answers
Hi,
My TSH is 0.010, T3 is normal and T4 is normal. My TSH has been low for the past year at its lowest last august it was 0.006 and the highest has been 0.16. My first endocrin told me that I had Hashimotos (because he tested microsomal which was 107.8 normal range was < 5) and that it would eventually "flip" to hypothyroid, but the worst that would happen is (his words) I would be "fat and slow". This prompted me to switch doctors and the next didn't tell me anything. He just ordered new blood work which showed I had a TSI of 799 normal being <150. Now they called me and said they were starting Tapazole. I am confused because I thought I had Hashimotos and if those micsrosomal antibodies will eventually (according to first doctor) kill off my thyroid, then why use something that has the same effect? Also in researching it seems like my blood work points to graves disease. Finally, I have had an ache in my neck on the side off and on for about 3 months. I told my most recent endorin who told me it was muscular. I am thinking this would be over by now if I had strained it. I am very nervous and want to go to my next appointment ready with questions, but I also don't know where to begin.
My TSH is 0.010, T3 is normal and T4 is normal. My TSH has been low for the past year at its lowest last august it was 0.006 and the highest has been 0.16. My first endocrin told me that I had Hashimotos (because he tested microsomal which was 107.8 normal range was < 5) and that it would eventually "flip" to hypothyroid, but the worst that would happen is (his words) I would be "fat and slow". This prompted me to switch doctors and the next didn't tell me anything. He just ordered new blood work which showed I had a TSI of 799 normal being <150. Now they called me and said they were starting Tapazole. I am confused because I thought I had Hashimotos and if those micsrosomal antibodies will eventually (according to first doctor) kill off my thyroid, then why use something that has the same effect? Also in researching it seems like my blood work points to graves disease. Finally, I have had an ache in my neck on the side off and on for about 3 months. I told my most recent endorin who told me it was muscular. I am thinking this would be over by now if I had strained it. I am very nervous and want to go to my next appointment ready with questions, but I also don't know where to begin.
My tsh levels are 0.010 and my T4 and T3 are 8.1 and 27.
I am diagnosed with hypothyroidism for 10 years now. Been on medication this long and my tsh levels were always normal. Since depo-provera, my tsh is low for the past 6 months at least, and my thyroid levels are still the same as always. (To be exact, T4 jumped from 7.3 to 8.1, but when it was 7.3, my tsh was in the very high ones, like 1.8 or so). (I also have had a thyroid nodule for a couple of years and my thyroid is too small as compared to normal size-however-everything else on the sonogram shows my thyroid is very normal). I am diagnosed with hashimoto disease.
Why is my TSH all of a sudden so low? It use to fluctuate from the high 1's to the low 2's. Why the big change in that, but no big change in T4 or T3? I take dessicated thyroid hormone because I was very uncomfortable when on synthroid.
Please help, I do not understand what is happening. If my pituitary gland is not functioning well, would that change my tsh to this level and my thyroid hormone would be normal since I am on the medication? Very confused.
I am diagnosed with hypothyroidism for 10 years now. Been on medication this long and my tsh levels were always normal. Since depo-provera, my tsh is low for the past 6 months at least, and my thyroid levels are still the same as always. (To be exact, T4 jumped from 7.3 to 8.1, but when it was 7.3, my tsh was in the very high ones, like 1.8 or so). (I also have had a thyroid nodule for a couple of years and my thyroid is too small as compared to normal size-however-everything else on the sonogram shows my thyroid is very normal). I am diagnosed with hashimoto disease.
Why is my TSH all of a sudden so low? It use to fluctuate from the high 1's to the low 2's. Why the big change in that, but no big change in T4 or T3? I take dessicated thyroid hormone because I was very uncomfortable when on synthroid.
Please help, I do not understand what is happening. If my pituitary gland is not functioning well, would that change my tsh to this level and my thyroid hormone would be normal since I am on the medication? Very confused.
Hi there. A person CAN swing between Graves and Hashimotos over a period of time. I predict one day there will actually be a name for this instead of the names given when one is hyper then hypo.
I would encourage you to take your prescription. If you leave it too long you will end up with a host of issues you really don't want to know about.
Get blood work done religiously every 6 weeks, keep a journal of your symptoms as they happen. After time YOU will know when you feel hyper before your lab tests show it, or even hypo.
Whilst you are having all the problems now, they will only get worse if left untreated. Do make sure you take the drug exactly as prescribed, and if you are not sure, look it up on the net. Keep in contact with your doctor.
Cheers
I would encourage you to take your prescription. If you leave it too long you will end up with a host of issues you really don't want to know about.
Get blood work done religiously every 6 weeks, keep a journal of your symptoms as they happen. After time YOU will know when you feel hyper before your lab tests show it, or even hypo.
Whilst you are having all the problems now, they will only get worse if left untreated. Do make sure you take the drug exactly as prescribed, and if you are not sure, look it up on the net. Keep in contact with your doctor.
Cheers
Just dont let yourself go HYPER as you are at risk of massive heart attack or thyroid storm (atrial fibbrillation).
Be sure to watch and notice your symptoms.
I wouldnt wish thyroid storm on anyone...not even my worst enemy.
Be sure to watch and notice your symptoms.
I wouldnt wish thyroid storm on anyone...not even my worst enemy.
Update:
Doctors office confirmed that I have Graves....however I do not think they checked my old bloodwork from previous endocrin which shows Hashis antibodies so now I wait it out until I see doctor. I have chosen NOT to take prescription because I need answers first.
Doctors office confirmed that I have Graves....however I do not think they checked my old bloodwork from previous endocrin which shows Hashis antibodies so now I wait it out until I see doctor. I have chosen NOT to take prescription because I need answers first.
Hi, Thanks for all of the input. I also want to add that this started about 6 months after I had my 2nd child. I thought it was thryroiditis and would go away or "flip" as hypothryroidism runs in my family. My mother, her parents, and one cousin. My FT3 levels are 3.9 normal being 1.8 to 4.6. THey have ranged from 2.64 to 4.12. My FT4 are currently 1.7 with the normal range being .7-1.8. THey have ranged from 1.18 to 2.2 And these fluctuations are not consistently going up or down. I started to go towards normal in January and then back up again --in the case of TSH down again in March.
My biggest sign that something was wrong was last August when my heart felt like it was going to stop beating. I had these skipped beats all my life, but this one lasted 20 minutes. I was on Weight Watchers at that time and started cheating, but was still losing...boy was I loving how WW helped my metabolism-:) little did I know then!
I was wired all the time, barely sleeping and always moving. My hands shook all the time and my husband thought I was always zoning in and out. I thought it was having 2 kids under 2!
Fast forward to now. I am tire ALL the time, have trouble sleeping, really bad menstrual cramps/irregular, weight gain-despite eating quite healthy and limiting calorie intake...more exercise too! My hands do shake on occasion and the heart palps are back. My skin has become quite dry--but I am on retin A.
I am worried about going back to this doctor because his MA does most of the work. When I did contact her she said that if I wanted to lose weight I should watch my caloric intake. But I am. She also said if I exercised I probably would have more energy...but I do. I don't want to be argumentative, but I think that because my symptoms don't necessarily equate to my blood work then they believe it is not related. But I feel like I need more answers...a diagnosis at least before we start treatment. Any other questions you think I should ask would be greatly appreciated. I am going to ask about the ultrasound too. Could this be worse than I think? I am scared.
My biggest sign that something was wrong was last August when my heart felt like it was going to stop beating. I had these skipped beats all my life, but this one lasted 20 minutes. I was on Weight Watchers at that time and started cheating, but was still losing...boy was I loving how WW helped my metabolism-:) little did I know then!
I was wired all the time, barely sleeping and always moving. My hands shook all the time and my husband thought I was always zoning in and out. I thought it was having 2 kids under 2!
Fast forward to now. I am tire ALL the time, have trouble sleeping, really bad menstrual cramps/irregular, weight gain-despite eating quite healthy and limiting calorie intake...more exercise too! My hands do shake on occasion and the heart palps are back. My skin has become quite dry--but I am on retin A.
I am worried about going back to this doctor because his MA does most of the work. When I did contact her she said that if I wanted to lose weight I should watch my caloric intake. But I am. She also said if I exercised I probably would have more energy...but I do. I don't want to be argumentative, but I think that because my symptoms don't necessarily equate to my blood work then they believe it is not related. But I feel like I need more answers...a diagnosis at least before we start treatment. Any other questions you think I should ask would be greatly appreciated. I am going to ask about the ultrasound too. Could this be worse than I think? I am scared.
COMMUNITY LEADER
You said your T4 and T3 are both normal - do you know what the actual levels are, along with the lab ranges?
TSI testing is for Graves Disease.
The antibodies DONT always kill off the thyroid....they can accelerate the levels and can cause thyroid storm (atrial fibrillation).
That is why anti-thyroid meds are prescribed...to 'block' the thyroid hormones and stop them rising.
I'm more inclined to think that you DO have Graves Disease which at the moment isnt causing your FT3 and FT4 levels to rise.
One thing you have to watch and monitor is that the anti-thyroid meds may put you into hypo mode and thats not a nice feeling.
Ask that you be tested and evaluated every 2 weeks for a while.
In Graves Disease,those who still have a thyroid can have a low TSH for years.
Sometimes the TSH may NEVER come up......so dont expect miracles with the anti-thyroid meds.
Ask your Doc why he is trying to raise the TSH when the other levels are normal for you?
Also explain that as I said before...in Graves Disease, the TSH will very rarely RISE unless permanant treatment is done.
Also ask for an Ultrasound to be done....this will rule out nodules.
Do you have any other Hyper symptoms at all, besides the ache in the neck (which is a thyroid symptom)?
All the best
Debs (Graves Disease, RAI June 2008 and TT Sept 2008)
The antibodies DONT always kill off the thyroid....they can accelerate the levels and can cause thyroid storm (atrial fibrillation).
That is why anti-thyroid meds are prescribed...to 'block' the thyroid hormones and stop them rising.
I'm more inclined to think that you DO have Graves Disease which at the moment isnt causing your FT3 and FT4 levels to rise.
One thing you have to watch and monitor is that the anti-thyroid meds may put you into hypo mode and thats not a nice feeling.
Ask that you be tested and evaluated every 2 weeks for a while.
In Graves Disease,those who still have a thyroid can have a low TSH for years.
Sometimes the TSH may NEVER come up......so dont expect miracles with the anti-thyroid meds.
Ask your Doc why he is trying to raise the TSH when the other levels are normal for you?
Also explain that as I said before...in Graves Disease, the TSH will very rarely RISE unless permanant treatment is done.
Also ask for an Ultrasound to be done....this will rule out nodules.
Do you have any other Hyper symptoms at all, besides the ache in the neck (which is a thyroid symptom)?
All the best
Debs (Graves Disease, RAI June 2008 and TT Sept 2008)
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