# Lab Help



## KarlaC1983 (Feb 7, 2013)

So I have been frequenting this board for a while, thanks for letting me lurk!
So I was diagnosed with some type of hyperthyroid problem back in November of 2012. The NP that I see felt a lump in the right side of my neck and drew a FT3 level and a TSH: They were 4.77 and 0.01. She knew I had some sort of problem so she put me on Methimazole 15mg and sent me to a specialist. 
I went to the specialist in Dec 2012 and explained some of my symptoms emotional lability, fatigue, insomnia, heat intolerance, itching, weight loss, no apetite, hair loss and breakage, increase in heart rate with palpitations. It was starting to make some sense. She told me I probably had Graves or hyperthyroidism brought on by a viral process but Graves was more likely. I had the labs done and had the antibody for Graves so it was confirmed.

But I am concerned about the labs that are only being run seeing what many of you guys get drawn:
Dec '12 
FT3 1.74 (.8-2.0)
TSH 0.01 (.5-5)
Feb '13
FT3 1.47
TSH 0.02 
4/17
FT3 0.99
TSH 0.02

My methimazole dose continues to remain at 20mg too, does this seem high to y'all? I'm gaining weight and I'm not eating differently. I don't want to go hypo, but I feel that I will.

Please let me know what you think!
Karla


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## HotGrandma (Sep 21, 2012)

Karla you are already hypo based on T3 Free in April. Your TSH can take months to catch up where your T3 is. I would bring this to the attention of your Dr and have the doas of Methimozole reduced ASAP. While on Methimozole you really need to have your labs done every 4 weeks never longer. See if your doctor will add Free T4 to your labs. Typically docs look at the Free T4 when dosing.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

KarlaC1983 said:


> So I have been frequenting this board for a while, thanks for letting me lurk!
> So I was diagnosed with some type of hyperthyroid problem back in November of 2012. The NP that I see felt a lump in the right side of my neck and drew a FT3 level and a TSH: They were 4.77 and 0.01. She knew I had some sort of problem so she put me on Methimazole 15mg and sent me to a specialist.
> I went to the specialist in Dec 2012 and explained some of my symptoms emotional lability, fatigue, insomnia, heat intolerance, itching, weight loss, no apetite, hair loss and breakage, increase in heart rate with palpitations. It was starting to make some sense. She told me I probably had Graves or hyperthyroidism brought on by a viral process but Graves was more likely. I had the labs done and had the antibody for Graves so it was confirmed.
> 
> ...


There is a lag time between the TSH and the FREE T3. FREE T3 is all telling; I think you are hypo.

I am sorry this has happened to you but do know we are here for you.


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## KarlaC1983 (Feb 7, 2013)

So I was looking at the papers I was sent. I had my sister read them to me yesterday am while I was at work as I work the night shift. So I am sorry I made a mistake when reporting, there wasn't a FT3 except the first one that the NP did in November:

My labs were 12/21/12 
FT4 1.94 (.58-1.64 ng/dl)
TSH .02 0.34 (0.5-5.5mUL)
TSH receptor ab 6.52 <= 1.75IU/L

2/7/13
FT4 1.47
TSH .03

4/17
FT4 0.99
TSH 0.03

Its still the same results right? pretty much I'm hypo. Its how I've been feeling. I was going. I will call, I have been trying to to tell the nurse this but I don't think she was communicating this to the doc, or my doctor isn't listening. After my last 2 labs, I have asked for a dose reduction. I am going to schedule another appointment.


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## HotGrandma (Sep 21, 2012)

Karla please do call you Dr and get a reduction ASAP. When my T4 free droped to .90 I experienced so serious pain radiating down both arms into my hands. Couldn't hardly move them for months. It took a long time to crawl out of that hypo hole. Sening good withes and luck


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

> 4/17 FT4 0.99
> TSH 0.03


1.11 is mid range for your FT-4. Your doctor is dosing you hypo by TSH, which can lag 6 weeks.

Now that your are on an anti thyroid, much like being on replacement - it is best to adjust doses by FT-4 and FT-3.

Your doctor will not know how to do this ( based on their dosing you so far) so you need to be proactive and ask for the dosage you want to be on.

Sad to say ... this is reality of living with thyroid disease.


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## JPGreco (Mar 2, 2012)

Ok, I'm not sure why people are saying you are hypo when you are technically in range. Your april tests has your FT4 at the very bottom of the range. Based on that info, I don't believe it will take long for you to GO INTO hypo, but you weren't as of that test date.

I agree that you should be dialing back the amount if it has you at the bottom of the range to begin with, but its a little hard to say that before you show that its too much. Your dec and feb tests look good, and if I were a doc, I would have held you at that dose for another month or so to see if thats what you needed or if it was too much. You don't really know if its too much until you get results that are too low, which your april tests showed. So insist on dialing it back, but not by much. You want to zero in on that mid to upper 3rd range. The TSH will follow suit.

Good luck


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