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...
Labs in November TSH 0.025 Range 0.40-5.50. T4 1.3 range 0.7-1.7
Today she called and got on my butt big time said I wasn't taking my meds and dangit I'am. She said my T4 was normal but my TSH was
Today she called and got on my butt big time said I wasn't taking my meds and dangit I'am. She said my T4 was normal but my TSH was
Leave out the more than and less than signs since this board will not accept them.
{{{hugs}}}
Since it is difficult for you to see another doctor and you have to go to a clinic because of not having any insurance, why not print out some articles for this doctor to read about why the TSH cannot be used to dose on the ATD that one takes?
{{{hugs}}}
I'm just so frustrated right now. I pay her$150 to $189 every time I walk into her office and I expect better than this. Since March of 2011 I have been on 40,20,10,5and now back up to 20mg. Somethings got to give. I have to see somebody else before she kills me.
{{{gentle hugs}}}
http://elaine-moore.com/QA/tabid/57/forumid/6/scope/threads/Default.aspx
HAve you talked to their billing service? I was never in billing but as a nurse often advocated for patients with the MD's biller and they are usally very willing to give you a decent rate.
BAck when we didn't have insurance, if I had to go to a walk-in clinic for say; a bladder infection I would pay 60 bucks. This was cash, full payment, no hassle.
Let me know if you need help with finding some solid resources to inform your doctor gently how to dose you. Elaine Moore is ofcourse awesome, and we know that but an MD is going to say: Who the heck is she? I do not see MD behind her name!
Why was she only calling today with your labs from November, or did I miss part of the story? Who knows what it is today.
I haven't been on here in awhile but, if you check my profile, you'll see I've been where you're at.
I still read on here and will post a few things from time to time.
The others are SO right, your TSH is suppressed because your Graves' antibodies are stimulating your thyroid to produce hormone. If your pituitary gland continued to produce TSH at it's regular rate, you'd be hyper.
Thyroid status is ALWAYS determined by the actual thyroid hormone levels.
Here's what I consider a great read that will show you there are no dangers associated with low TSH (and Elaine specifically mentions that people with Graves', etc. can have even lower TSH than mentioned in the study due to our antibodies)
http://elaine-moore.suite101.com/uk-study-shows-that-low-tsh-doesn-a264769
She also has a link to a famous study that explains how our antibodies affect TSH and how our bodies are fine with it all.
You just might want to share this stuff with your doctor because there is no way your dose should be increased.
I will tell you this much, the only time my TSH got into range when I was taking ATD's was when I was overmedicated and driven hypo.
I joined the 20% of Graves' patients that go hypo after remission (thanks to another form of Graves' antibodies that also suppress TSH)
On a "good" day, my TSH is .011 (.4-4.50)
Here's a link to the anti-thyroid drug section of Elaine's online course about Graves'/hyperthyroidism....look at the sub-section on dosing
http://www.suite101.com/lesson.cfm/19330/2902/2