# Was Diagnosed with Graves! :-(



## hiswifey812 (May 1, 2012)

Was recently diagnosed with graves, my endo started me on PTU 50mg twice a day, here are my #s, what do you all think?

TSH 0.00700 uU/ML 0.400-4.60 MO?

Thyroxine (T4) 13.2 ug/dl 5.00-12.0 MO?

Free T4 1.50 ng/dl 0.930-1.70 MO?

Thanks!!!

PS. anyone on PTU? I tried Tapazole but my hair fell out in chunks, so doc switched me to PTU, so far so good.


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## hiswifey812 (May 1, 2012)

oh and by the way, my heart is racing all day long, why hasnt my doc started me on beta blockers? should I ask him for an rx for it? its so uncomfortable this feeling!


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## webster2 (May 19, 2011)

You sure are hyper. A call to your doctor about a beta blocker for your racing heart might be a great idea. I am not sure if your doctor mentioned it but exercise is not a good idea right now. Take it real easy.


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## JPGreco (Mar 2, 2012)

I'm on methimazole currently, so I can't comment on the PTU. However, my heart rate was over 110 all day until I got on beta blockers. Now its down under 90 for the most part. I would definitely ask them about it. For me, it started working in a day, but hasn't improved it much beyond that first affect. I am on Antenolol 50mg daily.


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## hiswifey812 (May 1, 2012)

no exercising? he surely did not mention no exercising, wow, was about to go to the gym for a little workout as I have been feeling sluggish lately.. not even 40 mins on the threadmill???? UGH, this is horrible!!!

I am def. going to ask for beta blockers... what will happen if I dont go on them soon b/c doc is on vacation?


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## hiswifey812 (May 1, 2012)

also, what determines whether or not I am simply hyperthyroid and do not have graves? he told me I have graves but I only had blood taken, no scans or anything else were done, so how do docs determine when you have both graves and hyperthyroidsm, I am so confused... do my labs indicate graves? thanks all!!!


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## CassieDS (Apr 24, 2012)

I just had my first endo appointment today, dr put me on Methimazole 5mg x3 (so i guess thats 15mg a day?) and a beta blocker called Atenolol, 25mg twice a day. I'm very hyper, and diagnosed with Graves Disease also. I asked my Endo what determines Graves and other types of Hyperthyroid problems, cause I wanted to know how one is just diagnosed with GD. She said GD is very apparent in the blood work (TSI, T3, T4, Free T3 ect) and the enlargement of the gland shown in a iodine uptake scan of the thyroid, and the other type of hyperthyroid is nodular's within the thyroid gland. I cant remember if this is exactly what she said, put its pretty on par. I'm suffering from information overload, so I'm trying to stop reading about this all the time 

My heart rate, resting, is 118.. I believe ones resting heart rate should be between 60-80 beats per min. Brisk walking on just the treadmill gets my heart rate to 140, and my dr said thats fine, but anything over that is dangerous. So no bike or elliptical which got me to 180 bmp and i felt so sick to my stomach and just awful feeling.

I dont know enough about Graves or Hyperthyroidism.. I'm just learning about all this too, so i cant even give you a clue if your blood work determines graves; I'm sure someone else here can help you with that. All I know is that Graves or Hyperwhatever sucks, and I hope being on this medication works! I wanted to tell the endo to just take this thyroid thing out NOW, i dont wanna try medicine first. But there's always a list of things to try before the surgery.

I hope this helped a little, although im pretty sure its mostly ramblings from a basket case mind 

Here's to feeling better! Cheers.


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## webster2 (May 19, 2011)

hiswifey812 said:


> also, what determines whether or not I am simply hyperthyroid and do not have graves? he told me I have graves but I only had blood taken, no scans or anything else were done, so how do docs determine when you have both graves and hyperthyroidsm, I am so confused... do my labs indicate graves? thanks all!!!


Antibodies for one but there are 4 ( I think...I never remember this part) physical characteristics you must exhibit 3 of the 4 to be diagnosed with Graves. Andros will clue you in on this.

No, no exercising. Your heart is already stressed enough with the palpitations. Really, no exercising. The beta blockers help calm your heart rate down. I was relieved to get on them.

As far as surgery goes, your levels need to be a bit more stable before they will even consider it. JMHO.


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## webster2 (May 19, 2011)

hiswifey812 said:


> oh and by the way, my heart is racing all day long, why hasnt my doc started me on beta blockers? should I ask him for an rx for it? its so uncomfortable this feeling!


When I was dx'ed, by a GP, he preferred to wait until I saw an endo to prescribe anything. Getting in to an endo isn't instant. I phoned the GP and told him I couldn't stand the racing heart, and he prescribed methimazole and atenolol. It sure helped.


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## JPGreco (Mar 2, 2012)

if you haven't seen an endo, definitely do. My GP prescribed 10mg a day of methimazole and that's it. My endo prescribed 20mg of methimazole and 25mg of antenolol a day with the same basic information. She doubled it all a day later when she got the full labs back which my GP never had done even though I saw him twice about this.

as for exercise, I shouldn't comment since I'm a walking contradiction...


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

hiswifey812 said:


> oh and by the way, my heart is racing all day long, why hasnt my doc started me on beta blockers? should I ask him for an rx for it? its so uncomfortable this feeling!


Yes your doc should Rx a Betablocker. I have a mitral valve prolapse because of improper medical intervention.

Let us know pronto!!


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

CassieDS said:


> I just had my first endo appointment today, dr put me on Methimazole 5mg x3 (so i guess thats 15mg a day?) and a beta blocker called Atenolol, 25mg twice a day. I'm very hyper, and diagnosed with Graves Disease also. I asked my Endo what determines Graves and other types of Hyperthyroid problems, cause I wanted to know how one is just diagnosed with GD. She said GD is very apparent in the blood work (TSI, T3, T4, Free T3 ect) and the enlargement of the gland shown in a iodine uptake scan of the thyroid, and the other type of hyperthyroid is nodular's within the thyroid gland. I cant remember if this is exactly what she said, put its pretty on par. I'm suffering from information overload, so I'm trying to stop reading about this all the time
> 
> My heart rate, resting, is 118.. I believe ones resting heart rate should be between 60-80 beats per min. Brisk walking on just the treadmill gets my heart rate to 140, and my dr said thats fine, but anything over that is dangerous. So no bike or elliptical which got me to 180 bmp and i felt so sick to my stomach and just awful feeling.
> 
> ...


Here is what Webster is referring to.

The criteria for Graves' is clinical. You must exhibit..........goiter, exophthalmos, pretibial myxedema and thyrotoxicosis as per Dr. Robert Graves' of the 1800 era. 3 out of the 4 qualify.

Otherwise you are classified as hyperthyroid either because of Hashi's, the criteria for that being high TPO Ab and a grapelike appearance of the thyroid, both of which are "suggestive" because this is commonly seen in Hashi's with FNA (fine needle aspiration) confirming those suspicions "if" there are Hurthle Cells indigenous to Hashimoto's. Or because of cancer. We don't know which comes first, the hyperthyroid or the cancer. We just know that they are often found together.

Did your doctor do RAIU (radioactive uptake) to see the rate of uptake and to search for any signs of cancer? This is a must.

I am sorry you are going through this but welcome aboard!


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