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...
YAY! My endo got me in today after feeling like s*&% for the last week. A recap: here are my latest labs:
Okay, labs from December 17, 2009:
Free T3, 503 range 230-420
Free T4, 1.3 range 0.8-1.8
Took 37.5 mg of PTU daily in divided doses of 12.5 mg at 9 am daily and 25 mg at 6 pm daily. Felt the best I'd felt since this journey began.
Labs yesterday January 12, 2010:
Free T3, 438 range 230-420
Free T4, 1.1 range 0.8-1.8
No changes in meds yet. However, have been taking beta blocker, propranolol 5mg once daily for the last week (due to heart palpitations and racing heartrate).
Lately, I haven't felt good at all... so finally my endo took me in today. I asked him about Block and Replace as a few others had mentioned the possibility and he doesn't think I'm a good candidate cuz he thinks I am actually heading towards remission already!!! He said he thinks I may achieve remission by August (this would be my one year mark).
So.... in regards to my symptoms lately... being tired, emotional, heart palps, racing heartrate, and so on... he lowered my PTU to 25 MG daily and switched me from the propranolol 5 mg daily to atenolol 12.5 mg daily. He said he think that the propranolol is what's making me so darn tired all time and the other symptoms are from my T3 being elevated. I told him I felt great in December when my T3 was higher and he said that possibly because my T4 dropped alittle that now I am feeling the effects of the T3. He believes my body is adjusting and that I'm headed towards remission! :) That was GREAT news to my ears.
My question now... should I take the PTU in divided doses again? (twice daily)... he said once a day would be fine cuz its such a low dose. any suggestions there? as for the atenolol, he said to take it at bedtime. he said it would lower my heartrate but not my blood pressure so much as the propranolol does. I will lab again in 4 to 6 weeks, depending how i feel :)
**I want to thank everyone on this support forum for all your recommendations and support. Without you, there is no way that I'd be where I am today. I took what information was passed to me from each one of you and I tried everything there was to try to get my levels into place. I changed my diet without hesitation... if someone said no dairy, I eliminated it, if someone said no processed foods, I eliminated it... and so on. I figured I had nothing to lose and I didn't want to ever have another storm so I was willing to try and do anything that worked for anyone else. So, I just want to say Thank you sincerely from my heart for all your support. I thank God for finding this forum and putting each of you in my life. :)
Okay, labs from December 17, 2009:
Free T3, 503 range 230-420
Free T4, 1.3 range 0.8-1.8
Took 37.5 mg of PTU daily in divided doses of 12.5 mg at 9 am daily and 25 mg at 6 pm daily. Felt the best I'd felt since this journey began.
Labs yesterday January 12, 2010:
Free T3, 438 range 230-420
Free T4, 1.1 range 0.8-1.8
No changes in meds yet. However, have been taking beta blocker, propranolol 5mg once daily for the last week (due to heart palpitations and racing heartrate).
Lately, I haven't felt good at all... so finally my endo took me in today. I asked him about Block and Replace as a few others had mentioned the possibility and he doesn't think I'm a good candidate cuz he thinks I am actually heading towards remission already!!! He said he thinks I may achieve remission by August (this would be my one year mark).
So.... in regards to my symptoms lately... being tired, emotional, heart palps, racing heartrate, and so on... he lowered my PTU to 25 MG daily and switched me from the propranolol 5 mg daily to atenolol 12.5 mg daily. He said he think that the propranolol is what's making me so darn tired all time and the other symptoms are from my T3 being elevated. I told him I felt great in December when my T3 was higher and he said that possibly because my T4 dropped alittle that now I am feeling the effects of the T3. He believes my body is adjusting and that I'm headed towards remission! :) That was GREAT news to my ears.
My question now... should I take the PTU in divided doses again? (twice daily)... he said once a day would be fine cuz its such a low dose. any suggestions there? as for the atenolol, he said to take it at bedtime. he said it would lower my heartrate but not my blood pressure so much as the propranolol does. I will lab again in 4 to 6 weeks, depending how i feel :)
**I want to thank everyone on this support forum for all your recommendations and support. Without you, there is no way that I'd be where I am today. I took what information was passed to me from each one of you and I tried everything there was to try to get my levels into place. I changed my diet without hesitation... if someone said no dairy, I eliminated it, if someone said no processed foods, I eliminated it... and so on. I figured I had nothing to lose and I didn't want to ever have another storm so I was willing to try and do anything that worked for anyone else. So, I just want to say Thank you sincerely from my heart for all your support. I thank God for finding this forum and putting each of you in my life. :)
Hmmm...I'm not sure I agree with your doctor about heading into remission and be off of the ATD by August on your first anniversary. It can take, on the average, two to four years for this to happen. I would want to know what the TSI is doing first before making any decisions. Also I hope your doctor realize that they are many successful Gravesians out there on ATD for many, many years. I'm going into seven years this coming May on the low dosed MMI to keep my antibodies stabilized.
{{{hugs}}} :-)
{{{hugs}}}
Then again, your lower FT4 could be the reason for your fatigue.
Since your endo is lowering your PTU dose, I bet you he's thinking along those lines, too and might be doing the "ego-preservation" thing some endos are famous for :)
I started my methimazole and propranolol at the same time - now, I did have some very temporary side effects from the beta-blocker when I first started - lightheadedness, dizziness.
I'm not so sure you'd have trouble doing both changes at the same time.
Lowering your PTU could bring on transient hyPER symptoms but the new beta-blocker should take care of them - especially since it's a higher dose.
Definitely, definitely, definitely divide your PTU dose.
And, I agree with mm - arbitrary timeframes concerning remission are not wise.
Slowly weaning off your meds while maintaining your "best place FT4" is the right way to do it.
You just might find that the 25mg PTU dose "holds you" for a very long time.....this is what is called a maintenance dose.
Some peeps stay on their maintenance dose for a few months, some for many months, some for years.
If you start to go hyPO on 12.5 mg PTU taken every other day, then that is an indication of remission.
Some peeps do go into remission after 12-18 months......more commonly, it's 2-4 years.
Let your body tell you when you're in remission - it's not a good idea to use an arbitrary timeframe since that opens up the opportunity for relapse.
I took ATD's for 27 months and went hyPO om 1.25mg meth - severely hyPO - that was a sign of remission - I've been off meds for 3 months now, my FT4 & FT3 are holding steady at mid-range.....I'm in remission!
Glad everything is falling into place for you :)
She and mm have much more experience with this - I was obviously going by my experiences.
This is what makes forums great to me - it's the collective advice I find best.
Elaine did not address your BP issue - what did your endo say about it? I certainly wouldn't want to see you fainting from too-low BP.
And, while Elaine acknowledged that BRT could work for you, your current plan of action might also.
I think it all boils down to whether or not your BP can tolerate the beta-blocker.....and, of course, whether or not you can stabilize on a dose of PTU.
Still, best of luck to you moving forward :)
Best of luck as you move forward!
{{{hugs}}} :-)
In light of the news of your grandma's passing, I have a suggestion.
Rather than lower your PTU this week, how about switching over to the atenolol?
Since you've been having the cardiac issues and now the added stress of your grandmother's passing, this might be more appropriate right now.
Plus, maintaining your current PTU dose might provide some "insurance" against your concerns that the stress right now could cause an increase in your levels.
Just thinking out loud....well, actually, I've been thinking about you and your situation and this was what I was thinking :)
(((hugs)))