[Anonymous]

#1076485

The TSH comes from the pituitary gland, which acts as a kind of thermostat for thyroid hormone levels. If the pituitary thinks that there is too much thyroid hormone in the blood, it will LOWER it’s TSH production to try to stop thyroid cells from putting out hormone. If it does not sense enough thyroid hormone, it will raise the TSH output to try to stimulate thyroid hormone production.

The thyroid does make approximately 20% of the T3 that the body uses; the rest is created by the conversion of T4 into T3 in other body organs.

Doctors will use the TSH levels to decide if the med is working at that dosage or not. It is a excellant idea though to also test the T4 and the T3. The TSH is the slowest to return to normal. Mine took close to a year before it was in the normal range.

Since we are not doctors here we can not interrupt your blood test results. Also different labs will use different normals.

It is a good idea to record all your results in one place. Also you should note how you were feeling at that time. If you have EXCELL on your computer you could chart it in a spreadsheet.

Diane B On-Line Facilitator

[Anonymous]

#1020245

Help! I just do not understand TSH, T3, FreeT4. I definitely feel better than I did in January when I was diagnosed with Graves and A-Fib, but I still don’t get it. I have my blood checked every 6 weeks and I am down to 5 mgs of Methimazole a day. The doctor told me I was going into hypo 6 weeks ago and today they called and said to stop taking the Methimazole and check blood work in 2 weeks. My numbers on bloodwork last week was FreeT4 .7, TSH 3.25, T3 3.07 and T3Total 124. What I read out on the web is that my TSH should be between .5 and 2.0 if I am being treated for a thyroid condition, so 3.25 would be high. In the last couple of weeks I have become so tired I can hardly stay awake. If I am physically active all day, it wipes me out for a couple of days. I’m on Toprol for the A-fib, which is not a problem now. but it was a very frightening experience. I’m scheduled for RAI in January. My right eye has gotten very blurry in the last couple of weeks and I am seeing an eye doctor next week that deals with Graves patients. I feel like such a cry baby sometimes. Thank you all for listening. It is so great to share with people that can relate.

If there is a easy way to remember how to understand the #’s for TSH, T3 and T4 I would appreciate the help. I don’t want to dwell on it, but I do want to keep informed. I have the #’s written down in many different places and I know I need to keep track in a journal or notebook so that I will be able to know what feels “normal” to me after RAI.

[Anonymous]

#1076486

Please do not take at face value what you read on the web about lab values. It is, likely as not, to be an amateur’s opinion, rather than a well-documented medical position.

For example, the issue of what the “normal” range for TSH (or any other lab report) should be is determined by the labs, and it can be found on the report that is sent to your doctor. (It is usually possible to get the doctor’s office to give you a copy of that report.)

I have heard debate in the past year or so about changing the normal range for thyroid. I think the reasoning was that since a large percentage of people tend to go hypo as they age, that the hypo end of the lab values might be skewed a bit too high (remember from Diane’s comments, when our thyroid levels get too low, the pituitary sends out more TSH — thyroid stimulating hormone — to get the thyroid cells to produce more hormone). But nowhere have I heard of 3.0 being the edge of hypo. Nowhere reliable anyway. (But, alas, an amateur’s opinion!)

I’m glad you are feeling better,
Bobbi — NGDF Online Facilitator

[Anonymous]

#1076487

Hi Mammaw-

First I just want to tell you that you are NOT a cry baby. It is very frustrating to not be able to do the things you once did, as I am finding out myself during this holiday season. I too get very tired if I over exert myself on a “good day” and then I want to sleep for 3 days after. We just need to learn to slow down a bit, I have found that if I give myself one thing a day that I would like to have done and not go overboard on the days when I feel good that i have more “good days” over all. Also I wanted to tell you something I learned from someone else on this board. She had said to write down how she is feeling the day of the blood work that way you can tell your doctor what levels make YOU feel the best. Because from what I understand we are all different and what may feel good or “normal” to you may not feel good to me. Also when I get my blood drawn I tell the hospital that I would also like a copy of the lab results and then about 2 days later I pick them up and I keep them all together with my Graves Disease In Our Own Words book which by the way is a very good and informative book , I found mine on amizon.com. I hope this has helped you some. I just wanted to let you know that I understand what you are going through I too am in the midst of all of this. I hope you are feeling better soon.

[Anonymous]

#1076488

Diane,

I will start that spreadsheet before I get my next blood work and find all my old notes and #’s to insert. I know it will be important to keep a very close track once I have the RAI. My endo said I will then get my bloodwork done every 2 weeks. I know this is the best way to track since it is what I basically do in my job 75% of the time. I just hate to do it at home also – you know – a chef doesn’t usually want to cook at home!

Thanks

[Anonymous]

#1076489

Standingfirm:

I hope you are doing better soon – especially during these holidays. When I was in the middle (it’s been 11 months) I had a hard time seeing the “end”, or the “normal” as others on the web call it. But, hang in there. You will gradually feel better and it will make it at least seem a little easier to think about getting to “normal”. I will go out and look for the book also. I love to read, but I don’t read as much as I use to. Even in large print, it seems to hurt my eyes more. I will keep you, and all the others, in my prayers.

[Author]

Posts