# What do these results mean? So frustrated! :-(



## dibdab (Jul 3, 2013)

I am due to have a thyroidectomy but waiting for the OK from my endocrinologist. Had blood tests on 22nd July and my results were as follows:

Free T4 4.11 (9.00 - 19.04) 
TSH 1.39 (0.35 - 4.94)
Free T3 3.01 (2.60 - 5.70)

He reduced my carbimazole from 10mg to 5mg per day and my surgeon asked me to start taking iodine solution to make my thyroid less vascular for surgery. I had more tests yesterday as my endo wants my results to be in the correct ranges so I was really hoping for things to look good - however he just emailed me my results and they are as follows:

Free T4 5.63 (9.00 - 19.04) 
TSH 6.56 (0.35 - 4.94)
Free T3 4.15 (2.60 - 5.70)

So free T4 has stayed low, free T3 has stayed in range but TSH has gone much higher. I am seeing my doc on Wednesday but am so frustrated at yet more waiting, all he has said in the email is to stop taking the iodine so I assume that means no surgery?

Or could it be that the iodine has affected the results, is that possible?

I was really hoping for the surgery in the next couple of weeks as otherwise it is going to be a bad time as have to travel for weddings, I am lucky that I feel OK so I shouldn't moan but I'm so upset at the thought of yet more delays, it's driving me mad. Obviously I need to wait and see what my doc has to say but if anyone has any idea what has happened with my thyroid function I would be grateful to hear it!


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## dibdab (Jul 3, 2013)

I already have my answer....emailed my doc back and he said he cannot recommend surgery for now, so frustrated I could cry! I have been waiting for months for my results to be in the right ranges so I could have RAI and then they decide I should have surgery instead and still more waiting - surely not everyone to ever have a permanent treatment for thyroid has had to wait until they have perfect blood results!?


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

dibdab said:


> I already have my answer....emailed my doc back and he said he cannot recommend surgery for now, so frustrated I could cry! I have been waiting for months for my results to be in the right ranges so I could have RAI and then they decide I should have surgery instead and still more waiting - surely not everyone to ever have a permanent treatment for thyroid has had to wait until they have perfect blood results!?


Wow!! Everyone seems to be vacillating a lot. Why is that; do you know? I hate this for you. If and when you have your thyroid out, you can get on w/ your life.

I am so sorry! Keep us in the loop!


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

I always thought doctors just didn't want you to be hyperthyroid during surgery...you have clearly overcome that hurdle. Darnit.


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## dibdab (Jul 3, 2013)

Arghh yet more waiting, after my blood results being just a teeny bit out (see second set of results in original post) my endo decreased my carbimazole dose to 2.5mg per day which is just ½ a tablet.

Cue more blood tests which I had last week on the 5th......

Free T4 21.09 (9.00 - 19.04) 
TSH <0.03 (0.35 - 4.94)
Free T3 12.24 (2.60 - 5.70)

So now instead of T3 being OK and T4 being low - both are now high :-( I have a follow up appointment with him on Sunday but I haven't the foggiest what he is going to say now - ¾ tablet?! Then more waiting and more blood tests?? SO sick of this now, my thyroid function is clearly flying around a lot with small changes in medication so I can't see how they are ever going to be perfect!


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

dibdab said:


> Arghh yet more waiting, after my blood results being just a teeny bit out (see second set of results in original post) my endo decreased my carbimazole dose to 2.5mg per day which is just ½ a tablet.
> 
> Cue more blood tests which I had last week on the 5th......
> 
> ...


You may benefit from seeing an ENT and getting a second opinion. It sounds to me like you are getting a run around. Meanwhile, you are mighty ill and suffering.

I am sorry for your troubles w/this.


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## dibdab (Jul 3, 2013)

Thanks for the reply Andros - not sure what to do really as I don't know whether I am just being impatient and maybe it is normal for things to be so difficult to get into the right ranges.

I have seen my doc again today and he has changed my dosage and I have to have more blood tests in a month - I knew he was going to say this but still came away feeling totally down.....feels like I will never get it right and now I have various commitments (parents coming to stay as I live overseas, we have a holiday booked, I am studying alongside working so then have exams, more family then coming to stay for Christmas) which means that I can't really have surgery until January, it will by that time have been a year since I was first diagnosed.

I know I can't be that sick if I can postpone surgery voluntarily so I really shouldn't moan but I was so hoping and expecting for it all to be over by now.

I asked my doctor why my results have to be perfect and he said that otherwise it can cause a problem with the anaesthesia during surgery, not sure whether it really can cause a big issue or if he is just playing it very safe - he has done other things that seem like he is a very play it safe kind of guy - like refused to let me go scuba diving because I am on a tiny dose of beta blockers even though thousands of other divers' doctors are OK with it, he said if I can avoid diving then that would be better. Which is another thing that is upsetting me, diving is my big hobby (along with my husband and friends) and I haven't been able to go since December and we are supposed to be diving on our holiday in November :-(

He just doesn't seem to understand my frustrations with wanting to get on with it - I think he thinks I should be OK with going back every month for yet more blood tests followed by yet more bad news, he can't see my rush! I have tried explaining my various commitments/time pressures to him and of course I don't want to go ahead with surgery if it is going to be unsafe but I just feel like he is playing it safe when he doesn't really have to.

Sorry for the long moan, just feeling very frustrated right now!


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

Wow. I can totally understand your frustration. Here's what I don't get...people walk around hypothyroid for months (or years) at a time...it's not pleasant, but livable. Why can't he just make you hypo and get on with it? It's like he's trying to get all of the planets to align absolutely perfectly, and it's not going to happen.

If it were me, I think at my next appointment, I would strongly express my frustration and my need to put this behind me, and let him know that if he does not feel like he can get me to a point where I can have surgery within the next 6 weeks, then I'll need to move on to another doctor. I'm just feeling absolutely no sense of urgency here.

Now, I know there are two sides to every story, and I'm probably thinking about the whole issue far too simply, but it does seem like there should be more progress on this. I'm sure there's far more science behind it than needing to simply make you hypothyroid, but just offering some thoughts.


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