Questions for all of those out there with thyroid issues

[Blueberry]

Indysteel-

I'm sorry that I have no advice to offer, but wanted to extend my sympathies to you. This sounds like such a difficult thing to be dealing with, and I wish you all the best in getting answers that you need and deserve!

[maillotpois]

Indysteel-

I'm sorry that I have no advice to offer, but wanted to extend my sympathies to you. This sounds like such a difficult thing to be dealing with, and I wish you all the best in getting answers that you need and deserve!

What she said. I'm sorry.

I've been pretty lucky with my Hashimoto's - I am to a point where I can self adjust my meds (mostly depending on if its a fat time of year or a thin time of year ) if needed to get the right "feel". I haven't known what my #s are for years, although my doc tests me yearly to make sure things are ok. So I have no feedback on your #s because its been 15 years since I even really had a good handle on what they all mean.

[Catrin]

(((Indy))) it can be frustrating for sure. As someone who had a very advanced case of Graves in her 20's I do remember how frustrating and challenging it was to get under control (in my case we could not which is why my thyroid was removed when I was 25).

Fortunately they are catching it while it is still mild, and that is awesome. No less frustrating because it can be challenging to get the levels where they need to be and keep them there. I no longer remember what all of the numbers mean, I wanted to say that I am sorry you have having to go through all of this. It isn't fun, for sure.

I second the suggestion that it might be worthwhile to get another opinion. Yes it is going back to square one, but the ultrasound and other scans have already been done so at least that won't need to be repeated. Sending good thoughts and wishes your way.

[indysteel]

Thanks for all the sympathy, ladies. I actually don't feel bad right now; I just think I might feel better and that it might be worth playing with my meds a bit more. My doctor just signed off on just that. I'm going to take my current dose every other day instead of every day for the next six weeks. Then I'll get some more labs and see where we are. If I start to feel like I'm undersuppressing in the meantime, we'll reevaluate.

At this new dose, I'll keep an eye on my heart rate, as well as whether I'm sleeping okay. I'm a light sleeper anyway, but when my thyroid was hyperactive, I was waking up feeling really anxious, with what felt like (and likely was) a racing heart. If, on the flip side, my TSH doesn't budge much with this new decrease in meds, then I will consider getting a second opinion.

I just want to see what I it feels like to have a thyroid that is more squarely in the range of normal. Of the various TSH tests I've had over the years, the one that might be a good place to aim for was in 2007 when it was in the mid 2s. I rode 5k miles that year (my first full year of riding), so I must have had a decent energy level! I want that person back.

I think what's most frustrating is just how hard it is to understand the numbers. My doc has explained some of it, but the Internet has been both a blessing and a curse. It helped me appreciate that my GP's original take on my various tests was incorrect (which is why I saw an endo in the first place), but it also makes me second guess not only the tests that my endo is running, but her evalulation of those results. I do think you need to be your own strongest advocate, but it's hard to suppress the urge to out doctor your doctor.

So, we'lll see. Thanks again. I do take a lot of comfort that it appears my case is mild. My sister wasn't so lucky. It didn't help that her GP at the time assumed (based on her bevy of emotional problems) that she was suffering from anxiety. He treated her with drugs that masked some of her thyroid symptoms. It wasn't until she tried to go off of those drugs several years later that they realized his mistake. By then, she'd sort of gone off the deep end in a lot of ways.

[Koronin]

(((HUGS))) I really only can offer my support. Although both my sisters have thyroid disease (one has Graves, the other has Hashimoto's) I really don't know a lot about it. They both take Lamictol for it. (I'm sure I did not spell that correctly). My sister with Graves actually had to have surgery to remove the lymph-nodes.

[indysteel]

Thanks, Koronin. I sure hope you're keeping a close eye on your thyroid!

[Koronin]

I get mine checked once a year with my annual check ups to make sure all is well. My previous doctor felt we just needed to check it with the annual check up unless I felt something was off. Had to get a new doctor last year after moving across the state. My new doctor also felt since I've not had any issues that checking it once a year should be fine just to make sure it's alright. My old doctor even covered the cost of it when my husband was unemployed and we didn't have any insurance as she felt it was that important and knew it was going to be a strain for me to pay for it.