# New and confused!! Dx of Graves



## yale22 (Dec 3, 2010)

Here are my labs from Tuesday:

Free T4= 1.9
Free T4 index = 15.0
T4 = 12.2
T3 uptake= 37
TSH= .007

My endo wants me on 20mg of Tapizole. I think thats a bit high. I was dx' d back in August/Sept. I tried the natural route, lemon balm, motherwort, etc. QUIT smoking 2 months ago, quit caffeine! Put on 12 lbs, (needed too!) gained all my strength back at the gym. But she is going JUST by my labs. This week, not feeling to great out of the blue. Any info would be helpful. Thanks!


----------



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

yale22 said:


> Here are my labs from Tuesday:
> 
> Free T4= 1.9
> Free T4 index = 15.0
> ...


Welcome to the board. I am sorry to hear that you are hyperthyroid. It is desirable to bring you into line fast and the endo should be seeing you like every 4 weeks (maybe even sooner) to do labs and further titrate the antithyroid med either up or down as needed.

Why do you think that dose is too high?

Wonder why no Free T3 lab? That is your active hormone.

We do appreciate the ranges when it is possible as different labs use different ranges. I would hate to guess when it comes to your health.

Have you had any antibodies' tests run? Have you had RAIU (radioactive uptake scan?)


----------



## yale22 (Dec 3, 2010)

Hello..thanks for the quick response. I did have the iodine uptake test a few months back and the endo said i have mild Graves. I acually was pretty sick over the summer and until just this past week, have felt GREAT on no meds! So thats why i was curious if it seemed high. Not sure of the ranges, that was done at the ER tuesday, as i was feeling very lightheaded and dizzy. Turns out i was dehydrated, but wanted them to run those labs.


----------



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

yale22 said:


> Hello..thanks for the quick response. I did have the iodine uptake test a few months back and the endo said i have mild Graves. I acually was pretty sick over the summer and until just this past week, have felt GREAT on no meds! So thats why i was curious if it seemed high. Not sure of the ranges, that was done at the ER tuesday, as i was feeling very lightheaded and dizzy. Turns out i was dehydrated, but wanted them to run those labs.


Okay; many of us, myself included have been on 30 mgs, 40 mgs. etc..

In the initial stages, Graves'/hyperthyroid will wax and wane depending on what the antibodies are doing but it will come back each time with a huge bang and each time worse than before.

Untreated Graves'/hyper is life-threatening so medical intervention is essential. I think you are on the right track. Like most of us here, you may opt for a permanent solution but right now you do deserve to find out for yourself if the antithyroid med is the way for you to go.

Have you had any of these antibodies' tests?

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 are your eyes?

The clinical criteria for Graves' as per Dr. Robert Graves is:

Exophthalmos, pretibial myxedema, thyrotoxicosis and goiter. Do you fit this description?

http://www.thyroidmanager.org/Chapter10/10-frame.htm


----------

