Hi,

I was diagnosed with graves last year and took PTU for about 4 months which I stopped taking in September 2011 because I felt very ill and much worse than when I was hyper.

My February blood results are:

TSH 0.09mu/L (0.0 - 5.0)
Serum free T4 level 16.2 pmol/L (9.0 - 28.0)
Serum free T3 level 3.9 pmol/L (0.0 - 7.7)

I last had blood tests in December when my TSH was 0.01, T4 13.4 and T3 4.0 and I felt really awful.

These last few weeks I do feel slightly better and my hair loss seems to be slowing down and my nails look better.

What does everyone think about these results?

After feeling so ill for about 3 years and being fobbed off by Doctors who told me I was perimenopausal I am hoping I am on the road to recovery or is this just wishful thinking?

Pippa x

hello Pippa .. for starters you feeling well is the main thing .. i am not so up on the graves illness but I hope soon someone will post and give you their views on your results .. i can see some improvement but with graves it can flare up so take care and lets hope things resolve soon

love anita H

I had Graves and was on PTU's which I got on with better than carmbimozole. I didn't ask about my results as I knew nothing back then so i don't know how i compare with you. I went over active again and had the RAI which is another story.

Hopefully someone else will be along soon to help you more.

Rosemary
x

Hello Pippa - I know nothing about graves but looking at your blood results they look a bit odd.

Your TSH is almost suppressed - mine is kept suppressed due to thyroid cancer but in order to do this I have to take a slightly higher dose of levo... so i'm slightly hyper.

having said that your T4 is on the low side... which doesnt make sense. As your TSH is so supressed I would have expected to see your T4 towards the higher end of the range... mine is at the top or slightly over range.

Your T3 hasn't changed a much and is mid range... this could be a tad higher too.

So, with my very limited knowledge all I can do is ask a couple of questions... why do you have hyper-type TSH when you have hypo-type T4... fingers crossed someone will come along later that knows far more than me.

How do you feel? Do you feel better than you have before? Are you taking any medication at all these days?

Sorry - i'm not a lot of help but welcome to the forum!

Brass

Hi Pippa, your Graves receptors will cause your TSH to stay supressed, so TSH results are not accurate.

Your Free T's look on the low side, indicating that you are hypothyroid.

You should be treated according to your Free T4 and Free T3.

Yorky xx

Hi Pippa, could you ask to be referred to an endo?

Maybe an endo would be more likely to help you. Gp's know a very limited amount about Graves.

I've found an article for you that you could print off and take to your gp, it is very deep, but, if you read the 3 paragraphs where it begins GRAVES HYPERTHYROIDISM IS... You'll get the jist and hopefully so will your gp. Also right at the bottom below the graph tables.

Here's the link http://jcem.endojournals.org/content/88/9/4135.full

Yorky xx

Good luck pippa Yorky knows her stuff so hopefully her hellp will lead you to answers to give to your doctor xx

take care love anita xx

Pippa xx what a rediculous statement no wonder we cant get proper counciling for more urgent cases if doctors are offering this option for not feeling well .. what the heck does he think is job his ????

no wonder we turn to priveae doctors i..... it is all to frustrating to comprehend.

take care anita xx

hi Pippa xx I am sorry I have just read your last post .. I would most certainly go to the Gp and tell him directly your mood is low because you know that things are not right in your thyroid status and he and anyone else will not convince you otherwise .. That you and only you know your body and that you would prefare a second opinion ..

And also do stress that you understand him thinking you are depressed has he cant explain your low mood BUT maybe an endo can and thats the route you wish to take first.. and antidepressants are not even an option for you ..

Iam sorry i missed the last post Pippa xx Do take care and please let us know how you are xxxxx love anita xxxx

Pippa

I've got another idea, and that is that you emphasise the symptoms which are typically hypothyroid but also completely physical and can't be put down to being depressed, perimenopausal or female or any other thing doctors prefer to diagnose in order to avoid giving patients [more] levothyroxine.

Do you suffer from anything like:

feeling cold
dry skin
cracked heels
hair loss
constipation

if so, maybe it'd be worth trying focussing on those? I don't know if it's a good idea, but it was all I could think of to add to what others have said. Good luck!!!!

koala xxx