cathy..thank you for the links..i will check it out. i can say that her last test results are
free t4 normal is between 9-23 and she is 77
tpo normal is less then 35 and she is 124
antitg normal is less then 40 and she is 201
tsh is only .05 and should be between .35 and 5.0

and her numbers are raising with each test we get done

ang

Hey Ang - a couple of questions,,,

does your daughter use any aspartame products?

and also do you have autoimmune thyroid disease?
have you yourself been tested for thyroid antibodies?

also i ran these test results by a friend of mine that I consider an expert on thyroid - she mentioned that you can not be diagnosed with Graves from these test results alone. This can just diagnose “autoimmune thyroid disease’...and “hyper”. She could just be Hashimotos.

To diagnose Graves...she would have to have the TSH receptor antibodies....TRabs....with TSI (thyroid stimulating antibodies) dominating...

Have y'all by chance done that test?

Hi,

she acyully had a thyroid scan and all the blood work done, and it was confirmed this morning that she has graves..her peds doctor said its one of the worst cases she has seen, we started her on meds, and in 2 weeks will do anyother repeat of testing and every 2 weeks after that for about 3 months. Im just glad she was finally diagnosed, she was getting really bad..even violent..

ang

Hey Ang,

I don't mean to bug you to death with this stuff but I'm just trying to help....

feel like I need to mention that the scan doesn't diagnose graves, it diagnoses hyperthyroidism and a lot of docs just don't get that hashi's and graves both can cause hypo and hyper. It's the antibodies that tell the story on what it is.

did you get copy of the bloodwork that was done? that is always a really good thing to do. if so would you mind posting the TSI results - and the lab ranges that go with it?

thanks,
Cathy

hi cathy,

your not bugging.. i dont have acopy yet of the blood work as her final one done about 2 weeks before the scan was completed was done by a peds specialist. her tsi(i think that what it is) was way over the limit..as i was explained to on the phone..from what i remebr correctly..she has anti bodies attacking her thyroid, and in turn its proucing to many hormons that are being released into her system..does that make sence? Both the scan and the blood work showed graves. and im hoping its the right diagnoses.

she also has igg/iga deficient, celiac, high blood pressure, ashma, and allergies

ang

Ok then it sounds like they did the TSI antibodies and if they are way over the limit, then it is Graves.

Hi there,

I was diagnosed with Graves about 3 years ago and have just been weened off of medication for the second time - pretty sure I'm in remission.

There are consequences to every form of treatment and the best thing you can do is read, read, read. I think I have a pretty good endocrinologist, but the truth of the matter is the docs simplify things and upon diagnosis, usually recommend RAI. There is a lot of information on hypOthyroidism because the most common treatment in the U.S. is to destroy the thyroid, rendering you hypo.

The weight you lose while in active Graves is MUSCLE - including smooth muscle, which is one of the reasons it's so dangerous.

There is a book called Living Well With Graves' Disease and Hyperthyroidism and it's the most informative book I've found so far for people who choose not to destroy their thyroid to treat the disease. The U.S. is the only country that does this, I think, because of the financial reasons.

I hope you'll do a lot of research and decide what's really best for you, which isn't always what the doctor recommends.

I don't have a thyroid due to thyroid cancer and had to have two surgeries and am on Synthroid, but it's very very difficult for me to lose weight.

Fat and hyperthyroid
 

I don't know if anyone is still watching this thread but I too was just diagnosed with hyperthyroid and I'm fat...fatter than I've ever been at 220lbs and I'm 5'6". I don't understand how I can be fat? And of course, I fear that going on medication will only make me fatter.
So, to the person who first posted....how has it been going?

Sorry to say, I feel absolutely horrible again. Had my levels rechecked after being so called in remission, only to have it back as bad as it was last year. I've gained back all 50 pounds that I so proudly worked off. After I had worked it off was when the Grave's disease started kicking in- I was and am again hot all the time, emotionally feeling funky, have diarrhea all the time, just to name a few symptoms. Today my heart was racing so fast I had to lie down, as it was giving me a headache.

This is just so miserable. I was just starting to lose weight again recently, when this damn thing acted up again. Ssssssssoooooooo frustrating to deal with this, especially during the heat wave. Family has no idea just how hot I am- I've tried to explain to them that I MUST have the air conditioners on at all times, or I will pay dearly because of the heat intolerance. Some didn't believe me and kept shutting theirs off over the 4th of July weekend when I visited them with my family for three days. I am still paying for it today, being hot and miserable all that weekend.

Oh, and the muscle weakness? Just brutal. Lifting a stock pot full of water is painful to me. All this from a very strong, independent woman- I feel like a damn freak now.

I was diagnosed at 19 with hyperthyroidism and was overweight as well. I chose not to have the RI and was told that a hypothyroid was easier to treat. I have a "hot" or toxic nodule..not Graves. My mother had a goiter removed and was hypothyroid and I saw her struggles with weight loss so opted for treatment with medication. I wanted to give it a try before killing my thyroid completely.

It has worked really well for me. There are days that seem like I need a little more meds and days that I need a little less but I've managed thus far. I haven't had any trouble losing weight and my docs are pretty happy with my levels.

I have been on PTU for 13yrs and have carried two pregnancies without incident, except a 10 pounder. Just my two cents. I hope everything works out for you and your docs get your levels under control.

I was Dx'd with Graves Disease about 8 years ago. I started out taking the anti-thyroid meds but I didn't tolerate them well at all. The made me very sick. I looked into alternative methods and learned there was really none other than RAI and Surgery. I'd rather have surgery than RAI, I will NEVER, EVER have RAI. Every doctor I ever went to pushed me to have RAI and one even told me I would die if I didn't have it. Don't let Doctors scare you into believing something, remember you are paying them and you have the right to make you own decisions about your healthcare. Make sure you learn about it and get your facts strait before you make any decisions. I finally have a doctor I can trust.
I decided to do something crazy and try natural therapies, my doctor supported my decision and I was under his care the whole time and still am! I went to acupuncture and took Chinese herbal medicine & I'm proud to say that I'm finally in remission, I hope I can stay in remission. I don't suggest the natural method if you are severe Graves unless you are under your doctors care, you could go into a thyroid storm and that is very dangerous. I was mild to moderate so I took a chance and we kept a close eye on my levels to make sure nothing serious was happening.

The only thing I can suggest is please, please do tons of research on this disease before you decide to have RAI. RAI is permanent and can create a whole new set of problems to deal with so you'd better be damn certain that's what you want to do.

Also, hyperthyroidism is just a SYMPTOM of Graves Disease. IF you kill or remove your thyroid, you still will have Graves Disease.

Oh and I was fat when I was Dx'd too, I haven't been skinny since I was 8 years old! I would always jokingly say. "leave it to me to gain weight with a disease that would commonly cause someone to lose weight, that is just my luck!"

hi I just read this so thought i would reply. I have graves, i was dx'd 4 years ago, we were shocked as well since i have always had a weight issue. i have never been skinny. i have been on the med, mmi for short, since then. I have gained some weight because the med slows down the thyroid. if you can avoid it ,dont destroy your thyroid. the med IS safe for as long as you need to take it. I am on a very small dose now. just wanted to share that you are not the only one fat and hyper, lol,,,