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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New Test Results- Question??

tlinaluski
tlinaluski
Hello everyone!!

Well I haven't posted in awhile because I've been busy and doing pretty well in remission!! I sure hope it's not coming to an end, I'm so nervous that it might be... Any ideas what my doc might tell me at my next visit. Here were my recent test results:

T4- 08, range (0.6-1.2)
TSH- .27, range (0.34-5.60)

I am not on any medication and do not want to have radioactive iodine treatment!!! I'm afraid that's what my doc is going to suggest though because I've been on anti-thyroid meds for 3+ yrs and he once said that was to long and doesn't want me to be on them for a great length of time!!! What do you all suggest??

Tina
mmztcass
mmztcass
You tell him exactly as you have told it here. If he doesn't agree with this and especially since you've been w/o meds for awhile, it's time to look for another doctor. So many of us are on our fourth, fifth or more doctors until we find the right one to work with us.

I wonder how's your TSI and TRAb antibodies to indicate that your remission is holding?

{{{hugs}}}
tlinaluski
tlinaluski
Thanks mmztcass!! This is actually my third doctor and I just hate the thought of getting a new doctor and having to bring him up to speed!! I like my doctor, I just want to be prepared when I see him because I think he will do what I suggest if it makes sense. So are you suggesting I ask him to test my TSI and TRAb antibodies to see if I am still in remission. If those #'s are good does that mean I'm in remission?

Also, do you think I should go on antithyroid meds with the #'s the way they are? My T3 was also low the last time he tested me, which was in April.

Thanks for all your help,
Tina
mmztcass
mmztcass
Hi Tina:

If your Free Ts are low as it is right now with the FT4, you would not want to take an ATD.

I would find out the TSI and TRAb to see where I was at.

{{{hugs}}}
dairytech
dairytech
I agree with mmx...taking ATD's is not what you want to be doing. For those of us that go into remission with Graves...about 20% of us swing hypo for a while. This is what happened to me. I had to go on Synthroid for a little over a year before my thyroid started working again. Since your FT4 is low...this could be what is happening to you. You may want to write to Elaine Moore and get her advise as well. Big Hugs...Kathy
dairytech
dairytech
Ohhh sorry...Ignore the low TSH because the antibodies with affect them. Its the FT4 and FT3 that you should be looking at. Getting the tests mmz mentioned would be a wise thing to do.
bransnana
bransnana
Yes hon, the gals are both right. No atd's now, your FT4 is low. Don't worry about the tsh too much, it is just affected by the antibodies like they said. I was on meds for over 3 years too, went hypo without meds and am now on a small dose of Synthroid. You might have blocking antibodies now which can leave your tsh low too. Mine got higher and higher and hasn't been below 1-2 in two years I think. Everybody is different but you are still in remission is my guess.
tlinaluski
tlinaluski
Thanks for all your responses everyone. I'm still confused though. So I didn't start taking the ATDs cause like you all said my T3 and T4 are on the low side. But my levels are always like that and my doctor put me on ATD's before and all my levels rised, so I think that's why he may have prescribed them to me again. He didn't test my antibodies, but my last TSI level reading was 25, which is pretty low and that was about 6 months ago. So you think that number went up or what? I'm sorry for so many more questions!! Ugh, this crap stinks!!!
mmztcass
mmztcass
I think your doctor put you on the ATD to get the TSH to rise. The Free Ts will just drop lower. It might be a good idea to find another doctor who doses according the Free Ts and not to the TSH.

{{{hugs}}}