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What should I ask the Doctor
Well here goes, I get levels of things checked in my blood all the time because I am on Lithium. Well my TSH has been a little high for about a year. At it's highest it was 8.6. So my doctor said that that wasn't the only factor and that I was fine "for now" I just went back to get my 6 month lithium levels done and my Dr that perscribes me that tells me to take my results to my PCP right away. So I did, I went on April 5 and my Doctor said "Oh yeah, it's time to treat" I asked what the result was and he said my TSH was 77.89 He said that was an astronomical jump in just a few months. So he put me on 100mcg of Levothyroxine and gave me more blood work to get done that very same day to make sure it wasnt lab error the first time. Then I get a call two days ago saying the blood work was back and my new TSH level was 86.5 I said should I worry, they said no and schedualed more blood work for two months. My question is this, what questions should I ask to be more in control of my situation? I was reading on here about t4 t3's I don't know if they got those or not. Can I request a copy of my blood work? One more question How long untill I feel alive again? I guess it varys for everyone. Thanks for any help guys, I am new to this and anything you can say will teach me more then I know now! lol
Hypo patients taking T4 meds like Levo sometimes find that their bodies do not adequately convert the T4 med to T3, resulting in inadequate levels of Free T3, which then results in hypo symptoms. Please post your thyroid related test results so we can better assess your status.
I'm taking 200mcg of levothyroxine and 20mg tamoxifen and I still feel lethargic. I was wondering if one drug maybe contracted the other
im new with this site,,
i had my RAI two weeks ago.. and now i haven't any blood test done yet? i never took my hormone medication also? is it ok? i have lots of unusual feeling after then,, and so i know im having hypothyroidism.. the feeling of sleepiness, groggy all the time.. i always hunger for food doing nothing but to eat and eat, do less! what should be the things done or monitored after the RAI? blood test or what? do i supposed to follow up my doctor,, i went through whole body scan,, and my result is this FUNCTIONING THYROID TISSUE REMNANTS IN THE ANTERIOR NECK... somebody gave the comment its cool,, still i welcome your great opinions either.. thanks
i had my RAI two weeks ago.. and now i haven't any blood test done yet? i never took my hormone medication also? is it ok? i have lots of unusual feeling after then,, and so i know im having hypothyroidism.. the feeling of sleepiness, groggy all the time.. i always hunger for food doing nothing but to eat and eat, do less! what should be the things done or monitored after the RAI? blood test or what? do i supposed to follow up my doctor,, i went through whole body scan,, and my result is this FUNCTIONING THYROID TISSUE REMNANTS IN THE ANTERIOR NECK... somebody gave the comment its cool,, still i welcome your great opinions either.. thanks
I agree with what Barb said to you and just want to reiterate the importance of repeat testing every 6 weeks until you reach and hold at optimum levels.
Just for your awareness: new TSH range is .30-3.0, you have been hypo for a very long time. It is critical for you to have the free t4 and free t3 levels checked. Low free t3 levels can cause a huge array of mental problems and issues.....including depression.
I am happy for you that you are on the way to being treated and feeling better!
PLEASE make sure you find yourself a thyroid specialist! :)
Just for your awareness: new TSH range is .30-3.0, you have been hypo for a very long time. It is critical for you to have the free t4 and free t3 levels checked. Low free t3 levels can cause a huge array of mental problems and issues.....including depression.
I am happy for you that you are on the way to being treated and feeling better!
PLEASE make sure you find yourself a thyroid specialist! :)
Thank you that makes me feel a little better. I am just so clueless about all of this that I am glad this site is here! Thanks again! Stay well!
Now that you have started on Levothyroxine it usually takes six to eight weeks to start to get the full benefit from this, then you will need bloods again every three months for a while to keep your levels right, and hopefully you tsh will have dropped. Mine dropped from 145 to 2.12 in the first 6 weeks..It will take time to feel well again a couple of months with most..Bare with it it can be a long hard road but now you are on treatment thats a good thing.Yes you can request a copy if you choose too.
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I'm rather surprised that your doctor started you out on 100 mcg levo all at once. Usually, it's best to start lower and work your way up slowly. I hope starting out at that high a dosage does not cause issues for you.
Your doctor's office is required to give you a copy of your lab work whenever you ask for it. My endo just writes on the lab sheet for me to get a copy right away, then he doesn't have to worry about it. My pcp hands me a copy every time I go to his office. I keep them all in my files, so if I have to change doctors (just did that a while back) or just want to compare levels from one time to the next, I have the reports handy. It's a good idea to track your levels and how you feel at which levels and med dosage so when you get off, you will know what to aim for again.
You should always have new blood work done prior to a med/dosage change and each time your med/dosage is changed, you should be tested again in 5-6 weeks. Only when your levels are stable should you go longer between blood work. I'm at my 2 yr "anniversary" with this monster and just in Dec, did my endo decide for the first time that I could wait 3 months between bloods. I'm not anticipating any changes at this time, so will probably go another 3 months after I see him on the 16th..