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...
I am not new to the site but I have not posted before. I was diagnosed with Graves' in July 2011 and it has been on hell-of-a-ride! I think I have lost a friend of 50 years to this disease because ofher inability to understand even though she is Hypo!?! I am now on an emotional roller coaster and have been unable to stop crying!! Here are my labs from December 2011. My Endo only tests the Total T3 and want to know if I should have asked her to test the Free T3?
I feel pretty good physical compared to what I felt like in July 2011 but mentally I don't know how I feel. I am so not liking this disease :) And am now just coming to terms that I will have it the rest of my life.
12.27.2011
TSH - 7.02 0.46-4.68
TT3 - 125 87-179
FT4 - 065 0.78-2.19
3.14.2012
TSH - 5.11 0.40-4.50
TT3 - 104 76-181
FT4 - 1.0 0.8-1.8
4.25.2012
TSH - 1.30 0.40-4.50
TT3 - 130 76-181
FT4 - 1.3 0.8 - 1.8
As my brain fog is not allowing me to figure things out on my own, I was just wondering what everyone thinks?
Thanks!
Susie
I feel pretty good physical compared to what I felt like in July 2011 but mentally I don't know how I feel. I am so not liking this disease :) And am now just coming to terms that I will have it the rest of my life.
12.27.2011
TSH - 7.02 0.46-4.68
TT3 - 125 87-179
FT4 - 065 0.78-2.19
3.14.2012
TSH - 5.11 0.40-4.50
TT3 - 104 76-181
FT4 - 1.0 0.8-1.8
4.25.2012
TSH - 1.30 0.40-4.50
TT3 - 130 76-181
FT4 - 1.3 0.8 - 1.8
As my brain fog is not allowing me to figure things out on my own, I was just wondering what everyone thinks?
Thanks!
Susie
It is possible you are one of those GD people who feel their best with their Free T4 higher as in the upper third of the range and not at mid range.
I am sorry about your friend not understanding what you are going through even though she is hypO. Having been on both ends of scale - undiagnosed hypO for 20+ years and now hypER for the past 11+ years, I can say that it is hard for those to understand one way let alone both ways. The symptoms are different, yet the same in many ways.
{{{hugs}}}
Thanks, mmztcass.
Dec. 2011 - 20 mg
Mar. 2012 - 10 mg
April 2012 - to present - 5 mg
I was weaned off the Propranolol by April 11, 2012. I see my Endo on June 19th and had labs done today. I feel almost back to normal except for the emotional part but I have a great husband who has been very supportive and one other friend who I have known since I was 5 who has been my rock and just finally got through to her how serious this GD is. She has Hashimoto's - very strange that out of 4 very good friends, 3 have thyroid disease!!
Do you currently feel hypER or hypO?
{{{hugs}}}
Don't know what the Dr. will do next, decrease the MMI to 2.5mg?? Just a guess, just have to wait until I see.
I had to see my primary care Dr. last week because of a blocked salivary gland (I'm just finishing 10 days of antibiotics and the swelling has gone down) my BP was 143/83 and my heart rate was 109. I couldn't figure out why my heart rate was so high or my BP. I sure am a puzzled! lol
Thanks again,
Susie
Yes, either the 3.75 mg or the 2.5 mg would likely be the way to go if your Free T4, especially, is hypO.
Taking an antibiotic has the tendency to raise the bp and raise the Free T3. I took one for a gum infection several years ago and ended up hypER. It took me six months to get back down euthyroid. I will try not to ever take an antibiotic and will use the natural ones first, instead.
{{{hugs}}}
I will ask my Dr. to do the FT3 on the next lab and why she hasn't been doing since the start.
Thanks again,
Susie
TSH 2.15 - 0.40-4.50
T3 Total 124 - 76-81
T4 Free - 0.8-1.8
These were taken on June 6, 2012 and I was taking 5 mg of MMI and feeling horrible so I reduced it to 2.5 mg and now I am feeling like my old self again.
My Endo was not too happy about me reducing my dose and said "with the latest labs that I was right in range." I told her I (underlined) was not feeling well and she just ignored me!! Although she did entered what I was feeling into her computer. She wants me to take the 2.5 mg every other day. But after reading on here about having a consistent level of MMI in your body shouldn't I being taking it every day?
Thanks, Susie