Hi there, I'm fairly new to this being diagnosed hyper in May. I took on board some really good advice from this site and got a print out of my blood results from May.
I can't make head nor tail of them or understand what it all means and stands for... Can someone tell me what they mean please?
TSH (LT 0.01) range 0.4 - 4.0
Free thyroxine (41.3) range 9.8 - 18.8
Free T3 (24.2) range 3.3 - 6.1
Thyroid peroxidase Antibody (248) range 0 - 50
I also got scan results back today saying multi nodular goitre on both sides of thyroid with the largest nodule measuring 2.2cm. Will this reduce by itself?
Thanks in advance x
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Joy333
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I'm afraid I can't answer all your questions but I can answer the questions about your blood tests.
TSH is thyroid stimulating hormone that is produced by the pituitary to tell the thyroid to produce thyroid hormones T4 and T3. If you don't have enough thyroid hormones, your pituitary will increase it's production of TSH, therefore hypothyroid patients tend to have high TSH. If, as in your case, the thyroid is producing too much T4 and T3, the pituitary decreases production of TSH because it doesn't need the thyroid to make any more hormones because it already has too much in the blood stream.
T4 is one of the thyroid hormones also known as thyroxine. It has to be converted to T3, the active thyroid hormone before it can be used by the cells in the body.
Your T4 and T3 are very high, which means you are hyperthyroid. To try and lower your levels, your pituitary is no longer producing TSH because it doesn't want to stimulate the thyroid because there are already too many thyroid hormones in the body.
Here are some links that you might find helpful on the main Thyroid UK website.
I've got Graves - it was the antibodies that gave the game away - and your results are very similar to what mine were at the beginning. Haven't got any nodules though and I didn't need a scan or anything like that.
As soon as I got my first test results I was given 20 mcg Carbimazole every day for a month then I had more blood tests and the Carbimazole was raised to 40 mcg.
My hospital treats with block and replace so after another month, by which time I had become hypoactive, I had my first endo appointment and was given 50 mcg of levothyroxine to take along with the Carbimazole, the carb has stayed at 40 mcg but the levo has been raised a couple of times and I now alternate between 75 and 100 mcg.
I felt terribly ill before I was diagnosed but after a few weeks on the carb I felt a bit better and now I feel a lot better although I think I still need a bit of fine tuning.
Have you been given any medicines and how do you feel?
Liz and Carolyn thanks so much for your replies, it's really helped get my head around this and good to speak to people who really understand.
Liz, like you I felt awful and couldn't function. I've been on carbomazle 20mg for 8 weeks now and propranolol which I feel quite dependant on for the full body rattle shakes and palpitations. I've noticed a difference this past week and starting to see the light at the end of the long tunnel and not loosing any more weight thank goodness was starting to look like a skeleton.
I've carried on working and wont give in to this but geezo it's sooo hard. My work have been very understanding so I'm one of the lucky ones.
I have my first endo appt on 1st Aug , I really hope they are as good as what yours sound.
It's good to hear your feeling much better liz, and block and replace has been good for you. can i ask how you felt when you went hypo? X
I felt very cold and sluggish and incredibly tired I became hypo, then after I had started taking levo and started to get palpitations I thought I was becoming hyper again but someone on here wrote that I was probably under medicated and was needing an increase in levo which was actually the cause because when I saw the endo ( different one) for the second time she increased my dose.
Then I got incredibly cold again in May and eventually had another 'extra' blood test which showed I was 'within the range' - I knew it would because the range is so ridiculous it would be difficult not to fit into it somewhere once you were being treated - anyway I managed to convince my doctor that maybe I was within the range but I wasn't at my optimum point and that as I had been feeling good for a while I was sure I would again once I was at the right point of the range for me.
Result - she gave me a bit more levo and I stopped feeling cold almost right away.
It is a strange sort of cold - it goes right through you and you just can't warm up. I was going to bed with two hot water bottles every night and even though the weather was good and people around me were warm I didn't part with my black quilted coat, scarf and loves until the middle of June this year.
I can't take propranolol because of my asthma but first time I had palpitations my doctor gave me amitryptiline which is an antidepressant and I took that for just long enough to stop the palps then stopped them again - didn't like the idea of taking anti depressants when I wasn't depressed even if they werent being taken for that rason - and when I saw my endo which was when she raised my dose.
Did anyone suggest you take Vitamin C with your Carbimazole? My pharmacist did but I had been taking it anyway so I just continued, I take two capsules of slow release which also has zinc every morning .
It must be so hard to keep working, I dont know how you did it. I was lucky to be able to cancel some work I had been booked to do at the start of the year then gradually get back to it. Getting back sort of proved I actually had a life outside Graves.
Good luck with your first visit - my first one was disappointing because I saw my endo's assistant and he was ok but I just didn't relate to him, next time I went I was feeling really down about it all but saw the endo herself and that was a much more positive experience.
When you do get to see your endo here are a few points.
Take someone with you as you probably have brain fog. Or take some pre thought out questions and write down the answers. Do not expect much then you will not be too upset.
Have a blood test for TSH, T4 and T3 at your GPs a few days before the appointment so that the endo can see it.
Your TSH needs to come up. It needs to be above 1 and preferably a bit more. Your T4 needs to come down and your T3 is very high too and also needs to come down.
The antibodies do suggest an autoimmune condition such as Graves but you could be hyper due to to the nodules on your thyroid. It may be that your endo suggests that these be removed eventually by surgery. Either way you will need to be on carbimazole for a while. I have just come off it after 2 years but I have no nodules.
Do read up as much as you can on the subject, take some time off work, get some sleep and try to de stress and relax. Do not expect people around you to understand.
Hope you feel a little better. It can take some time so try not to panic or rush. All the best.
Thanks so much for your good advice. I made an appointment for blood test like you suggested and will definitely be taking my husband with me to endo appt.
You have given such good advice on all accounts, thank you,
How are you feeling now that you've come off carbo ? Are you doing okay? X
You are more than welcome to the advice. I have not had a great week I am afraid but that is because it is that time of the month and I am having problems shall we say related to that. Plus I have just been invited for an interview and I am unsure how I feel about it. So my coming of carb has been at a stressful time.
My hubby has just been away for a weekend and is away on Wed and Thurs. My interview is on Friday and I am stuck looking after 3 kids aged 9, 5 and 3. The oldest has been throwing up and the middle one has broken her new glasses. I am finding the weather too hot and generally feel rubbish. Then my hubby is working away again for 2 weeks at beginning of August.
So not a good week really all in all. Sorry for moaning and I hope you are doing ok.
You really are going through a tough time at the moment greenginger. I know it's hard but please try to relax.
Well done on getting an interview, just remember if it isn't right for you and is causing you additional stress that you don't need right now, you don't have to accept. It's got to be right for you and as we have all learned, your health is soooo important.
Take good care of yourself greenginger and good luck x
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