# Grateful for this Forum!



## RST0527 (Mar 10, 2010)

I was diagnosed with Graves on January 28, took 3 weeks to get into see the Endo. In the meantime, I researched all I could on Graves and came across this forum. It really helped me and made me feel not alone or crazy!
I decided to go on meds first and I'm feeling wonderful! I've been on them about 2 weeks (20 mg of methimazole & 20 mg of propranolol per day). No more shaking or heart pounding or crazy appetite.

My blood work results were:
TSH * less than 0.03
FT4 * 2.0
Free T3 * 8.5

I'm scheduled for bloodwork every 6 weeks and then follow up with Endo on June 14.

I'm hoping for the best.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

RST0527 said:


> I was diagnosed with Graves on January 28, took 3 weeks to get into see the Endo. In the meantime, I researched all I could on Graves and came across this forum. It really helped me and made me feel not alone or crazy!
> I decided to go on meds first and I'm feeling wonderful! I've been on them about 2 weeks (20 mg of methimazole & 20 mg of propranolol per day). No more shaking or heart pounding or crazy appetite.
> 
> My blood work results were:
> ...


Hi and welcome to the Board, RSTO527!!! Sounds like your doc is right on top of it and I am glad to hear you are feeling good.

That FT3 looks really high but cannot confirm w/o the ranges. Different labs use different ranges.

How are your eyes? Do you have a goiter? Have you lost weight or gained weight?


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## RST0527 (Mar 10, 2010)

Hi Andros!
Thank you for your reply!
I thought that T3 looked high also. The ranges the lab used were 2.3*4.2

The only real symptons I had were shakiness, pounding heart, irritated and huge appetite. I lost about 10 lbs, but ate lots! My eyes were feeling dry so I used the re*wetting drops, but that's it. The dryness has stopped now. No goiter. My regular Dr. caught the high levels during my yearly regular blood work in Sept., and had me test my blood again in Jan. Thank God for her, since I don't think I would have known why I was starting to feel the craziness of Graves Disease.

Hoping I caught it early enough and that the meds work, but I would consider RAI since I don't want to go thru the cycle people mention.

**Robin


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

RST0527 said:


> Hi Andros!
> Thank you for your reply!
> I thought that T3 looked high also. The ranges the lab used were 2.3*4.2
> 
> ...


Hey Robin! Oh,wow, yeah!! FT3 is waaaaaaaaaaaay hyper!

You said a mouthful; if this is caught and treated early on,the success rate is very high. I wish that for you! Early medical intervention prevents eye problems, goiter and all of that in "most" cases.

Good for you!


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

RST0527 said:


> I'm scheduled for bloodwork every 6 weeks and then follow up with Endo on June 14.


If you begin to feel too many hypo symptoms call and ask them for labs sooner * 4 weeks is normal in the early stages. Be sure they do both the FT3 and FT4.

Glad you are already feeling better.


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## RST0527 (Mar 10, 2010)

Okay, so I went to the Endo for a 4 month visit. I was taking 20 mg of methimazole and my labs came back:
TSH .50-5.20 - 10.74! (back in Feb it was .03)
FT4 .8-1.8 - .6 (back in Feb it was 2.0)
They didn't run a Free T3 this time.
Anyway, I'm so hypo now!
He reduced my meds to 10 a day - but I've only been taking 5 mg. Is that bad? He said it would take a while before I felt more energy -- but still I'm boated (gained about 10 lbs), tired a lot and have more frequent periods.
Anyone know how long it will take before I'm not so Hypo?


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