Just diagnosed - What can I expect?

[soulblaze]

Been feeling a bit 'off' for a few months now, a few weeks ago I got what felt like a bug. First week was bearable, 2nd and 3rd weeks felt like death warmed up.

Headaches like you wouldn’t believe; some piercing pain in specific places, but generally just a pounding.
Ears felt blocked, glands felt sore.
I could feel/hear my heartbeat, mostly at night in bed, but sometimes during the day. Sometimes left ear pounded with my heartbeat (short periods of time)
Sore thighs, they felt like I just had a squatting session at the gym.
Sore throat, varying from slightly to sore when swallowing. Sometimes feels like that there is a lump
Dizzy/light headed/fuzzy head – awfully bad (4 weeks, 2 weeks were bad)

So i went to the doctor and he suggested a full blood test, I asked for a thyroid one too as I had been meaning to have one since my mother and sister both have hypothyroidism.

So got the results back last week (Hyperthyroidism) and Dr has referred me a specialist that I am booked to see in Feb. He has given me Neomercazole 3x 5mg /day in the meantime.

Results were :

Free T4 30.4 H pmol/L Range: (9.0-19.0)
TSH <0.008 L mU/L Range:(0.40-9.5)
Free T3 14.4 H pmol/L Range:(2.6-6.0)

T4 and T3 are obviously high and TSH is low. Are these numbers 'average' for Hyperthyroidism (if such a term exists) or what is the severity.

Thanks :D

[soulblaze]

ouch, scary !

Potassium and calcium are mid range normal. (same figures as 1998 when i last had a blood test)

On a plus side, feel a million times better today.

I'll call the doc tomorrow and see what he says.

[jjwar]

Hi, Do not wait soulblaze. I have been diagnosed with graves disease. This caused me to go into the hospital 11 months ago. It caused my potassium level to go deathly low. I woke up completely paralyzed. Spent a week in ICU. They need to have you on a drug called methamazole. They also need to check your antibodies to determine if you are positive for graves disease. You should definately tell them to check your potassium, magnesium, and calcium. All of these effect your muscles including most important your heart. This could cause you to go into full cardiac arrest. DONT WAIT!!!!!!

[soulblaze]

amywife, hmm yes, so I should go talk to my doc and not wait 3 months until my Endo appointment.

[armywife92]

High ferritin can cause joint pain and lethargy. It is most likely high b/c your system is out of whack, but that needs to be followed up on, and if it's still high within a month,they need to find the source of why it's high, as that's abnormal. I'm surprised they didn't investigate the cause further, as they should have.

[soulblaze]

Thanks deb, but aren't beta blockers bad for you?

[Smilerdeb]

I have Graves..has hyperthyroidism and had RAI (radioactive iodine) 2 1/2 years ago and doing great.
Your Doctor should have you on a beta blocker for the side effects of hyper.
Usually Inderal is prescribed with the Anti-thyroid meds and its wise to get labs drawn every 2-3 weeks as you can go from Hyper to Hypo VERY quickly on anti-thyroid meds.
I was on them for approximately just under a year....and in that time researched all I could on my condition.
Also ask your Doc to do a TSI test for Graves Disease.

I have never looked back since having RAI done.

[soulblaze]

Other interesting blood work results were

Iron 32.6 Range (9.0-27.0)
Transferrin 2.0 Range(2.0-3.6)
Saturation 65 Range (12-44)
Ferritin 624 Range (30-300)

So high Iron and high high Ferritin. Would this attribute to anything thyroid related?

Everything else was normal besides a little high in Sodium.

[soulblaze]

SO i have to get another blood test before i see the Endo, should i ask for an antibodies test as well as the thyroid ?

[soulblaze]

I swear, If you didn't know what you had you would think you would be dying. Was up until 5am last night, couldn't sleep as my heart was pounding through my chest and ear. Was only 90bpm but, ouch. Not nice

[armywife92]

yes you are definitely hyper. Next is to find out if it's toxic nodules causing it, or if you have graves disease. Both can be pretty manageable as long as you are on meds, and or avoid certain triggers, stress being the main one. The majority of people will eventually go into remission, and some people just self treat with homeopathic/vit methods. Many do just fine, and you will often read the horror stories, b/c most ppl who do fine never seek out support forums.

I will save you some trouble...if your TSI antibodies come back positive this means you have graves.You are not supposed to have even 1% of the antibodies. Most endo's and Gp's are uneducated in this area, and only feels you have graves if your antibodies are higher than a certain percentage. I had tested positive for graves two yrs before my thyroid storm and my GP never told me I had graves. I am doing fine, and I think I've had graves/hashi or both for the past 15-18 yrs, but out of those 15-18 I've only had one time I was on meds, and was only on meds for 3 weeks and became euththyroid, slightly hypo. Let me know if you have any other questions.