Graves' Disease Support Group
Graves-Basedow disease is a medical disorder that may manifest several different conditions including hyperthyroidism (over activity of thyroid hormone production), infiltrative exophthalmos (protruberance of one or both eyes and associated problems) and infiltrative dermopathy (a skin condition usually of the lower extremities). This disorder is the most common cause of...
Hi everyone,
I started this journey in June with 20mg of methimazole. At my 6 weeks blood work it was:
FT4 1.24 normal with range of .73 to 1.95 (If I remember right)
FT3 4.3 just barely up with range of 2.3 - 4.2 (again if I remember right)
I have had symptoms of numbness in the hands since about 3 weeks on the meds and additional blood work at the 6 week mark showed low white blood count and 1 of the liver panels slightly elevated. At about
week 4 I was really really tired and expected there had been a significant drop in the levels.
My endo dropped the dose to 10 mg per day (I take 5 in the morning and 5 in the evening) hoping to relieve the symptoms. The numbness has more severe days then others and always keeps me up at night so not sure what I'm not sleeping from.
She actually sounded like she wanted to keep me at a higher dose until the FT3 came down but what I'm reading here is it's the FT4 to regulate meds by?
She didn't want blood work for 8 weeks as she said it would take longer to get to "normal" with a lower dose. My question is should I be having labs at 4 weeks which I can get from my reg Dr as i have a standing lab order for every 4 weeks. I have noticed being tired and somewhat lethargic a couple of days this week but overall feeling pretty good considering not much of a sleep pattern. The numbness was more pronounced last night then it had been for a while. Somedays, its just obnoxious.
I thought the FT3 was pretty darn close...:)) It was Aug 3rd that the meds were reduced.
I'd love your input.
Thanks much!
I started this journey in June with 20mg of methimazole. At my 6 weeks blood work it was:
FT4 1.24 normal with range of .73 to 1.95 (If I remember right)
FT3 4.3 just barely up with range of 2.3 - 4.2 (again if I remember right)
I have had symptoms of numbness in the hands since about 3 weeks on the meds and additional blood work at the 6 week mark showed low white blood count and 1 of the liver panels slightly elevated. At about
week 4 I was really really tired and expected there had been a significant drop in the levels.
My endo dropped the dose to 10 mg per day (I take 5 in the morning and 5 in the evening) hoping to relieve the symptoms. The numbness has more severe days then others and always keeps me up at night so not sure what I'm not sleeping from.
She actually sounded like she wanted to keep me at a higher dose until the FT3 came down but what I'm reading here is it's the FT4 to regulate meds by?
She didn't want blood work for 8 weeks as she said it would take longer to get to "normal" with a lower dose. My question is should I be having labs at 4 weeks which I can get from my reg Dr as i have a standing lab order for every 4 weeks. I have noticed being tired and somewhat lethargic a couple of days this week but overall feeling pretty good considering not much of a sleep pattern. The numbness was more pronounced last night then it had been for a while. Somedays, its just obnoxious.
I thought the FT3 was pretty darn close...:)) It was Aug 3rd that the meds were reduced.
I'd love your input.
Thanks much!
Thanks again.
Labs should be done every four to six weeks all the while reducing the MMI doses slowly if you're at mid range until the lowest possible dose to maintain to stay stabled at. It can be around 5 mg or less.
{{{hugs}}}
What about eating goitrogen foods which are good for lowering down the Free Ts?
{{{hugs}}}
Thanks so much again.