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 Friends, its been awhile since I posted here. I am looking for some advice. My Endo wants me to increase dosage to 7.5mg Methimazole. I am delaying that as I really wanted to be going the other direction and lowering dose!
I was diagnosed in March 2012. Started on 20mg dose and in March 2013 was down to 2.5mg. I continued on 2.5mg until July of this year. I tried 1.25 for a month this Spring but values creeped up and I went back to the 2.5mg.
My father had been very ill with cancer this Spring and Summer and I have had stress over that. He passed away in July. My values show that stress. (my endo does not agree with me that stress is a factor). I am so disappointed that I am having to increase dose instead of decreasing. Shouldnt the values be improving by now?? Should I do what the endo says and increase dose to 7.5 daily?? Or maybe every other day?? Here are my recent results:
FT4 range 0.8-1.5
4/8/14 1.3 on 2.5mg
5/29 1.4
7/14 1.7 raised to 5.0
9/12 1.5 Endo says stay 5.0
11/4 1.5 Endo now says raise 7.5
FT3 range 2.2-4.0
4/8/14 4.4
5/29 4.3
7/14 5.5
9/12 4.5
11/4 5.0
TSH has been 0 all of this.
I had the TSI done on 4/8: 126 and 5/29: 132 (less than 150normal)
thank you for your advice.
Mary
I was diagnosed in March 2012. Started on 20mg dose and in March 2013 was down to 2.5mg. I continued on 2.5mg until July of this year. I tried 1.25 for a month this Spring but values creeped up and I went back to the 2.5mg.
My father had been very ill with cancer this Spring and Summer and I have had stress over that. He passed away in July. My values show that stress. (my endo does not agree with me that stress is a factor). I am so disappointed that I am having to increase dose instead of decreasing. Shouldnt the values be improving by now?? Should I do what the endo says and increase dose to 7.5 daily?? Or maybe every other day?? Here are my recent results:
FT4 range 0.8-1.5
4/8/14 1.3 on 2.5mg
5/29 1.4
7/14 1.7 raised to 5.0
9/12 1.5 Endo says stay 5.0
11/4 1.5 Endo now says raise 7.5
FT3 range 2.2-4.0
4/8/14 4.4
5/29 4.3
7/14 5.5
9/12 4.5
11/4 5.0
TSH has been 0 all of this.
I had the TSI done on 4/8: 126 and 5/29: 132 (less than 150normal)
thank you for your advice.
Mary
While I do see that you have remained at the top with 1.5 for the last two months, your Free T3 has gone up.
Increasing the MMI will not help to lower down the FT3. Taking a beta blocker such as Propranolol or Atenolol will help for this.
Stress is definitely a factor.
Is your Endo also trying to get your TSH to come up when it is affected by thyroid antibodies and can often stay at zero for awhile?
I would consider eating some raw goitrogen foods to help lower down the Free Ts. Google goitrogen foods and find a big list of the fruits/veggies.
{{{hugs}}}
While I do see that you have remained at the top of the Free T4 range with 1.5 for the last two months, your Free T3 has gone up.
I will definitely look into adding more goitrogens.
Thank you for your time.
When our FT3 is high is part of the heart and the tremor symptoms and any other hypER symptoms as well.
There is also a 6.25 mg dosing if you get a good pill cutter, the kind with a thin metal razor blade. I would take that in divided doses of either two or three times per day, every 8 hours or every 12 hours.
{{{hugs}}}