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Saturday, February 04, 2012

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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.

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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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Baffled...last result

3/9/2010 6:49 PM

Ling

Joined: 10/13/2008

Posts: 56

Baffled...last result

Hi ELAINE,

It is me again...I went back have another bloodwork 2 weeks after my last result, do you think it is too soon? ( I usually go back in 3 weeks)....

My previous result showed that my FT4 and FT4 had dropped and TSH climbed up a bit :

FEB 23 ( on 1 mg of carbimazole alternate day)

FT4 : 14 (11.5-22.7) FT3 : 3.6 ( 3.5-6.5) TSH : 0.08 ( 0.3-5.1)

I forgot to mention that I just came back from vacation a week ago when I had this test done from a colder climate.

After this result and after I gotten your response, I cut down on my carbimazole gradually (figured that gradual cutting down should be better for my body to adjust and also I wanted to see its effect) so instead of stopping altogether, for this past 2 weeks I reduced my dosage to only taking crumbs ( by the way, I had actually changing brand starting this FEB) of merely about half of what I used to take also on alternate day. The symptoms I told you about on my previous post( a very slight heart palpitation) only lasted a little over a week and it actually gone away two days after my previous test ( so it could be that my body was readjusting to the hotter temperature here?)..I am actually feeling better, no heart palpitation, sleep is fine...etc...so when I got back my recent result yesterday, I am baffled by my lower than normal range FT3 coz usually when my FT3 dropped lower yet still in the range , I would normally feel a little palpitation but this time I do not. My result :

MARCH 3

FT3 : 3.4 FT4 : 14.8 TSH:0.08

You see, FT4 has climbed back up bit........do you think it actually take FT3 a bit slower to go up...or? The only symptom if I have to pick one is I am bit lazy going to the gym but I don't have problem working out.

By the way, do you suggest me stopping my L carnitine daily ( taking it on alternate day perhaps? ), and any other herbs that I should avoid or should consider taking?? I am going back to have another lab test two weeks later (do you think it is too soon) to see the effect of again after cutting down my carbimazole to merely taking it once a week now ( I know I probably should stop it altogether but gradual cut down make me feel at least I am still taking some...)

My doc dont do block and replace and I am worry about the dosage too if he do prescribe hormones...he still prefer to go by TSH...

I also been drinking Burdock tea after coming back from vacation , does this affect the thyroid? How about DANDELION or HOLYBASIL? hope to hear what you think about all this. Thank you ELAINE...you has been a great help.

3/10/2010 12:04 AM

Elaine

Joined: 8/1/2008

Posts: 3150

Re: Baffled...last result

Hi Ling,

Your change in FT3 isn't really significant. We can run the same blood sample twice and get two different results as close as yours.

But since you are secreting a little TSH, I suspect you're probably in remission. It's just going to take a while for you to see a rise in TSH. I'd probably continue to take the crumbs of your ATD once weekly or on an as needed basis.

Since the carnitine reduces symptoms and doesn't do much for levels you could take it every other day. Burdock tea is a good supplement although it doesn't do anything for the thyroid. Dandelion shouldn't either and I wouldn't think holy basil would either. But they're good purifying herbs and they're rich in potassium and other minerals.

It sounds like you're doing fine and eventually TSH will fall in range. Best, Elaine

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