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THE Q & A

Welcome to The Q&A with Elaine Moore. Registered members are invited to ask any question of Elaine Moore on autoimmune diseases, Graves' disease, other thyroid diseases and subconditions, laboratory work, traditional and complementary medicine, triggers and environmental influences, thyroid and immune disorders in pets and animals, and other relevant areas of inquiry.

Each thread represents one question with one answer and will only appear at the time it is answered. Once answered, further replies cannot be made to the same thread since each thread represents only one question. A new thread will need to be started for additional questions.

Questions are answered solely by Elaine Moore, a medical writer and clinical laboratory scientist, MT, CLS, with more than 30 years of experience in immunology. Moore has also authored and edited over a dozen books in the area of health sciences and is an editor for McFarland Publisher's Health Topics Series.

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 8/15/2009 4:33 AM
 
kismet
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Joined: 8/15/2009
Posts: 1

Hi Elaine!

Thank you so much for all that you do.  Finding your website, I've felt the most hope since being diagnosed as a hyperthyroid.  

I first came down with the symptoms in March, 2006 (diarrhea, severe itching, shaking hands).  Unfortunately, my weight loss was more gradual (about 5 pounds a month) and having no knowledge of the thyroid, I was not diagnosed until November, 2006.  By this time, I had all the symptoms and was very, very lethargic.  

I started on the beta blockers right away but I didn't start taking PTU until January, 2007.  I started on 2 pills of PTU (50 mg) 3 times a day + 1 beta blocker pill 4 times a day.  In August, 2007, I stopped taking the beta blockers and reduced my PTU intake to 2 pills 2 times a day.  I continued this until April, 2008 when I was told to increase my PTU intake to 3 pills (50 mg) 2 times a day.  This was probably my fault since I had become "relaxed" about taking my pills and was forgetting to take them and taking less of them because I felt I might be headed towards becoming hypo. 

Of course, by this time, my doctor was recommending RAI since I was not in remission.  I was planning to take the RAI in January, 2009 since I was being told (pressured) that it was the next step.  Happily, I wasn't able to take it when I had planned (family matters) and stumbled upon your website soon afterwards.  Suffice it to say, now, I plan to stay on PTU indefinitely.  

(Sorry for the long post.)  I haven't had a chance to read your book yet.  But I did get my latest blood tests and I wanted to get your opinion on them.  I should mention that I had a 10 pound weight gain last summer and I felt that I was becoming hypo so after my April check-up, I decreased my dosage to 4 pills of PTU (50 mg) a day on my own without my doctor's consent.  When I saw him in July, I told him what I did.  He told me to go back to 6 pills a day.  I'm currently taking 5 pills a day (3 in the morning and 2 at night).  

Blood Tests
4/21/09   TSH, 3rd Generation - 0.07 (0.40 - 4.50 mIU/L)
               T4, Free - 1.4 (0.8 - 1.8 ng/dL)

7/14/09   TSH, 3rd Generation - 0.02 (0.40 - 4.50 mIU/L)
               T4, Free - 1.5 (0.8 - 1.8 ng/dL)

Thank you again so much for your time.  I have ordered your book and look forward to reading it!

yours,
mina
 
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 8/18/2009 12:11 AM
 
Elaine
1st Level Poster

Joined: 8/1/2008
Posts: 3174

Hi Mina,

Your labs look great and you could even be on a lower dose of PTU. You want to be on the lowest dose needed to keep FT4 within range, preferably nearer to the high end of the range regardless of TSH.  TSH typically stays low (and doesn't mean you're hyperthyroid) until you're near remission or your dose is too high. Some doctors get confused by this, but you're considered euthyroid (normal thyroid function) if you're FT4 is in range.

Over time, you'll be able to gradually reduce your dose and as you near remission TSH will start to rise. You want to avoid becoming hypothyroid (having an FT4 too low for your body's needs even if it's range) because hypothyroidism encourages thyroid antibody production.  Best to you, Elaine
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TO USERS: Q&A posts are visible to all readers. Users can delete their own threads at any time. Users must provide information which is true and correct to the best of their knowledge as well as provide sources or references to any health / medical information if not taken from personal experience. All users including the moderator must behave at all times with respect and honesty. Advertising and self-promotion is not allowed. The moderator or site administrator has the right to ban users with or without warning for not following the basic rules of this site. All posts by default are not to be considered that of medical professionals unless otherwise indicated. As sole moderator, Moore has no conflicts of interest in the sponsorship of this forum.

 

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