Aa
preparing for my endo referral in 2 days...
Hey everyone,
Wondered if anyone can help me in what the important things to stress to the endocrinologist i am seeing this thursday are:
The history of my TSH levels are:
Dec 2008: 7.5
Feb 2009: 5.8
May 2009: 5.7
September 2009: 7.2
October 2009: 5.7
obviously they are not consistant, I have just had my Thyroid antibodies tested and the levels are normal- ruling out anything autoimmune. I have had a full blood work done for which everything else was ok.
I have over the last year suffered from: muscle weakness, tiredness, bad joint pain, extreme coldness in feet hands and nose, have gone from u.k size 4 to u.k size 8 (which doesnt bother me as i have always been too thin!), a very slight numbess in my left leg (and sometimes in my left arm), irregular periods (that are heavier than they used to be), TMJ pain (dont know if this is related or independent from thyroid problems), noticed a lot of hair falls out in the shower and when brushing, brittle nails, dry itchy eyes, vertigo (although i feel this is more related to my TMJ and grinding my teeth in my sleep).
my main worry is that my G.P keeps saying, oh, your not much over the lab range (which upper limit is 5.5) and i get so annoyed as it is still over the threshold, even if 'not by much'. She keeps trying to prescribe me mild forms of an antidepressant for my anxiety, but i keep trying to tell her that I seem so anxious because I have been feeling like this for a YEAR now and no one is doing anything.
I am worried the endo will say the same thing? Does anyone know whether they use more sensitive lab ranges or will maybe trial me on some kind of meds? I am just wondering what to expect really, and if anyone has any advice as to what I can say to insist my case.
thanks in advance for any help anyone can give,
Clare :-)
Wondered if anyone can help me in what the important things to stress to the endocrinologist i am seeing this thursday are:
The history of my TSH levels are:
Dec 2008: 7.5
Feb 2009: 5.8
May 2009: 5.7
September 2009: 7.2
October 2009: 5.7
obviously they are not consistant, I have just had my Thyroid antibodies tested and the levels are normal- ruling out anything autoimmune. I have had a full blood work done for which everything else was ok.
I have over the last year suffered from: muscle weakness, tiredness, bad joint pain, extreme coldness in feet hands and nose, have gone from u.k size 4 to u.k size 8 (which doesnt bother me as i have always been too thin!), a very slight numbess in my left leg (and sometimes in my left arm), irregular periods (that are heavier than they used to be), TMJ pain (dont know if this is related or independent from thyroid problems), noticed a lot of hair falls out in the shower and when brushing, brittle nails, dry itchy eyes, vertigo (although i feel this is more related to my TMJ and grinding my teeth in my sleep).
my main worry is that my G.P keeps saying, oh, your not much over the lab range (which upper limit is 5.5) and i get so annoyed as it is still over the threshold, even if 'not by much'. She keeps trying to prescribe me mild forms of an antidepressant for my anxiety, but i keep trying to tell her that I seem so anxious because I have been feeling like this for a YEAR now and no one is doing anything.
I am worried the endo will say the same thing? Does anyone know whether they use more sensitive lab ranges or will maybe trial me on some kind of meds? I am just wondering what to expect really, and if anyone has any advice as to what I can say to insist my case.
thanks in advance for any help anyone can give,
Clare :-)
Good Afternoon, I just wanted to let you know that I did decide to sent a request thru portal for a copy of my Thyroid imaging & received the results today. Correction, it was performed on 1/14/03, well I know you were interested in the results. So, here they're. Let me know what you think:
Comparison: 12/24/02 thyroid ultrasound report, so here's my 12/24/02 results first:
Thyroid Sonogram:
The right lobe measures 4.1 x 1.5 x 1.5. The left lobe measures 3.8 x 1.6 x 1.3 cm. Heterogeneous thyroid parenchymal echotexture without evidence of a discrete nodule.
Thyroid Imaging-1/14/03:
The patient eceived a 10 mCi Tc99m labeled pertechnetate and a thyroid scan was performed.
FINDINGS: The thyroid lobes are not enlarged. There is distribution of radiopharmaceutical throughout both lobes uniforml with avid uptake by the thyroid. No focal areas of abnormal increased or decreased activity is seen. Because of the small size of the inferior thyroid nodule described on the earlier ultrasound within the left lobe. It is not surprising that this would not be discretel seen at ultrasoun as it mesured less than 1cm.
IMPRESSION:
1. No focal nodule is identified on nuclear medicine thyroid scanning. There is avid uptake of radiopharmaceutical.
2. Because of the small size of the nodule seen on the earlier ultrasound of the thyroid 12/24/02. A nodule measuring less than 1 cm such as this would not be expected to be seen on nuclear scanning.
Comparison: 12/24/02 thyroid ultrasound report, so here's my 12/24/02 results first:
Thyroid Sonogram:
The right lobe measures 4.1 x 1.5 x 1.5. The left lobe measures 3.8 x 1.6 x 1.3 cm. Heterogeneous thyroid parenchymal echotexture without evidence of a discrete nodule.
Thyroid Imaging-1/14/03:
The patient eceived a 10 mCi Tc99m labeled pertechnetate and a thyroid scan was performed.
FINDINGS: The thyroid lobes are not enlarged. There is distribution of radiopharmaceutical throughout both lobes uniforml with avid uptake by the thyroid. No focal areas of abnormal increased or decreased activity is seen. Because of the small size of the inferior thyroid nodule described on the earlier ultrasound within the left lobe. It is not surprising that this would not be discretel seen at ultrasoun as it mesured less than 1cm.
IMPRESSION:
1. No focal nodule is identified on nuclear medicine thyroid scanning. There is avid uptake of radiopharmaceutical.
2. Because of the small size of the nodule seen on the earlier ultrasound of the thyroid 12/24/02. A nodule measuring less than 1 cm such as this would not be expected to be seen on nuclear scanning.
Good Morning! I'm relieved to know that the radioactive scan performed in 2005, wouldn't have any play in my diagnosis of Hashi's. Yeah, I agree the results to that particular scan would be interesting to see. Per the Endo.'s office, said that my results would've been forwarded to my PCP. Therefore, I'm gonna ask him for it, next time I'm in his office. I don't want to send a request over the portal, because I think they're mad at me for requesting more blood test. I've realized, it really doesn't make a difference being it's was performed in or around 2005. I was anxious in trying to get the radiologist report, to confer with a radiologist if that particular scan would've had a play in me having Hashi's now. As stated above, I did speak with a tech. that does the scan's & with you also confirming it wouldn't of had damaged my thyroid tissue. I'm less stressed about it. Also, I told my husband, would I really want to know. I can deal with that scan not being the cause more than it being. Anyhow, I will definitely share the results with you, once I receive them if my PCP does have them.
Yeah, I never really had a interest in watching Dallas yrs. ago either. I was alot younger & really didn't watch much tv at all. My mom would watch it, if I walked in in the middle of the show I would finish watching with her. I always thought Bobby was cute, lol! Anyhow, when it started up again I am a little more into tv now, so thought I'd watch it and see how much Bobbie has changed. I must say, it's a very good show.
I did receive a response from my PCP's nurse yesterday afternoon, here it's:
Tammy,
Per Dr. at your next office visit we will check TSH, FT3/FT4, Vitamin D, B-12, Iron, and
CMP check.
I think the CMP check, is pertaining to my liver. I know something serious must've showed on 8/2 results pertaining to my liver, because when I asked for the results yesterday. She said, he hasn't reviewed them yet. I was getting the results back the same day, a couple hrs. after the blood draw. So, I think he was putting stats on them. Not sure why it has taking, as of today 7 days and still not having them. I'm real nervous about getting them now. Sometimes, outta sight outta mind. On the other hand, it's my health & I'm anxious to get them.
Just wanted to let you know, you're a lot of support, you don't even know how much you've helped me & relieved my mind.
YOU'RE THE GREATEST!!! :)
Yeah, I never really had a interest in watching Dallas yrs. ago either. I was alot younger & really didn't watch much tv at all. My mom would watch it, if I walked in in the middle of the show I would finish watching with her. I always thought Bobby was cute, lol! Anyhow, when it started up again I am a little more into tv now, so thought I'd watch it and see how much Bobbie has changed. I must say, it's a very good show.
I did receive a response from my PCP's nurse yesterday afternoon, here it's:
Tammy,
Per Dr. at your next office visit we will check TSH, FT3/FT4, Vitamin D, B-12, Iron, and
CMP check.
I think the CMP check, is pertaining to my liver. I know something serious must've showed on 8/2 results pertaining to my liver, because when I asked for the results yesterday. She said, he hasn't reviewed them yet. I was getting the results back the same day, a couple hrs. after the blood draw. So, I think he was putting stats on them. Not sure why it has taking, as of today 7 days and still not having them. I'm real nervous about getting them now. Sometimes, outta sight outta mind. On the other hand, it's my health & I'm anxious to get them.
Just wanted to let you know, you're a lot of support, you don't even know how much you've helped me & relieved my mind.
YOU'RE THE GREATEST!!! :)
When you go to endo make sure they listen thyroid can cause you to be anxious but do not let them blame stree or anxiety its an imbalance in hormone
Yes, you are requesting the correct tests.
I really doubt the radioactive scan damaged your thyroid in any way. Radioactive scans are standard procedure and done all the time. I've never heard of one damaging anyone's thyroid. However, it would be interesting to see the results of the scan report...it's too old to be worth a lot now, but since you never went back, it would be interesting to see if the scan found anything relevant.
Oh, I didn't know it had started up again...probably because I never watched it when it was on before. Hope you enjoyed it.
I really doubt the radioactive scan damaged your thyroid in any way. Radioactive scans are standard procedure and done all the time. I've never heard of one damaging anyone's thyroid. However, it would be interesting to see the results of the scan report...it's too old to be worth a lot now, but since you never went back, it would be interesting to see if the scan found anything relevant.
Oh, I didn't know it had started up again...probably because I never watched it when it was on before. Hope you enjoyed it.
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