[mamabear]

#1071234

Thank you SKI. I have to laugh. I have a "bedtime routine" and morning as well. I threw those papers out in the trash a while ago because I was in a "bad mood". I would have to say that not getting enough sleep for the last oh lets see…… 6 years might have taken a toll on my sleeping patterns. 4 kids total…3 of which are young. 2nd and 3rd are 18months apart and 3rd and 4th are 23 months apart LOL…what was i thinking!!!!! I know something is wrong when I can’t laugh at my kids and their antics. I am one for living in the moment. Kiss them while you can and let them sleep in the middle while it lasts because soon enough it wont be like that. They grow so fast too quickly and I don’t take that for granted. When I am feeling that I can’t wait for them to be grown, I know something is wrong. Regardless of what it is, for sure something is wrong.

Dr. said she was pleased that I know that there is a problem and am really trying to not get sucked into it.

[ely2009]

#1071235

I know exactly how you feel – it’s been my GREATEST challenge with GD. My days have always been filled with children – my 2 and I’ve also helped raise my two nieces. Being a mom has been my greatest and most anticipated joy in life. It’s very frustrating now to dread when my oldest gets off the bus because I just don’t have the energy for him. I’ve tried really hard to focus on what I am doing for/with them and not what I used to or think I should. I have to believe that it won’t be this way for long. Give your kids kisses and tell them you love them to the moon and back.

Good luck with your appt.

Emily

[npatterson]

#1071236

Well, I guess you got some answers, but there are more. The endocrinologist will do some more detailed testing. Do you have (or can you get) the lab work reports that were being done 22 months ago? Those will be important, I think.

Cathy did shed some important light on things…at least what we have can be treated–even if we fuss and complain all the way down the treatment highway!

Your doctor shed some more important light on things…you (we) have to take care of ourselves. There is a great deal of shared responsibility in all of this. Doctors cannot do for us the things that we must do for ourselves, and that works in both directions.

You have been a great poster and supporter. Please stay with us and let us support you!

[mamabear]

#1071237

I didn’t realize i didn’t put all of my tests down here.Not sure how I missed it but oh well here it is.. They did do a Free T3.

TSH 3rd generation, 1.0 (Range .4-4.5)
T4, free 1.2(Range .8-1.
T4 (thyroxine), Total 7.3 (Range 4.5-12.5)

T3, total 89 (Range 97-219)
T3, free 275 (Range 230-420)

Free t3 was at bottom I didnt even see it.

Thank you for the replies, I do appreciate them I really do. I was in bed staring at the wall again last night, i did finally get to sleep but kept waking up. DH watched kids this morning since they are early birds(the girls are) and I was able to sleep a little then as well. I feel tired but I do feel a bit better today. Going to get more stuff done today

[mamabear]

#1071238

Oh I forgot to say…
Nancy yes I do have my lab results. I have kept an excel spreadsheet of all my labs for any thyroid and my bilirubin (that likes to be a bit high) since 1992. So I dont need any dr’s reports at all to see another dr. asap. I can tell them what I’ve been doing plus I have all the results so that should be just fine. I love it when I walk into a dr’s office and they see my sheet. They are always so greatful.

[mamabear]

#1071239

I called the office to get the Dr. who owns the practice to call me back about the situation that happened on Tuesday since my dr. didn’t call me back. I got a different receptionist on the phone and she didn’t know what was going on and was concerned so she told me to tell her what happened. I told her and she was mad and said that she would have the dr. call me back about the lab results. She had me send the labs again because for some reason they didn’t have them from last week. I sent them and within 15min’s the dr. called me back. I told her how I am feeling and why i went to my general dr. to begin with. She said that my T4 and TSH were fine and therefore there is nothing wrong with my thyroid. That is must be something else. I asked her if i might be going hypo and she said my labs "were perfect" and that doesn’t seem to be a problem and that T3 isn’t something that is looked at when T4 and TSH are fine. I said ok and we got off the phone.
I put a call in to my general dr. who is away till next week but the other dr. i see as well and they always talk about cases that they share. Which is great for me because the other dr. knows me and will call me back about this. I’ll see what they want to do now since this dr. said it can’t be my thyroid.
The endo said that even though my menstrual cycle seems off it is still within range for a normal person(the days and such). She said it must be lack of sleep and keep getting sleep.
I’m not sure what to think. I thought that T3 and symptoms would mean that symptoms should be treated. Maybe I’m just wrong and I should look elsewhere for what is wrong.

[Ski]

#1071240

T3 can be volatile, it reflects the "dynamic" thyroid hormone that is actually used by the cells, so it can rise and fall several times in the day, from what I understand. Still, if your labs read low consistently, it might be something to discuss. I’m a little bit surprised the endo would dismiss it out of hand. If you are having symptoms, then some investigation is in order. The answer "it’s not your thyroid" shouldn’t be enough.

[mamabear]

#1071241

THank you ski.

I have a question about some lab results. This endo said that last November my T3 serum was normal and since it was she isn’t concerned. I’m a little confused about T3 serum, total t3, and free t3..

Here are last years results just aug,nov 08′ and again this weeks.

08/01/08
TSH 1.087 (range 0.35-5.5)
T4 Direct 1.1(Range 0.61-1.76)
TSI 122% (range 0-129%)
Triiodothyronine,Free,Serum 2.7 (Range 2.3-4.2)

11/10/08
TSH 1.033(range 0.40-4.5)
T4 Direct 1.1(Range 0.61-1.76)
TSI 87% (range 0-129%)
Triiodothyronine,Free,Serum 2.9(Range 2.3-4.2)

5/11/09
TSH 1.000 (range 0.40-4.5)
T4Thyroxine 7.3 (range 4.5-12.5)
T4 Direct 1.2(Range 0.8.1. <—Different lab/different range
Triidothyronine Total T3 87(range 97-219) <—This Endo said this shouldn’t have even been taken since it doesn’t tell anything.
Triiodothyronine,Free,Serum 2.7 (Range 2.3-4.2)

Ok so what is TSI?
And what it Triidothyronine(is that t3 as well?) what is the difference between Total T3, Free T3 and T3 serum?

[Ski]

#1071242

TSI is an antibody test. Trii….. is indeed T3. Free T3 shows the amount of T3 that is available to your cells for use. Some doctors think of total T3 as irrelevant because some of it may be bound to other substances in the blood and so is NOT free for use. As far as commenting on the actual levels, even with the normal ranges given here, we cannot make any statements about what that means, for many reasons. That’s for you to discuss with your medical professional. It’s all much more relevant when taken into consideration against all of your OTHER test results, which, again, even if you post them here, we cannot make judgments. We’re not medical professionals, we’re patients. If you don’t have a doctor who will take some time to discuss your tests, results, and what it all means, you definitely need a new doctor.

And again, if you have symptoms that are causing you problems, whether or not they can be easily attributed to your thyroid, your doctor should continue looking for the reasons or at least look for something that can give you relief until the real reasons are discovered. That could be your general practitioner or your endo. If the endo is convinced it’s not your thyroid, it’s not likely you’ll get much help there, since that is your known endocrine condition. Once they rule it out as the cause for your symptoms (right or wrong), they typically send you back to your regular doctor to figure it out. You and your regular doctor need to agree that it is NOT okay to go day after day feeling awful, and something needs to be done to help you.

[mamabear]

#1071243

Again thank you for the great info!
I feel if my Dr. didn’t feel it was nessesary to see the Endo she wouldn’t have sent me to get a check up and show her my labs. My general dr.’s have known me for 8 years now (there are two general and two pediatricians who see my kids). They assured me that they WILL find out what is wrong and WILL treat me for what ever it is and treat me for the way I feel till we figure things out. Right now their concern is my sleeping.

Oh and I have to comment on what you said in a previous post. I didn’t realize that laying in bed even though I am not actually sleeping but just laying there resting, helps. My problem is that I have these thoughts of what am I going to do with the kids, laundry, errands and things like that but dr. said teaching my body to rest is imperative to kicking what ever it is that is ailing me. Soooooooo off I go at about 9ish at night to take dogs out and get to bed on time.

Thank you for the support.

[mamabear]

#1071244

I slept well again last night. Feeling better today although my bones ache. I can deal with the ache. I am up and trying to move. Had a little coffee with sugar in it so I’m hyper… DH reminded me last night that I am one to be very sensitive towards my symptoms and I have kicked Graves’ butt before so what is the difference now. Hyper or Hypo who cares! Just have to keep on swimming. Best way to fight it is to stay healthy. So General dr. is right, the more sleep I get the better I feel. Regardless of anything else going on, my sleep is important. Silly of me to forget these things but hey 4 kids and always up worrying about someone getting up or needing something does take a toll on ones body.

I don’t have kids this weekend. I have two sets of in laws. MIL#1 is taking oldest and MIL#2 is taking the other 3 , all today so tonight is free and so is tomorrow. I’m cleaning today so I can sleep in tomorrow.

It’s the little things everyday that have to make you get through it. Laugh at what you can and ignore the drama !

[ely2009]

#1071245

Mambear,

You "sound" better than you have been – hopefully that means you’re feeling better as well. It’s SO hard to get enough sleep, but I’m trying really hard to try to squeeze in extra sleep too. It does make a difference. My house has been a shambles lately – so not like me, but I’ve decided that when I’m feeling OK I’m not going to waste my energy cleaning. I hope that soon i won’t have to conserve so much energy but for now I do. Keep sleeping!

Emily

[mamabear]

#1071246

I am trying to sleep more. It does help. I will be telling dr. that it’s hard to stay asleep once I get to sleep so we’ll see about that.
I slept last night and didn’t get up at all. DH said baby got up and he took care of her. I woke up had a cup of coffee and didn’t feel well so didn’t eat. Felt so nauseous and dizzy and had to lay down before I fell down. I went down the stairs to eat something and I wanted to vomit so badly and decided that I’d have some cereal instead of something heavy. I feel a little better. I’ll be talking to dr. this week about my symptoms and see what she says.

Hot flashes.
The feeling of a racing pulse when I don’t actually have one. <—-this i find rather weird!
Feeling of wanting to vomit but can’t. <—No I am not pregnant lol
Dizzy.
Lower back aches more so than usual.
Joints and muscles ache.
Wrist is more tender(dr. knows).
Tired .
Tired a few hours after a good nights sleep.
Ovulation and menses seem off. Ovulation I know for sure is happening different times (i get that stupid pain), but the endo was like that could be anything.
Acne.
Lazy not wanting to do anything.
I don’t feel as bad about things anymore though which is nice. I am laughing more and not just staring absentmindedly into space.
Don’t really care to eat but I do because I have to.
To very cold all the time(i have always been this way but it’s more so than usual.). It could be that I dont have good enough circulation though.

My eyes and head are killing me but I think that is my allergies. Going to have to take zyrtec in the mornings and not at night.

I hope i didn’t forget anything this time.

I did forget this one that I have to add and tell my dr… ” title=”Sad” />
I went on the motorcycle this past weekend, haven’t been on one in a few years due to kids. I put helmet on and it was a little tight. No big deal, it usually stretches once it’s on your head. My problem was that when I put the strap on it felt tight so I adjusted it and it was still a little tight. It just didn’t seem right under my chin. DH said I told you it looked like your throat was bigger. I am not amused at all about this but I just dont see any swelling and not sure what he is talking about. I thought the thyroid gland was small and if it was getting big it wouldn’t be where you would have a double chin, but lower right?

[catsmum]

#1071247

Hi,

Sorry you still aren’t feeling too good.
Reading through your symptoms reminded me of exactly how my daughter was when she was first diagnosed. She had all of these, infact it was the nausea & vomiting that caused us to take her to the doctors in the first place. Make sure you write the list down & take it with you to your next appointment, often it is very hard to remember everything once you are there.
Try to keep up the good sleep (I know – easier said than done with a housefull of kids )
Take care,
Wx

[ely2009]

#1071248

Boy I remember those symptoms well – still having some, but not near as many and not all of the time. It’s funny that you mentioned that you are not pregnant. Before I was diagnosed, when I would tell someone about my symptoms, they would always say "maybe you are pregnant." I KNEW FOR SURE that I wasn’t, but it did remind me of pregnancy because everything wsa a little weird – esp. stomach stuff.

keep sleeping and eating – I also know what you mean about eating because you know you have to. I still kind of feel that way, but do feel so much better with something in my stomach. I try to eat little bits throughout the day like I did when I had morning (all day) sickness throughout my pregnancies.

Emily

[Author]

Posts