AM I HYPO?

[minnie01]

Hi, I have posted a few times as i was diagnosed hyper. I had GP blood tests done 3 weeks ago and all ranges were normal as could be but i do have Graves. I felt awful end of last week and this week, freezing cold all the time, bloated, constipated and even managing to sleep so i did a Medichecks blood test.

The results were:

THYROID STIMULATING HORMONE *5.74 mIU/L 0.27 - 4.20

FREE THYROXINE 13.68 pmol/L 12.00 - 22.00

TOTAL THYROXINE(T4) 93.1 nmol/L 59.00 - 154.00

FREE T3 3.18 pmol/L 3.10 - 6.80

Thyroid AntibodiesTHYROGLOBULIN ANTIBODY *143.200 IU/mL 0.00 - 115.00

THYROID PEROXIDASE ANTIBODIES*59.79 IU/mL 0.00 - 34.00

VITAMIN B12 228 pmol/L 140.00 - 724.00

FOLATE (SERUM) 10.34 ug/L 3.89 - 26.80

FERRITIN 20.14 ug/L 13.00 - 150.00

Medichecks have advised me how to raise my ferratin and i currantly only take 5mg of Carbizamole daily for the last 3 weeks and they have advised me to see my GP about lowering it more but due to being Easter i cannot ask for advice and my GP has previously admitted she knows very little about the Thyroid anyway. It is the TSH that is my main concern as only 7 weeks ago i was on 0.02. I feel i have some hypo symptoms but don't really know what to do. Would it help me if i just took 5mg of Carbizamole every other day would anyone know? My antibodies have come down over the last 3 weeks so i guess reducing the dose could make them go back up again but this is all still very new to me. Thankyou!

[Clutter]

Minnie01,

You are over medicated on Carbimazole and have become hypo. I would buy a pillcutter and halve the 5mg and take 2.5mg daily until you can talk to your endo or your GP can ask for advice. High TSH is more likely to raise thyroid antibodies.

B12 is low in range. You might want to ask for advice about it on healthunlocked.com/pasoc

[minnie01 in reply to Clutter]

Thanks once again Clutter...Could you be my Private Endo lol...will halving the carbizamole also bring the T4 and T3 up a bit as these have dropped as well though they are still in range.

[Clutter in reply to minnie01]

Minnie01,

Yes, having dose should bring up T4 and T3 and as they rise TSH will drop.

[UrsaP]

Hi minnie01 I don't really understand the ups and downs of the tests to advise you correctly, and I hope you get a more comprehensive response shortly, but if your antibodies are out of range, does that mean you have Hashi's? And if so isn't part of the nature of that, that you can go Hyper to Hypo...yo-yo-ing, for a while at least? But are actually Hypo rather than Hyper? I don't mean to confuse you further!

[minnie01 in reply to UrsaP]

Hi UrsaP...i have recently had results back from a TRABS test i think it was called, the Endo did this and it came back that i have Graves, I do not have the results in hand as she told me over the phone but i see her on May 12th but i see GP next week so she may have them. My Endo told me if i went Hypo i would have to take Levo for life...she did not say it could yo yo but i actually think she wanted me to go Hypo, Ironically i gained weight when i was Hyper but since last week i have lost almost half a stone which is quite a loss. I am back to 9 stone where i was before i went Hyper so even that is confusing lol..though its nice to get the weight back off but i guess that can also yoyo as well. Thanks for responding.

[Silver_Fairy]

Are you under an Endo? You really should be if you have Graves, GP's are not experienced enough to treat you.

[minnie01 in reply to Silver_Fairy]

Hi...I am under an Endo...i paid to see a private one as NHS was 3 mths wait but i have only seen her once as only recently diagnosed but see her again on the 12th May but she seemed to lose interest when she phoned me to say my Thyroid levels were back in range. Thankyou!

[Snoddyoddbod in reply to Silver_Fairy]

I'm not entirely convinced some endos are experienced enough to treat Graves!!! I been confirmed with Graves since 2013 but I've learnt more about if from the wonderful people on here in the last few days than I have from three endos that I have seen!!

[minnie01 in reply to Snoddyoddbod]

I know what you mean snottyofdbod and it is really concerning. Mine immediately spoke of radioiodine which only from this group did I learn about it but she led me to believe was a cure but it seems there is no cure. After my next appt I feel I need to look for one that actually wants to help me and has more knowledge.

[Snoddyoddbod in reply to minnie01]

That was the impression I was given. A miracle cure and then I would take levothyroxine and all would be well. Not true. Three stone heavy and feel dreadful all the time No cure at all.

[minnie01 in reply to Snoddyoddbod]

Exactly what I was told snottyoddbod....she has already told my GP I have refused treatment but that is not true...I have only refused radioiodine as how will that benefit me at this stage. My GP is lovely and sees me regularly but no understanding at all....think I would prefer a GP that was lovely and knowledgable...if such a person exists.

[Hidden in reply to minnie01]

Minnie - you are right: radio iodine treatment is no cure. (I had it done for a goitre/hyperthyroidism). You end up with little or no thyroid function. The thyroid does not heal. You will be on medication for life. 'They' will want the medication to be T4/Levothyroxine, which is fine if it suits you. You will have noticed from this forum that it does not suit everyone.

Your feeling that you need an Endo who knows more about thyroidism and is concerned with your wellbeing as a patient, is wise.

Avoid Endos whose primary specialism is diabetes. Basically they know a lot about the wrong gland for us thyroidees.

[SilverAvocado]

It looks to my like your hashimotos antibodies are high. So it may be you have both graves and hashimotos. But I know very little about it, so hopefully someone more knowledgeable will comment, or you can find out elsewhere. It may be normal for graves.

You B12 and Ferritin are both low and need work. But this makes me wonder if vitamin D might also be low and is worst testing for if you haven't already. All these things being low can make you feel very ill, with similar symptoms to thyroid problems.

[minnie01]

Hi SilverAvocado...i have only been tested for Graves so i could ask Endo about Hashimoto as well as Graves was diagnosed when i was Hyper..dont know if i am coming or going at themoment lol. I was low in Vitamin D but Clutter advised me to take 10.000iu for 6 weeks and then reduce so i have been doing so for 3 weeks now as both GP and Endo failed to give me a dosage other then "1 tablet". After 3 mths i will do a Medichecks test again. I have started taking B12 along with a B complex so hopefully that should raise my vit B12....Ferratin is the issue as i am such a fussy eater so liver is out of the question and i am not a veg eater but i am forcing it down...no pain no gain as they say. Thankyou!

[greygoose in reply to minnie01]

Minnie, you have been tested for Hashi's :

Thyroid AntibodiesTHYROGLOBULIN ANTIBODY *143.200 IU/mL 0.00 - 115.00

THYROID PEROXIDASE ANTIBODIES*59.79 IU/mL 0.00 - 34.00

In the results above, and they are both positive for Hashi's.

I wonder do you both Hashi's and Grave's - which is possible - or did they just test you during a hyper swing of Hashi's, and assume it was Grave's - does happen. You really should get hold of the blood test results from when you were diagnosed, to find out.

[minnie01 in reply to greygoose]

Thanks Greygoose....they did test when i was Hyper but i only had a phone call from the Endo to day it was positive for Graves. I see the Endo on the 12th but i have left a message for her to call me after the Easter break so i will ask her then ..it is all so confusing! I didn't even know you could even have both but i feel crappy so i guess anything is possible.

[greygoose in reply to minnie01]

Yes, there are several people on here who have both, but the Hashi's is usually dominant.

[minnie01 in reply to greygoose]

Thankyou Greygoose...I have a list to go through with the Endo so hopefully she has the answers.

[greygoose in reply to minnie01]

Let's hope so.

[sarajuarez2912 in reply to greygoose]

I thought graves was more dominant, I have both graves and hashimotos. Thing now is that my endow called me yesterday and said my TSH level was 5.9

She wants me to take my Methimazole one 5mg once a day and next day 1/2 of it once a day, and continue like that.

[greygoose in reply to sarajuarez2912]

Perhaps it depends on the person, l don't know. But l always thought the Hashis was dominant.