[Bobbi]

#1170036

Hi, Supermom:

There could be any number of things going on. Some possibilities:

1) The medication has obviously "worked" to interfere with production of thyroid hormone (dissipation of hand tremors and calmer heart), and the sudden drop in hormones is causing temporary symptoms of hormone change. Think of puberty, pregnancy or (if you are old enough) menopause. At all those times the simple change in hormone levels causes moodiness, crankiness, etc.

2) The dose of medication you are on could be enough to make you hypo, and need to be adjusted. There’s fine-tuning that needs to go on to get us on the "Goldilocks" dose: the dose that allows just enough thyroid hormone to be made to make us normal again.

3) Rarely, some folks get side effects from the drug even though it might be working properly. That can be harder to figure out, especially since other causes (like the ones above) have to be ruled out. I spent a month or more on PTU, and was "normal" but always felt awful, so I opted to have my thyroid remove. People here online warned me that I was wrong, it wasn’t a reaction to the drug, I would feel awful without my thyroid, etc. etc. They were wrong, thank goodness. So, for what it is worth, I pass that along to you. But, again, it isn’t the norm for people to respond badly to the drugs.

One thing to keep firmly in mind, though, supermom, is that there is no pill that makes us feel instantly well again. We spent time hyperthyroid, and that did ….for want of a better word…."damage" to the body. It takes time (months of time) at normal levels of hormone for our bodies to heal. It can be very frustrating. And, at a time when our hormones are making us anxious and impatient, we need to pull on all our resources to be patient — at least a little bit, if possible.

[supermom]

#1170037

I go back for my first blood work since taking the medications so I guess I will find out more then.

I’m gathering that the findings of the blood work are all different..but is it usually typical to start off on 30 mg of Methimazole a day until they find the right dosage?

[MaryI]

#1170038

Hi, Newly diagnosed- I was on 30 mg of MI. I went hypo really quick, was sensitive. It took a good 12 months before we figured it out. In June, I was ready to have it ripped out of my throat.But I am glad that I waited. My Endo said that I would change my mind many times before he would talk about it again . When I told him what I decided, he smiled and said that he would have made the same decision. I am staying with the ATD, and continue to walk at least an hour a day, do Pilates once a week, do at least 2 spin or cardio a week or more. I have not lost an ounce but am stronger for sure. Right now I am on 7.5 mg of MI. and am positive about my condition.

[supermom]

#1170039

HI Mary,

This is not good news for me. Currently and for the last 2 years I have not been exercising at all! (except for laundry, vacuuming, dishes, chasing a little boy around, on my feet all day at work)

I used to walk my dog daily for years. Now (poor doggy) he and I are both neglected.

I have a one year old so once I was along in pregnancy I didn’t take him for walks and now that my son is here, my life is basically getting caught up on work. I don’t feel like I have any time for anything else other than laundry, cleaning, food prep and feeding. I have work that is demanding so it’s hard to find any time for being active.

I thought I was just one of those people that could get by doing what I was doing (running around chasing my 1 year old) ” title=”Smile” />
There are lots of moms that are slim and don’t work out so I thought I was one of those. Now I’m disappointed to find out that I have this Grave’s disease. I’m truly bummed out. Before I was able to balance work and exercising. Now I don’t feel like I have time for anything else.

[Bobbi]

#1170040

Hi, supermom:

Don’t get bummed out too soon. We DO get well again. You are new in the process, and it just takes time. Meanwhile, my suggestion is to prioritize like mad. Do the absolutely necessary stuff — like taking care of the 1 year old. But also put some of your own needs in that list, near the top. Do you feel better when you take a short walk in the sun with dog and child? Then DO IT. If not, let it go for the moment. You will be able to get back to it once your body has healed.

[supermom]

#1170041

Thanks bobbi!

[supermom]

#1170042

Well I go into the dr. this week to see how everything is coming along.

[Bobbi]

#1170043

Good luck.

[supermom]

#1170044

Ok so I didn’t find anything out AT ALL!!!

I would prefer to do blood work and THEN have an appointment so it could be a personal discussion about what the next step is. Today my appointment (which is a specialist FEE on my insurance) took approx 10 min.
Pulse, bp…look at hands for tremors. Asked questions about how I’ve been feeling. Then she said that they would know how to adjust the medication after the blood work comes in next week. Oh gee. THANKS!

I did get a copy of my last results. These are pre-medication. The day I was diagnosed:
Free T4 4.30 reference interval .82-1.77
TSH .007 (ref. int) .450-4.500
T3 351 (ref. int) 71-180

I do not understand the reference intervals and why they are important in understanding what is going on. So I should find out more next week over the phone, which I probably won’t be able to answer because I have a job. ” title=”Smile” />

So anyway that’s that.

[Kimberly]

#1170045

Hello – As you said, it’s helpful to get labs done in advance, so you can spend your appointment discussing the results. Can you push your doctor’s office on this?

The reference ranges are definitely important. HypERthyroidism is generally associated with TSH that is below normal and T3/T4 that are above normal. As you begin the treatment process, you will want to look for all of those levels to start moving towards the "normal" range. (Although TSH is generally the last to stabilize).

Take care!

[snelsen]

#1170046

You are right. It is ridiculous to have an appt. without the lab results FIRST! I always do that. At each appointment, ask for the lab requisiton (or simply have them fax the request to the lab where you go, whatever works…) Then get your blood work a few days before your appointment.

Where I live, I can access all medical records, lab results, any other test results electronically. But if you can’t do this, be sure to do this. At each appointment, do what i said above. Then, when you have your appointment, you DO something to discuss.

And, while you are at it, request a Medical Release of Information for, and request that all tests, the dictated results of all visits, be sent to you. Then you can review what your doc wrote about your last visit. Sometimes, you will see errors. Other times, it is the way to have your own personal medical file of yourself. YOU have every right to do this.
Shirley

[supermom]

#1170047

Ok so I got a phone call today that only told me ONE thing.

Another reason why next time I’m going to try to get blood work done BEFORE I visit the doctor. Which I still don’t understand why they don’t do it this way….

The message gave no levels only one piece of information:
My levels are more normal so I’m dropping from 30 mg of methimazole to 10 mg. So one pill a day.

I guess I have to call, leave a message, then have them call and leave me a message to get my results.

Anyway, I assume this is good information??

[Kimberly]

#1170048

Hello – "More Normal" certainly sounds like a positive! However, it’s still helpful if you can get hard copies of your labs and see for yourself where you fall according to the "normal" range. Your doctor’s office should be willing to make a copy for you — the labs are only 2-3 pages max.

Take care!

[supermom]

#1170049

More questions:

I have had my 2 month appointment since November before going on medication my levels were:
T4 4.30 range (.82-1.77)
TSH .007 range (.450-4.50)
T3 351 range (71-180)

Just recently labs were as follows:
T4 1.0 range (0.8-1.
TSH 8.07 range (.40-4.50)
T3 64 range (76-181)

So after a couple of months of 10 mg of methimazole a day my phone call today was telling me my T3 was “LOW” and I should drop to .5 mg a day

Does ANYONE have ANY idea what these numbers mean? Should I be feeling different/better? Does it matter what levels are and how I’m feeling or is does it not correlate at all? Does this effect my weight at all? Emotions? Any help on explaining these numbers to me would be greatly appreciated.

[AEBD1]

#1170050

Hey supermom!

T3 affects metabolism and serotonin levels.

For me, when I had too much methamo, I didn’t experience side effects, because my doctor would take me down to a lower dose. I only felt it when I was off methamo and needed to get back on.

I’m not a huge expert, but can offer my sympathy and the little I do know.

You shouldn’t feel too differently, especially now that you’re changing the med dose.

It’s such a fluctuating things, so just act quickly on suggestions doctors make after blood-work as per usual

Ang

[Author]

Posts