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...

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Help with my labs please

Tricia08
Tricia08
Hey guys, its been a month since I cut my dosage from 5 mg of methimazole to half of that a day.

When I last talked to you guys I had decided to switch endo's because my current doc doses by tsh .. I was going to wait 6 weeks to check my blood after I cut my dosage in half but I have been feeling so terrible lately. No energy just bad and I have noticed my hair shedding too. So I got my bloodwork done at 4 week. I have to wait until July to get into the Hospital of the University of Penn. So I've been kinda self medicating with the help of you guys. lol

This is my bloodwork from March 14, 2014

TSH 0.50 in range ( reference 0.40 -4.50)
T4 free 0.9 (reference 0.8 - 1.8ng/dl)
T3 free 3.1 (reference 2.3 - 4.2pg/ml)

So after this the doc was going to keep me on the methimazole 5mg for 3 months to bring my TSH. At this point you guys recommended finding another doctor. Because she doses off of the TSH not the T4's (Which I have to wait until July to see)

Here is my last Bloodwork from May 6, 2014 - This is after I cut my dosage in half.

TSH 3.14 in range ( reference 0.40 - 4.50)
T4 free 0.9 in range (reference 0.8 -1.8 ng/dl)

I'm thinking I need to cut the pill down to a quarter of the pill. My T4's haven't moved. I'm not sure how to get my T4's Up..?? I'm not sure why my doctor didn't check my T3's this time.. My TSH's look good though I think...

Thank You for any advice!!!
mmztcass
mmztcass
Hi:

Yes, it does look like cutting down to 1.25 mg per day would be the thing to do. I would recheck labs in four to six weeks to see if that helps.

{{{hugs}}}
Tricia08
Tricia08
Thank You Mmztcass :) I appreciate the advice. I will call to get another script for bloodwork. Hopefully the doctor will write another out without needing to see me again. This will get me though until July when I see the City doctor. Thank you again
dairytech
dairytech
One really important difference with your labs this last time is your TSH went up quite high even though your FT's didnt move...what that tells me is...you are starting to make your own. Since you are still very hypo even after the dose reduction and your labs didnt rise but your TSH did...you may very well be in remission. If these were my labs taking as little amount of meth as you are...I would test remission...I would also get Elaine Moores opinion...Big Hugs...Kathy
Tricia08
Tricia08
Thank you Diary Tech I will see about testing remission as well. I think this calls for a doctors appointment with the crappy doctor. lol (until I can get to the good one) I was wondering why my TSH moved but my T4's didn't budge.

I know this sounds weird but Do you think Elaine Moore would take the time to answer me back? I know that people sometimes get to big to stay real. I do have a link on one of her pages where there is her contact info.

Thank You Diary Tech for All of your Support
dairytech
dairytech
She absolutely would answer you back...it may take a few days though. In order to post a question you have to join her site...its easy to do. When you do post your question its important to show your last 3 labs with ranges and all med history. Let us know what she says...her is her link...click on register...Big Hugs...Kathy

http://www.elaine-moore.com/QA/tabid/317/Default.aspx
Courage2010
Courage2010
I completely agree with what has been posted. Elaine will certainly get back to you- I actually have to bug her with a few questions as well :) You definitely are learning the ropes of this disease and you are looking out for the right things.

Regarding your TSH- my TSH prior to Graves would be around 1.5 and after the disease it settled to 0.8. Don't look too much into TSH- our disease makes those numbers skewed- some don't even look at it at all. It's the Free Ts that are important :)

I was losing my hair when I went hypo...

Good for you for being informed!!!! Best of luck!!!
Tricia08
Tricia08
Thank you for the link Kathy :) And HUGS to ALL !! Without this site I wouldn't know half the things to look out for. Everyone has such knowledge and is very supportive. It's great to know your not alone.

Great to know that Elaine will get back to me. Yes, I will definitely join the site.

Thank you Courage :) The hair thing would definitely make sense to me. I'm trying not to be Hypo... but my numbers speak for me.