Concerned about tests results - In remission with Graves disease

[HelenePupuche]

Hello,

Good evening, I stopped Carbimazole in September after being diagnosed with Graves in March 2019 as I was on remission.

I start to worry about my blood test results:

August: THS 1.29 (range 0.27-4.20), Free thyroxine 15.7 (range 12.0-22.0), Free T3 4.3 (range 3.1 - 6.8)

October: TSH 0.70, Free thyroxine 17.3, Free T3 5.1

I am in range, so should I not worry too much about it, or is this a sign I am going back hyper again? Is there anything I should/could do to improve the results?Many thanks in advance for your advice.

[humanbean]

August:

TSH 1.29 (range 0.27-4.20)

Free thyroxine 15.7 (range 12.0-22.0) 37% of the way through the range

Free T3 4.3 (range 3.1 - 6.8) 32% of the way through the range

October:

TSH 0.70

Free thyroxine 17.3 53% of the way through the range

Free T3 5.1 54% of the way through the range

I think it is much too soon to start worrying about "going hyper". I'm not saying it couldn't happen or it won't happen - I simply don't know and nobody can predict the future.

Your August Free T4 and Free T3 results were actually quite low - certainly when comparing your results to the ones most hypothyroid people need to feel well.

I would say the same about your October results too. They are actually getting better (from a hypothyroid point of view). Your TSH is still well within range.

From what I've read on this forum, some hyperthyroid people get accustomed to having high levels of thyroid hormones (T4 and T3), and yours aren't high they are only mid-range.

If you want to improve how you feel you could try following the same general advice that most people find helpful on this forum :

1) Optimise your nutrients - ferritin, vitamin B12, folate and vitamin D - being hyperthyroid tends to use up nutrients quickly so yours could be low.

2) You could try going gluten-free for three months. Keep it up permanently if it helps, but you could go back to eating gluten if you got no benefit.

3) Look through Elaine Moore's website and forum (for people who are hyperthyroid) and try out any of her advice that looks good to you :

elaine-moore.com/

[pennyannie]

Hello Helene and welcome to the forum :

I recognise that personality trait !

Try not to worry - I know - easily said but harder to do :

Your levels look good so refocus on things you enjoy and totally agree with what has already been said.

I found Elaine Moore's site invaluable, but only found out all about Graves around 10 years after having had RAI thyroid ablation in 2005 which I deeply regret.

Graves is an auto immune disease and I now manage lingering Graves, thyroid eye disease caused by the RAI and hypothyroidism, which I have found much more challenging than dealing with the hyperthyroidism .

Of course everybody's journey is unique to them but my symptoms of hyperthyroidism were well controlled on the anti medication and given my time again staying on the AT drugs long term has to be the best options as, after all, we are looking at an AI disease which in itself is long term and for life as it waxes and wanes over time.

[Lora7again]

I agree with humanbean I feel better when my levels are higher but still in range. My TSH is 0.38 and my T4 is 22 which is top of the range but my T3 is well within range. My results are 6 months old but I still feel well so I don't think they will have changed much since then because I don't have any symptoms like hair loss and sweating etc.

[madge1979]

Helen .. I too have Graves .. though now in remission .. do you take Vitamins , Minerals or Nutrients to aid your Immune System ?

It’s great that you have your blood results looking good but in order to keep them that way and feeling good health wise,

you will very likely need to start some sort of Regime of supplementing.

M🌹