[ewmb]

#1068436

Sounds like hyperthyroidism to me but that can be caused by other things than Graves. Have you had a thyroid scan or uptake test? Have you had an antibody test (blood work) done? The results of those tests can help make a diagnosis of Graves.

ewmb

[debrahaller]

#1068437

Thank you for the answer my uptake test is next wednesday and thursday can I work the endo that i have did not spend but 6 minutes with me but he already told me iodine is next and my thing is i am in menopause and i am 51. Life just keeps getting better. Ya know i am sure everyone on this site feels this way but i just do not have time for this right now.
Thanks again deb

[Ski]

#1068438

You do need the results of an uptake/scan at least to get a confirmed Graves’ diagnosis ~ one more thing, the doctor does not appear to have let you in on the fact that you have THREE treatment options, in the event it IS Graves’. By the way, once you’re hyperthyroid, the vast majority of patients turn out to have Graves’, but it is true that there are other reasons to be hyperthyroid, so don’t necessarily make that leap yet.

Still, YOU are the one who gets to choose what treatment you’d like to have for Graves’. There is RAI (sounds like that’s where the doctor is pointing you), ATDs (anti-thyroid drugs), and thyroidectomy (surgical removal of the thyroid). While it’s very common for the doctor to say to themselves "RAI is easier," and then tell you "RAI is what we’ll be doing," it is not fair to you to make that decision without fully informing you of your choices. Please do some research in the interim and try to make your OWN decision.

[Ski]

#1068439

One more thing ~ YES, you can work while you’re undergoing the uptake/scan. They use a very small amount of a non-damaging isotope, you won’t feel any different and you won’t be "dangerous" to anyone else.

[debrahaller]

#1068440

Ski, Thank you very much for getting back to me. I joined this group as soon as i talked to this endo,and i went and bought two books on the thyroid. If you go on meds for graves is that when you have the chance of getting very ill from stress or sickness. I guess what I am asking is in your opinion the best treatment burn it out?
Thanks Deb

[debrahaller]

#1068441

Ski, You asked me if I had bloodwork done the only bloodwork i had was the tests results i gave you.
thanks deb

[Ski]

#1068442

In the end, the only answer I can give about the choices of treatment is that you need to look carefully at all of the options and decide for yourself which treatment is best. Each treatment can lead you back to health, but I find that informed patients who have made a decision within themselves about the treatment have far better outcomes. Perhaps it’s just the empowerment that comes with having decided ourselves, or perhaps it’s the comfort level we have with our treatment choice, or perhaps it’s because we know EXACTLY what to expect and what to look for. In any event, it’s always best to make the choice yourself. Don’t let anyone else decide for you. Learn about all three and decide for yourself. You can use ATDs to bring your thyroid hormone levels down and enable you to make a choice, since ATDs are the only choice that can be "undone," and also, bringing your thyroid hormone levels down will help you think more clearly.

It’s true that if you use ATDs, you have a slight chance of escalating symptoms when you become ill from other sources, and also if your stress levels rise. Still, many people have successful remission periods with no symptoms whatsoever, even during those periods of time, and they also learn how to be more "gentle" on their bodies in general to avoid symptoms, so you shouldn’t let the possibility of symptoms dictate your choice of treatment.

[runlacie]

#1068443

Hi Deb! Your lab results do seem to be pointing to Graves’. The uptake will tell you more. Your labs are almost exactly what mine were when I was diagnosed. Keep reading and researching and make your own informed decision on treatment. It’s a very personal choice. Best wishes, let us know how it goes, okay?

[debrahaller]

#1019007

I am new to this board I have asked a couple of questios and I did not see the answers that might be me do not know.. but my question is TSH 0.005 ,T4 3.1,T3 11.0 is this graves?
thanks deb

[debrahaller]

#1068444

Hi Thankyou for commenting,I read a couple of your posts you had the rai ,how are you doing are you back on the running trail? You said my numbers were close to yours and you do haves graves correct? Well it is true the decision does have to be mine i have been doing alot of reading and talking ,i guess there is alot more of that to come. I do know one thing having you guys to talk to is great and i am certain that we all are going to be just fine…
Deb

[runlacie]

#1068445

Hi Deb- Yes, my numbers on diagnosis were very close to yours and I do have Graves’. My T4 was 3.44, T3 was 11.2 and TSH less than 0.005. I did have an uptake and scan right about the same time as the bloodwork and it was high, so they figured it was Graves’ but then on my scan it looked like one side of my thyroid was longer than the other, so they sent me for an ultrasound to rule out any nodules. Turns out one side IS just a little longer. I also had the antibodies blood work come back positive for Graves’. I had rai on July 20 and was able to jog a slow mile by about 3 weeks after. I ran 5 yesterday and could still see my heart rate was higher than I liked, but today— 5 weeks and 4 days post rai, my HR looks just about right.

Keep your positive attitude… you said "I am certain we are all going to be just fine" and you’re RIGHT!!! The one thing I have found this disease requires is patience, and that was a toughie for me! I remember telling my family doctor about my fast heartbeat and telling him he needed to fix me NOW!!! I was like – NOOOO, you don’t UNDERSTAND, I can’t WAIT… you have to make me better RIGHT AWAY! Then later, after the Graves’ diagnosis, I found out about my 3 lovely treatment options and I honestly chose RAI because I thought that would be the fastest way back. Now, I’m not so sure if I couldn’t have gotten "normal" faster with ATD’s, but if this works (and so far, so good) I’ll be cool with my choice.

Keep us posted, K? ” title=”Smile” />

[debrahaller]

#1068446

I pulled up my post from o9….and here I am again.The labs are t-3 and t-4 are normal but tsh is 0.224.Is it coming back?

[Kimberly]

#1068447

Hello – We are fellow patients here, not docs, so we really can’t speculate as to what is going on or what might happen in the future.

That is good, though, that your docs caught that your TSH is low…with continued monitoring, you will be able to catch things early if you are headed for a relapse of hyperthyroidism.

A symptom log would be helpful at this point as well. Some doctors will actually treat subclinical hyperthyroidism (below normal TSH with normal T3/T4) if the patient is having symptoms that affect quality of life.

Wishing you all the best and hoping this is just a temporary glitch!

[Author]

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