# Just diagnosed



## TracieH (May 20, 2010)

Hi, I am a 37 yr old female just diagnosed with graves disease this week (although I was already pretty sure that is what it was due to my own personal research). I have so many questions, but my endo didn't seem to have time to answer them. I am hoping (praying) someone on here can help me out.
First off, my labs are as follows:
tsh 0.01 (range .5-4.5)
t4 1.7
Free t3 3.6

What does this mean? What should I be looking at next time I have my labs? I was put on methm. 10 mg, 1x a day. I started them on Monday, but haven't noticed much of a difference yet. When will they start to work?

I started exercising in dec. and was running on the treadmill for about 30 min. and covering about 3 miles. However, in the last couple months, I've started having terrible stomach cramps (side stiches)...could the graves be causing this? I feel depressed because for the first time in my life, exercise has become a habit and now it is so hard to do.
Although I have a million more questions, I'm going to leave it at this. Any feedback would be appreciated


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

TracieH said:


> Hi, I am a 37 yr old female just diagnosed with graves disease this week (although I was already pretty sure that is what it was due to my own personal research). I have so many questions, but my endo didn't seem to have time to answer them. I am hoping (praying) someone on here can help me out.
> First off, my labs are as follows:
> tsh 0.01 (range .5-4.5)
> t4 1.7
> ...


Heavy exercise is contraindicated w/Graves' and while on anti-thyroid meds. May I recommend walking, yoga and some light swimming? You could push your heart too hard not to mention other bodily organs.

What to expect with labs? You would want to see the FT4 and FT3 come down and the TSH go up a bit.

Have you had any antibodies' tests? Are you scheduled for a radioactive uptake scan or did you already have one?


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## TracieH (May 20, 2010)

Thank you for replying. I did have the uptake scan, but the Endo. never said anything about it, other than I have Grave's and a small thyroid.

My thyroid peroxidase antibody was 236
My thyrogobulin antibody was 216

I don't even know what this is or means????


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## ron#01busa (Jan 27, 2010)

to me the results of the uptake scan is very important, after the 5 hr wait, their is a certain percentage of iodine uptake then at 24 hrs their is another reading. the nuclear radioligst reads and forwards the info to the endo, my endo put me on methimizole before i had my uptake then 4 days before the scan i stopped, after the scan i met with the endo and the 3 options were discussed with me.

medication 18 to 20 months of treatment with a good chance of liver damge

i 131

surgery no wayyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!

i elected i 131 no issues at all, jan 2009
now on levoxyl 75 mcg still have aches and pains , good and bad days
but it could always be worse


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

TracieH said:


> Thank you for replying. I did have the uptake scan, but the Endo. never said anything about it, other than I have Grave's and a small thyroid.
> 
> My thyroid peroxidase antibody was 236
> My thyrogobulin antibody was 216
> ...


Well, that is a shame that you did not see the report. It would be good to know about any irregularities re solid or calcified nodules, vasularity, echogenicity and so forth. Rate of uptake! Wow!!

Ruling out cancer would be important. Since your thyroglobulin is so high, that raises an eyebrow re cancer.

What does the test result mean?

Small amounts of thyroglobulin are normal in those with normal thyroid function. If thyroglobulin concentrations are initially elevated in a person with thyroid cancer, then it is likely that thyroglobulin can be used as a tumor marker. Thyroglobulin levels should be undetectable or very low after the surgical removal of the thyroid (thyroidectomy) and/or after subsequent radioactive iodine treatments. If levels are still detectable, there may be normal or cancerous thyroid tissue remaining in the person's body, indicating the need for additional treatment.

http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/thyroglobulin/test.html

http://www.thyca.org/thyroglobulin.htm

elevated in a variety of thyroid disorders thus severely limiting its clinical application. High
levels were found in patients with endemic goitre and multinodular goitre, during the acute
phase of thyroiditis, in subjects with congenital thyroxine-binding globulin deficiency, and in
patients with benign thyroid adenomas as well as differentiated follicular or papillary carcinomas.

http://qjmed.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/59/2/429.pdf

I do urge you to speak to your doctor about this. Let us know.

Welcome to the board. We are here for you at all times.


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## TracieH (May 20, 2010)

Thanks for the information. I called my drs. office and asked for copies of my labs. I guess I should call back and ask for copies of the results of the thyroid scan. My endo. was so vague that I left there feeling like I didn't learn anything. I'll probably have more questions when I get them.


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## Debbie from Milwaukee (Apr 18, 2010)

Tracy:
Sorry you had to end up having Graves' disease. My daughter had it at 17, initially took Methimazole, and ended up doing the radioiodine. I thought she was done with it, but not at 20 she is experiencing some bizarre symtoms and fluctuating thyroid tests that I won't go into here. She really needs to be evaluated by an good endo doc.

I'm not an expert RE: all of the thyroid test numbers, but I DO remember that my daughter got some immediate symptom relief from taking a beta blocker. Also, your endocrinologiest should have warned you to not engage in heavy exercize until your thyroid function is in the normal range. When my daughter was going through all this, some folks on another thyroid forum pointed me toward research that helped us ask the docs the right questions that led my daughter to the best treatment. Glean all of the helpful research and encouragement you can. I have found that people that come to these forums are extremely well informed and not pushy with any certain treatment choice. I wish you well and send thoughts and prayers your way as you learn all about that pink butterfly in your neck that can really turn your life upside down!


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## hillaryedrn (Dec 14, 2009)

Yes, please get results of everything! I hate it when they just say something was "normal". It can be close to one end and causing you problems while still being "normal". Get those results and we'll know more!


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## TracieH (May 20, 2010)

I am so glad I found this forum. Already I have gotten more helpful info. than I got from endo. He never said do not do heavy exercise. Said "just listen to your body." Thank you!


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## desrtbloom (May 23, 2010)

I was diagnosed in March 2010 with Graves and Hashimotos and was told NO exercise....period. I wouldn't exercise at all until you knew more about what is going on and can discuss more at length with your Endo. If this Endo doesn't communicate more, then you might want to find a new one that will take more time to discuss.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

TracieH said:


> Thanks for the information. I called my drs. office and asked for copies of my labs. I guess I should call back and ask for copies of the results of the thyroid scan. My endo. was so vague that I left there feeling like I didn't learn anything. I'll probably have more questions when I get them.


Sadly, we need to learn to advocate for ourselves. I hope we can help you do that.


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