What is Graves Disease
Graves-Basedow disease is a medical disorder that may manifest several different conditions including hyperthyroidism (over activity of thyroid hormone production), infiltrative ex...
Join Now
|
Hyper but with mild symptoms
|
Watch this |
| View More Posts Ignore |
Hi, I'm new. I'm female, age 48. I was diagnosed with hyper in August. TSH .01 Free T4 2.63 I started acupuncture, yoga, went to a naturopath who put me on supplements to boost my immune system. Both the naturopath and the acupuncturist believe that this condition is caused by stress. I had an acute period of a few days in which my symptoms were very bad (before diagnosis). But now my symptoms are very mild: occational strong heart pumping, mild fatigue, some tremors mostly in my legs when I work out. I retook the labs in September and my TSH was .02 Free T4 2.38. So, does that mean I'm getting better? I'm leading a fairly normal life...maybe at about 80% of my previous activity level. Yesterday I went for an uptake scan, and with a final % of 63%. That's double the norm. The technician was surprised that my symptoms are so mild. I'm waiting to hear from the endo. I'm quite certain he's going to recommend RAI based on a previous conversation. There is no way that I will do that at this point. I don't even know if I want to take the medication that lowers thyroid activity. I feel like I should continue with the natural remedies since I'm FEELING okay. Any suggestions?
Posted on 10/27/09, 12:10 pm |
| 80 Replies | Most Recent | Add Your Reply |
| View More Posts Ignore |
Hi there and welcome:
Could you please post the ranges to go with the Free T4 and the TSH? Could you consider getting a Free T3 done? What kinds of supplements do you take? I, too, see a holistic doctor and take certain supplements that doesn't set of my thyroid triggers. I can't comment on the Uptake scan as I never had one done and don't understand the results. I keep my heart rate at under 90. If it goes over 90, it means that something in my diet, vits/supplements that usually sets the symptoms going. {{{hugs}}} :-) 
|
|
|
|
||
| View More Posts Ignore |
I had an uptake scan done and mine came in at 15.2% after 1 hour....the normal was 3-8% at the 2 hour mark. So, I was considered double the norm. Did you get a copy of there findings? It would be helpful because you will see the diagnosis by the imaging tech and doc. I had an enlargement of the lower pole on the left lobe and no hot spots. Did they say if you had any hot spots or darker areas vs lighter areas?
I have not had it re done but I have been in remission since Jan by using PTU. I would get the complete findings before making any decision like RAI. We have had a couple of people who have had great success with naturopathic ;methods. As long as your getting frequent labs to keep an eye on things.. Once you provide the lab ranges we would have a better idea if its working. Big Hugs...Kathy
|
|
|
|
||
| View More Posts Ignore |
Thanks for your responses. The ranges are TSH 0.34-5.00. Free T4 0.58-1.68. I had my Free T3 done in the 2nd labs with a result of 5.22, but I don't have the ranges for that. It was given to me over the phone. The supplements are an adrenal cortex extract to boost my adrenal system, and phosphatidyl serine to help with intercellular communication. The naturopath also took me off wheat. I also don't have copies of the uptake findings yet. It just happened yesterday and this morning and the technician was kind enough to give me the numbers. I expect to hear from the endo with further results hopefully. Thanks, again and hugs back atcha.
|
|
|
|
||
| View More Posts Ignore |
I dont have a lot of experience with immune boosters but from what I have read they can make you hyper..so be careful. Perhaps someone else will chime in that knows more about that. Big Hugs..Kathy
|
|
|
|
||
| View More Posts Ignore |
You can try this route for awhile but your numbers are pretty high. Also your uptake was high. You most likely have Graves. You need antibody testing too. Ask for a TSI test. I was on meds with a tsh almost undetectable but FT4 was only 1.65 and Ft3 was 4.75. You could risk a thyroid storm if numbers get too high. Make sure you get labs done frequently.
|
|
|
|
||
| View More Posts Ignore |
Thanks, DairyTech and Brasnana. What is antibody testing? And, Brasnan, how were your symptoms. I think that if I were feeling terrible I'd be inclined to go on medication; otherwise, I'm not sure why I should. Is it to avoid a thyroid storm? What might be warning signs that I'm going to have one? Is it common to have so little symptoms?
|
|
|
|
||
| View More Posts Ignore |
What immune boosters I know, have made me hypER before.
Feel free to check out the past threads/posts here on diet and the common thyroid triggers to avoid. I will let others comment more about thyroid antibodies tests to do and why these are important. I have to leave the house in a few minutes to go and p/u my children from school. {{{hugs}}}
|
|
|
|
||
| View More Posts Ignore |
The antibodies testing you need mostly is the TSI test. That is the marker for Graves. Did you have a fever or sore throat before this? If no antibodies are found (there's also the anti-tpo's and anti tg they can test for but these don't confirm Graves like the TSI) then you might have like a thyroiditis possibly. Some people can have real high levels and not feel bad and me at the levels I had was sick with it. Everyone reacts different. Yes, you would take the meds to bring levels down and to protect from a storm, real high heart rate, insomnia, nausea, weight loss, tremor, high blood pressure, possibly, irritability, you can look up the symptoms if you google thyroid storm. You have to be hospitalized for it.
|
|
|
|
||
| View More Posts Ignore |
Here's an explanation of thyroid storm from Thyroid Manager
http://www.thyroidmanager.org/Chap... There also is a lot of good info that we have gathered for people to read. Please feel free to read it. Here's the link to that info http://www.dailystrength.org/group... We encourage anyone to post good info they find on this last link. Its wonderful to have a place to go for it rather than search the net...there's a lot of crap out there. Big Hugs...Kathy
|
|
|
|
||
| View More Posts Ignore |
Hi!
I am glad that you're feeling okay! I wonder sometimes if we should go by numbers or how we feel? Probably numbers, but sometimes the endo would tell me that my numbers were "perfect" and I would feel like crap. I think its a good sign that your FT4 went down. Take care! Hannah
|
|
|
|
||
| First | Previous | Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 | Next | Most Recent | Add Your Reply |
