graves Disease

[HellRazeD]

OK. Gotta say it. Neomercazole isnt a TYPE of Carbimazole, it IS carbimazole. Hun I think you mean your free T3 and T4, because TSH levels are measured 0.1-6.7, with 3.3 being normal. Either way, its a decent reading. Your endo SHOULD be angry with that, because its playing with fire! your levels are ok this time though. Sorry, but I get so angry with people who do the wrong thing by their body when a doc is working their ar$e off t fix it. I had a diabetic pt refusing his insulin, then having the gall to blame the docs for him losing his foot! If its a potentially life-threatening disease, DO WHAT YOU ARE TOLD!


Well have any of you ladies who had your fixed had Lithium? Im not keen on it because I am having a hell of a time weaning Simone off the boob, and I cant BF with Lithium in my system, so Im stuck between a rock and a hard place. Worst thing is I am so wound up ATM (as you can tell from above) that I cant cope with the stress of her needing the boob and wanting nothing else.

Apparently I can take the lithium, stop BFing and have the radiothereapy, which is the safer option, or I can keep BFing and not have the lithium and only have the option of surgery... Is it worth the stress?

[HellRazeD]

Was suppose to go for blood tests this week but it is going to have to wait until school goes back. I cant look after my 4 and have a blood test at the same time - stupid doctor i told her about the holidays. Really need to find a new gp

Can you see the specialist yourself??

Other than that, try getting your bloods done at the local hospital, and taking the kids to the rec room for an hour after, or getting the path service to come round. Some services do weekends if that helps... Tell your GP to pull your finger out, but dont forget what Graves can do. She ha your best interests at hears (well, should anyhow...), and sometimes they just need reminding. Best way I found is to take your kids with you to the GP and tell her the path service is not happy to draw when your kids are with you, so can she do it pls.

[~mamaspice~]

Jas, seriously, make an appointment to see Dr Mortimer direct at his private practive at the RBWH. He is a professor of endochrinology and he even bulk bills in his private practice. And you just get your bloods done at he hospital after your appointment and he will ring you the next day with the results.

Serene, I hope you are feeling better soon sweetie. Considering your graves is playing up so badly I guess one thing you'll have to consider is that if you have RAI is it likely you will end up needing more than one dose? The main reason why I chose surgery over RAI was one, because endo said it was likely I'd need more than one dose of RAI which would significantly delay any TTC #2 plans, and 2 having a toddler, she wouldn't understand why I couldn't go within a meter of her for 10 whole days and 3, I had a fairly sizeable goitre. I cannot comment on the lithium sorry. Good luck with your decision.

[Bathsheba]

Ok these are my results:

16 May 2009

T4 = 25.8
TSH = < 0.03
T3 = 7.3

27 June 2009

T4 = 21.1
TSH = < 0.03
T3 = 7.2

So a slight improvement.

HellRazeD: Yes. I'm still wrapping my head around all the Graves related jargon and am still making mistakes. Sorry for those errors. However I do choose to take responsibility for my health and do not follow medical advice without question. I have been ill advised before. Based on my personal experience I will seek the treatment that correlates with the advice of the majority of health professions not just an individual. The endo that I was seeing rushed me in and out within as little as 5 minutes. He spoke dismissively to me and seemed annoyed when i had the nerve to actually ask questions. I on the other hand am constantly speaking to people about my condition (friends and family members who work in medicine, my natropath, at least 3 GPs, my neighbour who is a nurse etc etc etc) and I am going with what the majority recommend. I have always spoken with calmness and respect with the Edno in question and he had no need to speak so poorly to me. I was conscious of not wasting his time but I DO have a right to inform myself. I also would never get emotional with another Graves sufferer if they were not doing things the way I saw fit... so please try to avoid being overly emotive with me. It's my health and ultimately my responsibility. If there was only one right way to treat me then I wouldn't have experienced so many differing approaches. For instance: my usual GP was away when I needed to get my last blood test result. I had previously asked for a baseline white blood cell test before and it was dismissed as being unnecessary. I didn't bother asking this new GP but she suggested it herself! What's the deal there?

Anyhow I'm feeling relieved that my latest results seem to show an improvement. I haven't had acupuncture for a while and perhaps it contributed to my fantastic result at the end of last year when i got the T4 result of 13 so I might have to go back and give that another try. I know that it won't solve the problem alone... but along with looking after my overall health it certainly can't hurt!

[Bathsheba]

I forgot to post the normal ranges according to the pathology report I have. These are:

T4 = 10.0 - 19.0
TSH = 0.50 - 4.00
T3 = 3.5 - 6.5

Isn't it interesting how these "normal ranges" vary so much depending on who you speak to and what you read?

These are the ranges of Dorovich pathology.

[HellRazeD]

Oh Bath! Im sorry hun! It came out all wrong. I was mad about the idiot diabetic I treated, but also shocked you did that! I didnt mean it to sound that way.

Its odd that they dismiss the WBC, since its a serious side effect??? Sounds like your endo needs a goot crack over the back of the head! His JOB is to listen!

Good to see the improvement hunny.

[Bathsheba]

Thanks HR I get sensitive about all this too so i could have read more into your comment that what was intended... no hard feelings.

Yes, I agree that a White Blood Cell test is important... bit too late to wait for the sore throat I think! (To find out if you are experiencing a very dangerous side effect of anti-thyroid medication).

Are those the normal ranges that you are familiar with BTW?

[HellRazeD]

hmmmm a bit different. HAPS has them a little lower for the norm, but the upper is much the same.

[jas08]

bath - to me your results dont look that much above anymore, mine are very similar to yours only one of mine is now too low.
i agree with the sore throat bit, although i have my white cell count checked all the time because i am prone at the moment to colds and flus and everytime i complain to my doctor she sends me off for one. It is good though cause she checks iron levels and stuff at the same time.
Spice - i am threw dr mortimer but i was told that he retired? Maybe they told my doctor fibbs. He told me it would be easier to do it this way, i just get frustrated.
serene - i have been fighting the rai - too much time to have to stay away from the kids. How are you going with the weaning? i know it can be hard - i had to do it with my 3rd and 4th.
will go for my blood tests next wednesday - they will be done two weeks late but for some reason she is saying it might be better for them to be done later then earlier - especialy with the recent change in the dose.
i havent tried the Lithium sorry serene i am no help on that one.

Keep warm and i will chat to you all soon, at least i know that you all understand this illness and what i am going threw - alot of others dont and underestimate it or think it is a death sentence.

[kitten2b]

hi just letting you know I had my hemithyroidectomy yesterday and it was not as bad as I was expecting, bit sore today but only need panadeine for pain relief. I get the results of the cyst next week

[Bathsheba]

Oh thanks for the update Louise! I hope you heal well too... let us know how you feel again in a few days... and your results. Goodluck!

[kitten2b]

very sore today and now my DH (not sure how dear) has decided he is feeling sick and is in bed resting whilst me and mum take care of the kids whom I am not aloowed to lift - men.

[~mamaspice~]

Aww, Kitten, I'm glad the Op went well. Rest up hey.
Males are shockers when they don't feel too crash hot. He must have the man flu

[jas08]

Louise - Hope you are feeling ok still. Hope Dh gets better too and can help out. How are you going post op?

Well i finally had my blood tests yesterday . I know it is late but the results will be back monday and i have an appointment to see her then as well. I have just been feeling really off lately, not sick just funny. I dont have any motivation to do anything. Hope it passes soon, but i feel like i am missing something just dont have any idea what it is.

Hope you are all going well and that the graves is going into remission.

[kitten2b]

Hi everyone

I got my results today and the cyst was large - over 4 cms but was not cancerous and the last ultrasound showed no no other cysts in the other half of my thyroid - phew. So more blood tests in 6 weeks times for thyroid function and then we will see where I am at, but atm all is looking well.

[jas08]

thats great news louise. Hope the blood tests turn out to be in normal limits

[Bathsheba]

That's good news Kitten... hope your DH is better too and that your results come back with good thyroid function.

I was talking to another school mum yesterdeay who says that she doesn't have Graves but ever since she was 11yo her thyroid gland enlarges whenever she is under stress... sometimes she can go years without a problem but recently her sister gave birth to a premmie baby which she also found very stressful as they are close. She also has nodules. It's amazing how many people have it when you mention that you have a thyroid disease yourself.

I'm also under a bit of stress ATM with a relative staying... I hope it doesn't make things worse... because lately I have been feeling really well.

[Michelle79]

Hi there guys long time since i was on here last..... well an update on me is not good my TFT tests are always bad of late....on the
21-11-08
T4- 21.7 (9.0-19.0) this is what it should be between
T3- 9.8 (2.6-6.0 ) as above
TSH <0.01 (0.3-5.0 ) as above

6-4-09
T4- 27.0
T3- 15.8
TSH same as always never changes

2-6-09
T4- 50.7
T3- 46.1
TSH same as above

21-7-09
T4- 35.4
T3- 22.6
TSH as above

Then i found out i may have haemachromatosis just had genetic testing done wont find out till late next week..... Thats not all i go see my endo on Monday his name is Dr Michael De Emden he is one of Mortimers collegues.... i will have to go see my doctor before then to have a Pregnancy test.... I done aone at home it came up positive please help i need info on the risks of being pregnant and taking Neo-Mercazoles i currently take 6 x 5mg tabs a day and im back on 40mg a day of Inderals help me i really stuffed up now i think i just want a healthy pregnancy XXXXX Michelle