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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Fern-RL 09/18/2013

I really don't understand the mantra used here that symptoms are not to be trusted but labs never lie. [Or whatever the real mantra is...]

Would someone please explain that to me?

Snippy 09/18/2013

I agree

mmztcass 09/18/2013

Because hypER/hypO symptoms cross over with each other. Getting labs done is one way to find out for sure what the problem is and then make the dose adjustments to correct it.

{{{hugs}}}

deleted_user 09/18/2013

I am new to this being sick thing. BIG SIGH.

I understand it takes 6 weeks for the blood work to reflect your dosage change so... in the mean time your symptoms aren't real? It is all so disheartening.

MY FT3 in normal yet I am still sweaty with a racing heart rate and now I have lethargy with a foggy brain. My house is a mess and I want to stay in my pajamas. This is difficult for a high functioning individual. You all have my compassion. It sucks!!!!

Fern-RL 09/19/2013

I know that some symptoms are said to be vague and non-specific to the thyroid, which is one reason the medical community likes to talk about the numbers instead of the symptoms, but many of them also distrust the FT3 test unless it shows we are distinctly hyperthyroid, preferring to diagnose and treat according to the TSH.

I guess when I was at my worst, the symptoms were obvious to me. I was more sensitive to the cold than 30 other women in my group. I had a profound loss of appetite. I was very tired and sluggish. My blood pressure and heart rate were below normal. I also had obvious brain fog, but that may have been secondary to not eating enough or drinking enough water, which was hard to do with little appetite and overwhelming sluggishness.

It doesn't seem like insomnia, or "difficulty sleeping through the night" is recognized as a hypothyroid symptom by many mainstream doctors, and they will blame the "brain fog" on not sleeping well. When I was found not to have Sleep Apnea, I was told I would sleep better if I just lost weight.

Losing weight is immediately recognized as a symptom of hyperthyroidism, but gaining weight is thought to be simply due to overeating.

Even though high Blood Pressure and pulse can be due to other things besides hyperthyroidism, I generally use the BP and HR readings to indicate I have not overdosed on my L-T3 between labs, considering those numbers to be more accurate indications of my current status than lab work done several weeks ago.

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