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I am really worried that it maybe graves hyperthyroidism

Posted , 7 users are following.

Guest
Guest

Hello,

I am needing to check with someone about a thyroid problem but am out of the country and was working until 3 months ago. I have been loosing energy over this year. I got a doctors check here in vietnam and they said I have basedow-graves disease and hyperthyroidism.

I am worried their is a translation barrier. My mother has hypothyroidism.

She believed my doctor maybe got it wrong and i had same as her because said that hyperthyroidism makes you more nervy and loose a lot of weight.

9 months ago i did loose weight and had a lot of loose stools and hives but wasnt sure if it was just allergies being in Asia. 

I  later had some skin diseases and just aches and tired feeling. some blurred vision.

Then 5 months ago i put on a lot of weight more than ever before. I have also suffered constipation. so i can look at both conditions and pick out symptoms on both lists.

How can i decide what i have. can i only rely on a doctor who speaks not good english?

My first test was a blood test :

TSH (ECLIA-Roche)   (0.270-4.2)  0.102   low they said

I suffer from anxiety and the doctor said stress caused these problems.

I had an ultrasound where scanned my thyroid and the man said they looked normal.A second doctor said that she thought not too abnormal.

The main doctor said dont worry its not cancer. she gave me another test

The TSH Receptor antibody (TRAb)    3.89 High (,1.22 IU/L>

I was put onto medicine

thyrozole 10 mg

peopeanolve 40 mg

one each a day

another blood test for 4 weeks time. 

I am more worried about having graves disease and hyperthyroidism.

do you have any ideas? 

Also if it were graves, hyperthyroidism, is their any cures and or help?

Sincerely

James

1 like, 49 replies

49 Replies

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  • linda187
    linda187 Guest

    Posted

    Your TRAb test was elevated and this test is a measurement of Graves antibodies.  The Hashimoto's antibody test is TGAb.  Also the anti-TPO test is usually high in people with Hashi's (but can also be high in people with Graves). 

    As far as I know, anti-TPO is a measurement of inflammation.  My understanding is in Graves disease the antibodies attack the TSH receptors in the pituitary and in Hashimoto's, the antibodies attack the thyroid gland itself.  You can have Graves alone, Hashimoto's alone, or a both diseases at the same time.  If you have Hashimoto's at all, you will be very sensitive to prescribed drugs, either thyroid blocking drugs or thyroid replacement drugs like Levothyroxine.  Hashi's responds better to natural supplements treatment.

    • Guest
      Guest linda187

      Posted

      Thank you for explaining Linda,

      I was thinking next what to do. My first doctor has put me on medication for hyperthyroidism and graves i assume so I am not sure if i need to know exactly if it is graves, hashimoto, because wont the medication be different?

      Is hashimoto linked more to hypothyroidism?   

      I guess then from what you said I can treat hashimotos with natural vitamins?

      Is there an exact test to show hashimotos and or graves?    

      I didnt have radioactive iodine uptake test and imaging tests. 

      I heard reverse T3 test isnt so useful after all. 

      i was wondering if at early stages of something like that. If you change your diet, and routine, may it be possible to halt the disease attacking your thyroid?

      I mean my main concern is i do the blood tests in 3 weeks with first doctor who isnt explaining much and my levels say are lower and she lowers dose of medication. What will this tell me about the future and exactly what i have? 

      so maybe their are more specific tests i should be getting. I am getting more stressed because my energy stays low and dont know i am doing the right thing.

      tests more specific  i read online such  as :

      TPO antibodies

      TG antibodies

      TSI

      TBII

       

    • Guest
      Guest linda187

      Posted

      Hi Linda,

      I posted onto hashimoto's forum but have had no one reply yet. 

      I must say i am confused because i read that if you have hashimotos it maybe not so good to take medicine but you may have graves as well which needs that medicine. So what to do in that situation....

      I have also read a comment from another site of a person in the west which I include below:

      I spent several years with a GP telling me my thyroid was normal. But the range for a standard blood test is huge and therefore not very accurate unless your thyroid disease is raging out of control.

      I was finally seen by an endocrinologist who performed a TRH Sensitivity Test.

      Kind of like the gestational diabetes test they do when your you’re pregnant.

      The TRH test involves drawing blood samples to measure TSH and then giving an intravenous injection of TRH to stimulate the pituitary gland to release TSH. The TSH is measured after the injection at various intervals.

      The standard test says 15, 30, 45 and 60 minutes. By measuring the response of TSH to TRH, one can usually tell whether someone has an overactive or underactive thyroid. When I had that test, the endocrinologist told me I have chronic hypothyroidism. And was able to start medication. Suprisingly, I’ve met several Gp’s who don’t know of this test. But any good endocrinologist will know of and utilize this test

  • linda187
    linda187 Guest

    Posted

    You are already confirmed to have Graves antibodies, i.e. TRAb elevated.  The antibodies for Hashimoto's are TGAb.  The TBII is also used to test for Graves.  I would not expect much change in a few days.  Yes Hashimoto patients go hypo when the thyroid gland burns itself out.  The supplement that helps Hashimoto patients is Regular L-Carnitine and vitamin D.  The prescribed meds will cause levels to quickly go high or low but the Regular L-Carnitine keeps levels more stable in Hashi patients.  There was a lady who had Hashi's who posted to this Board and she was able to get it under control with Regular L-Carnitine.  Perhaps you can still find her posts.  Her name was Linnet.

    • Guest
      Guest linda187

      Posted

      Thanks again Linda,

      So I have graves and my first doctor said as you and gave me some medicine i listed at top.

      Maybe I should look for Linnet to ask more on hashimoto's. Is this test called TGAb? seperate for hashimotos?

      I think thats a real bummer some people get both. 

      My doctor said their was maybe a small chance I would loose the disease after 2 and a half years.

      It could be a translation problem and maybe meant get under control. 

      So you wouldnt advise any more tests more than the same ones i took to check in 4 weeks how my levels are?

      I told them to give me T3 reverse but it doesnt sound a lot more helpful. 

      I tried getting the drugs you told me about before. I got alot but no herbs and couldnt find L carnitine.

       

    • Guest
      Guest linda187

      Posted

      Hi,

      I am not sure if I should have wrote down the other two set of results at the beginning. I only wrote the TSH receptor antibody TRAb because it showed High. I included it to the doctor.

      The reason is I read that TROAb is also a good test for hashimoto thyroiditis.

      Anti microsomal (TPOAb) (Roche)  13.10   (<34 UI/mL>wink

      Anti Thyroglobulin   (Roche)            39.84     (<115 UI/mL>wink

      So below are the other tests:

       

    • Guest
      Guest linda187

      Posted

      I have been to the big hospital today and talked to an endocrinologist their who could speak English. He seemed suspicious of the test results after a physical check and ran some more blood tests. He didnt want to run the antibody receptor test because the first test he was satisfied with. I have a follow up appoinment in 3 weeks time, where he said i could have that test if still wanted.

      Free T3 2.13 pg/ml (1.71-3.71)

      TSH 0.47 uU/mL (0.35-4.94)

      Free T4 1.07 ng/dl ( 0.70-1.48)

      From what he told me, he said he didnt think I had a thyroid problem or graves, hashimoto. He said that he thinks being 2 weeks on the drugs i was taking wasnt enough to improve these levels as much as they have been. I asked him twice about this. Also he said for me to stop taking the medicine.

      He said that the test i took today which was more expensive, was standard laboratory and not to trust as much the smaller one.

      previous one was:

      T3 (ECLIA-ROCHE) (0.84-2.02) 1.33 ng/ml

      FT4 (ECLIA-ROCHE) (0.932-1.71) 1.01 ng/ml

      TSH (ECLIA-ROCHE) (0.270-4.2) 0.102 Uiu/ML

      My question is, which levels were considered abnormal in the first test?

    • Mike61308
      Mike61308 Guest

      Posted

      Obviously, as mentioned in your original post, TSH (0.102) was low and abnormal, but T3 T4 were normal to be categorized as subclinical hyperthyroidism. Now all your numbers are in normal range and your doctor told you to be off med? Is it too early? Do you still have hyper symptoms? For this long discussion, I am a bit losing the track of your case... Hope you are certain that no GD is on you and your worries stop now.
    • Guest
      Guest Mike61308

      Posted

      Hello Mike,

      at first i saw 0.47 TSH and thought that being lower was worse but the doctor said ive improved but it wasnt the drugs because it takes 5 weeks or more for the drugs to work. He said to stop taking the drugs and was very confident wasnt a thyroid problem.

      I said to my first doctor thanks but ive taken your advice and seen someone who can speak more english and its come out that its fine. 

      She was adament though that the 2nd test i didnt have this time, receptor antibodies anti TRAb test was high and i do have graves.

      so i dont know mike. One doctor says i do and second one said their laboratory more reliable and to ignore it because dont have graves. I guess i wont feel great until i have another receptor antibodies TSH anti-TRAb test again.  I am no expert. I can only trust in what those with 5 years experience or more tell me. 

      I didnt notice much on the medication. My shoulders relaxed, but thats about all. 

      I would say last few days ive maybe felt a bit better.

      But im not really sure of my situation. Ive wrote to both doctors and hoped they could talk to each other and agree which one is right, then get back to me. I dont know what else i can do. its frustrating.

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