[lauren]

#1067021

whoops so sorry accidentally pushed enter without putting in all the blood test results….!!

so where was I

okay start again………once again Ranges here are FT4 ( 10-20) tsh (0.3- 4.0) and ft3 (3.0 to 6.0)

ft4 15 tsh 0.58 ft3 4.6
ft4 15 tsh 0.88 ft3 4.6
ft4 16 tsh 1.10 ft3 4.6
ft4 14 tsh 1.60 ft3 4.8
ft4 15 tsh 2.90 ft3 4.2
ft4 15 tsh 2.00 ft3 4.7
ft4 17 tsh 2.50 ft3 4.2

so as you can see ft4 is looking pretty good but tsh and ft3 moves a bit, week to week doesnt it.
do you think my labs are stable with these results… the endo said yes but other thyroid friends are saying No way.

any advice would be great.
thanks ever so much

Lauren

[Bobbi]

#1067022

Of course it moves. Did someone tell you that it was supposed to be exactly the same, day in and day out? I honestly have never been told that. Our bodies use thyroid hormone to run the cells in the body. I cannot imagine any situation in which, week in, week out, my thyroid numbers would be exactly the same because some days are more hectic than others; some days are more stressful than others; some days involve lots of exercise, while others do not. There are constant variations from one day to the next, one week to the next. Keeping thyroid levels within the normal range is what is important.

The TSH is a "running average" of your actual thyroid levels. So, if your actual thyroid levels vary slightly from day to day, your TSH will fluctuate a bit, to show that. But when you get a blood test, you are looking at a single moment in time with your actual thyroid levels. Imagine that you were trying to describe your life using photography. The blood test is a snap shot. A single moment in your life. The TSH, being a running average of thyroid levels, is more like a "movie." It shows what has happened over time.

As to why you are not feeling as well as you would like: It takes months at normal hormone levels for our bodies to heal. The longer we were hyperthyroid, the longer it can take to heal. My former GP told me that in her experience the average healing time was nine months at normal hormone levels. Average. Being hypothyroid is also an aberrant hormone condition, and it, too, takes its toll on the body. So since you were hypo for some months, those were not "healing" months.

I hope this information helps.

[lauren]

#1018777

hello everyone,

well its been awhile since I lasted posted. Am still suffering from intermittant severe fatigue and breathlessness, anxiety disorders and depression.

Has RAI fro Graves Disease back in Jan 2009 and after many months of being very HYPO I have has blood tests in normal range for five months. However in that time all three of my numbers have moved up and down each week ( i have weekly blood tests). I have been on the same medication now since 3/8/09 which is 132 mcg Thyroxine daily.
I have my blood tests as close to the same day and time of day each week. I dont take them near any food or supplements.
So just wanted your take on why my tsh is moving around each week and whether its a concern.Also whether having an unstable TSH can affect you moods, feelings and physical symptoms even if the FT4 and FT3 are okay.
My endo says theres nothing I can do as he cant change my dose as my levels are in normal range and he says I just have to live with my symptoms.

here are the blood test results from the last seven weeks:
ranges are ft4 ( 10-20 ) tsh ( 0.3 – 4.0 ) ft3 ( 3.0 – 6.0)

ft4 15 tsh 0.58 ft3 4.6
ft4 15 tsh 0.88 ft3
A friend of mine here in NZ who had Graves then a Thyrodiectomy thinks maybe i should try Synthroid rather than the generic brand of Thyroxine im on now. So i asked my regular GP and hes reluctantly agreed.
If anyone can shed some light on this that would be great and very much appreciated.
I know Im better in some ways but I feel nno way even near normal and cant live a life forever in this way. I just keep hoping that over time my body will recover from the torment its been through for what I beleive was having Graves for over 20 years.
anyway, would love to hear from someone as soon as poss.
all the very best

Lauren in New Zealand

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