# Recent diagnosis of Graves



## ndtank (Oct 12, 2010)

These have been confirmed by a follow up second T4 test at a different lab as the endo felt he needed to rule out potential lab error.

FT4 > 7.7 ng/mL range (.93-1.7) units ng/dL
FT3 32.6 range (2.2-4.0)
T4 Total 24.9 range (4.0-12.0)
T3UP% 115.3 range (25.0-38.0)
T7 (FTI CAL) 28.7 range (1.0-4.4)
TSH < .01 ulU/mL


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## chopper (Mar 4, 2007)

Holy crap. Those are some of the highest numbers I've ever seen. Your wife must have felt terrible.


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## GD Women (Mar 5, 2007)

I think she has Graves' Disease. Whats the next move - have a plan??


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## ndtank (Oct 12, 2010)

nasdaqphil said:


> Holy crap. Those are some of the highest numbers I've ever seen. Your wife must have felt terrible.


I'm pretty sure I saw the suprise on the doctors faces as well although the endo was still very encouraging. The nuclear medicine guy was mr. glum, not helpful when you're already on edge.

With that much hormone floating around they can't do much before they get the levels down. They put her on beta blockers to try to immediately control the tremors and rapid heart rate (which was not as fast as you might expect given the #'s) and methimazole.

At this point it's a wait and see. Next round of tests is in a month we'll post an update when we get it.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

ndtank said:


> These have been confirmed by a follow up second T4 test at a different lab as the endo felt he needed to rule out potential lab error.
> 
> FT4 > 7.7 ng/mL range (.93-1.7) units ng/dL
> FT3 32.6 range (2.2-4.0)
> ...


Oh, yes!!! Welcome to the board. Definitely hyperthyroid.

What have you and the doc discussed so far? Antibodies' tests, treatment options?

I do recommend these antibodies' tests and also RAIU (radioactive uptake scan) as cancer needs to be ruled out. Cancer and hyper have a tendency to hang out together. Besides which, your rate of uptake would be important.

http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=thyroiduptake

TSI (thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin),TPO (antimicrosomal antibodies) TBII (thyrotropin-binding inhibitory immunoglobulin), Thyroglobulin Ab, ANA (antinuclear antibodies), (thyroid hormone panel) TSH, Free T3, Free T4.

You can look this stuff up here and more.........
http://www.labtestsonline.org/unders...s/thyroid.html

How do you feel? What are your most significant symtoms?


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## ndtank (Oct 12, 2010)

Andros said:


> Oh, yes!!! Welcome to the board. Definitely hyperthyroid


These are actually my wife's results not mine. I'm trying to let her not think about it too much for a couple of days. She needs a break and it's been a very rough few months. In the mean time I'm still trying to educate myself as much as possible about whats going on and hopefully find some others with positive outcome stories I can share with her.

In addition to the other lab results, she's done a RAIU and ultrasound a TPO and Ab and both liver and renal panels.

Liver and renal results are basically normal.

The antibody tests were not ready as of yesterday.

The ultrasound shows an enlarged thyroid but no signs of focal abnormality.

The RAIU showed an extremely hot thyroid but diffusely so, no signs of nodules.

The endo said that based on the size of the goiter, this has been coming on for at least a year. Shes a young very athletic and generally very healthy woman and it seems that her body and general stubbornness was compensating for a long time before it finally gave into it about 3 months ago. At that point, she got hit very suddenly and very intensely by the full panoply of hyper symptoms.

Her gyno immediately picked up on the symptoms and ordered a TSH and ultrasound and based on those referred to an endo. The endo ordered the rest of the blood work and RAIU.

I've heard some horror stories about getting diagnosed and I have to say that I'm sending Christmas cards to both her gyno and endo as they have done a fantastic job as far as I'm concerned.

The nuclear MD that did the RAIU while entirely in agreement with the endo, just came across in a very negative way which is not helpful when you are already emotionally on edge so I think we'll be looking for a different place if we choose to do RAI ablation in the future.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

ndtank said:


> These are actually my wife's results not mine. I'm trying to let her not think about it too much for a couple of days. She needs a break and it's been a very rough few months. In the mean time I'm still trying to educate myself as much as possible about whats going on and hopefully find some others with positive outcome stories I can share with her.
> 
> In addition to the other lab results, she's done a RAIU and ultrasound a TPO and Ab and both liver and renal panels.
> 
> ...


Thank you for all the information. It sounds to me like your wife is in the best of hands here. Everyone seems to be on top of it. While the radiology guy might not be personality plus, don't discount him altogether as he very well could be the top guy in his field. That said, do what you feel is the best thing to do.

When your wife's antibodies' tests come in, we would love to see them of course. And you already know how much we appreciate the ranges.

I am suprised but thankful that your wife has not had a thyroid storm. You may wish to read this so you can be familiar w/ the symptoms..........
http://www.clivir.com/lessons/show/thyroid-storm-symptoms-causes-and-treatment.html


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## ndtank (Oct 12, 2010)

Andros said:


> I am suprised but thankful that your wife has not had a thyroid storm. You may wish to read this so you can be familiar w/ the symptoms..........
> http://www.clivir.com/lessons/show/thyroid-storm-symptoms-causes-and-treatment.html


In the days leading up to the endo appointment I was reading up on thyroid storm. I started taking her temperature, blood pressure and heart rate several times a day while trying not to look like I was freaking out, which I was.

The endo calmed me a great deal when he explained that storm was more a factor of how your body responds to the hormones and less about the total amount of hormones. Perhaps he was just keeping his game face on as he did immediately put her on beta blockers, but we did leave feeling like we can fix this.

Surprisingly, although higher than normal, her heart rate was in the high 80's / 90's (normally shes low 60's) rather than 100-120 like many with graves.


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## ndtank (Oct 12, 2010)

triple post?


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## ndtank (Oct 12, 2010)

double post, not sure why


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## GD Women (Mar 5, 2007)

Levels look like Graves' Disease. Doctor and Nuke doctor should know this already.

However, hyperthyroidsm has the same three treatment options as Graves' Disease.

Good luck with medical care and treatment - that is half the thytroid battle.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

ndtank said:


> double post, not sure why


Gremlins!!

Your wife is fortunate to have you by her side like this. I also have a wonderfully supportive husband. He is worth his weight in gold and more.

You the same! God bless you and your wife.

We are here for you at all times.


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