Grave's disease test results

[minkjaere]

Hi!

I am not sure if this question has been posted already. But my question is, how will you know if it is your body that have started working, or your values are due to the medicine?

I've been diagnosed with Grave's disease last Feb 2019. My latest test results were indicated as the first value, the normal range is in parenthesis, and a my previous result as the last values:

TSH: 0.07 (0.20-4.30), from <0.05

T4: 17 (9-22), from 24

T3: 4.8 (2.8-7.1), from 12.3

Thank you in advance.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Those results could suggest early stage Hashimoto's too

The FT4 and FT3 were not very high

Now your FT3 is low

How do you feel?

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested for Graves or Hashimoto's

For confirmation of Graves you need TSI or TRab antibodies tested

Has these antibodies been tested

Also extremely important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially if Thyroid antibodies are raised with Graves or Hashimoto's

Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and fasting. This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, best not mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)

Private tests are available. Thousands on here forced to do this as NHS often refuses to test FT3 or antibodies or all vitamins

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

Medichecks Thyroid plus ultra vitamin or Blue Horizon Thyroid plus eleven are the most popular choice. DIY finger prick test or option to pay extra for private blood draw. Both companies often have special offers, Medichecks usually have offers on Thursdays, Blue Horizon its more random

If TPO and/or TG antibodies are high this is Hashimoto's, (also known by medics here in UK more commonly as autoimmune thyroid disease). Though they can be raised with Graves' disease

About 90% of all hypothyroidism in Uk is due to Hashimoto's.

Low vitamins are especially common with Hashimoto's or Graves. Food intolerances are very common too, especially gluten.

So it's important to get TPO and TG thyroid antibodies and TSI or TRab antibodies tested at least once .

Link about thyroid blood tests

thyroiduk.org/tuk/testing/t...

Link about antibodies and Hashimoto's

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

List of hypothyroid symptoms

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

[minkjaere in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi SlowDragon,

Thanks for your reply. I feel much better since Feb. Although i still have some tremors and heart palpitations, they were much weaker than before. I feel almost normal nowadays. My endo talked about "block and replace" method, so when my levels go down, i'll start with levaxine. I was just wondering how to know when my system starts working. What are the things to know? Bec maybe, i dont need to undergo block and replace if they start to function normally?

My vit D is in normal range, my antibodies is > 600, which it has always been, even though i was not sick.

Thanks for the advice. I'll ask my dr to check the levels of the other things you mentioned in here.