General Medicine

» nurseheatherone - Internal Racing Feeling

In response to Internal Racing Feeling posted by daisyelaine:

Thanks Elaine, I must have soem varaiation, I just think it is soo strange that I was hyperthyroid with TSI of 143% and then when I am Euthyroid my antibodies are higher. I am trying to reduce the stress and the anxiety to help lower these antibodies, I did have food allergy testing that are still pending. What are some other ways to help lower antibodies? I remember selenium but when I took it that is when I had that reaction.
Thanks, Heather

-- posted by nurseheatherone

» petersonc - advice on grave's

Hi, I am new to this. I stumbled onto this site yesterday and am trying to figure it out..
I was diagnosed last year.. I don't have my test results written down. I was treated with methimazole and metaprolol. It did work and I went into remission. I was checked in september and was still inremission. I had some major stressors recently my son broke his arm while at grandmas two hours away and my dad was diagnosed with cancer. I am taking classes online to change careers and hit college algebra (major stress!). Anyway, the symptoms returned and I am back on the meds but my endo wants to do the rai which i do not! I did ask about vitamin deficienies and stress conrol but he said stress doesn't cause thyroid to be hyper. any advice on how to help heal my system would be greatly appreciated.
thanks
carla

-- posted by petersonc

» Elaine Moore - Internal Racing Feeling

In response to Internal Racing Feeling posted by nurseheatherone:

Hi Heather,
Anything that helps strengthen, but not stimulate, your immune system can help. This includes avoiding processed foods, cigarette smoke, allergens, chemical cleaning agents, excess dietary iodine, aspartame,etc.; eating a nutrient rich diet and more whole foods; and incorporating some stress reduction techniques such as yoga, meditation, or tai chi. Supplements known as immunomodulators are helpful because they help balance the immune system. These include plant sterols and sterolins, German chamomile, and others. I hope this helps, Elaine

» Elaine Moore - advice on grave's

In response to advice on grave's posted by petersonc:

Hi,
Stress itself doesn't cause thyroid levels to rise. But it's the most common trigger for causing or worsening symptoms in autoimmune thyroid disorders because of its effects on the immune system.
It's possible that you responded well to meds last year but weren't truly in remission when you stopped meds. Ideally, you would have weaned off meds slowly and been tested when you were on a very low dose like 1.25 mg for 6 weeks or so. If your thyroid function tests were normal then, you were probably in remission. If meds were stopped just because levels were
ok and you'd been on meds a year, you probably weren't truly in remission.

Regardless, stress can cause relapses, and when this happens continuing on meds usually works fine. The best approach is to stay on the lowest dose of methimazole needed to keep your FT4 level within range. Over time, the dose can gradually be reduced. As I mentioned, when thyroid function tests including TSH remain within the normal range with a very low dose of methimazole remission is likely. Some people take longer to start secreting TSH though and in this case, when remission is suspected and TSH is low, a TSI antibody test can be used to confirm remission. Best, Elaine

» nurseheatherone - Internal Racing Feeling

In response to Internal Racing Feeling posted by daisyelaine:

Thanks for the info, I will try them out. I already avoid most dairy, have completely cut out aspartame, and am trying to avoid allergens and just figure out if I have any. I am goign to start excercising again today and will try out yoga. I got my new labs back and after almost 2 months of being off of Tapazole my TSH is .444, FT4-1.26 and T3 is 111. I feel good except for the anxiety at these numbers and my Dr. is happy. The only numbers that were elevated was my cholesterol at 220 and HDL at 37:( I am hoping the excercise and stopping atenolol will help. I am just hoping that I am not heading down to hyperthyroid again, I doubt it looking at T4 and T3 though. DO you think my TSH could be falsly low because of the TSI?
Thanks again, Heather

-- posted by nurseheatherone

» Elaine Moore - Internal Racing Feeling

In response to Internal Racing Feeling posted by nurseheatherone:

Hi Heather,
The recommended normal range for TSH is 0.3-3.0, and most normal adults have TSH levels between 0.3 and 1.0 mu/L. Your level could be falsely decreased by TSI and it's known to be falsely increased in GD because of this. Your levels look great.

Cholesterol levels are typically elevated in hypothyroidism. Your elevated cholesterol could still be a reflection of your being hypothryoid from meds a while back, or it could be that your thyroid hormone levels now are a bit on the low side for your body's needs. HDL is your healthy form of cholesterol, and ideally your level would be higher. Exercise can help raise it. I don't see any signs that you're moving back into hyperthyroidism. Best, Elaine

» petersonc - advice on grave's

In response to advice on grave's posted by daisyelaine:

Hi Elaine,
Thanks for the info.. I am on 5mg methimazole now and before was on 10mg. When he said I was in remission, he had me completely quit taking the meds and then two weeks later I had labs done. He said I was in remission. When he runs labs would it be unusual to ask for levels of vitamins like B,D, and calcium?? I was wondering if these need to be monitored or is it just okay to start muli-vitamins and extra calcium???
Does stress impact the immune system which in turn causes the graves to be active??
Also, I am not sure if i have come across the levels for subclinical graves.. I was wondering about this because me endo was suprised that i had graves because my levels were not off by alot and my thyroid uptake scan was almost normal. And an ultra scan shows my thyroid to be almost normal size just slightly larger but not much..
anyway thanks for the info and sorry for rambling
carla

-- posted by petersonc

» Elaine Moore - advice on grave's

In response to advice on grave's posted by petersonc:

Hi Carla,

If you were on 10 mg when you stopped meds, your labs would have looked ok after 2 weeks. TSH lags about 6 weeks behind thyroid hormone levels. If your 10 mg dose was too high your FT4 and FT3 levels may have been low while you were on meds and would have moved intot he normal range after two weeks.

Subclinical hyperthyroidism refers to normal FT4 and FT3 with a low TSH. This would be associated with a normal uptake.

You could and should have a metabolic profile along with a magnesium level. The metabolic profile includes sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, glucose and tests for kidney and liver function.

It's fine to take multivitamins without blood levels. Most doctors don't test for levels of vitamin C or vitamin B, but lately more doctors are testing patients for vitamin D. Best, Elaine

» juicymango - L-Carnitine & diet for Graves

Hi Elaine
I was on carbimazole for my Graves for 15 months and recently tapered off, however, my T4 levels have risen again, from 17.5 to 26.5 in the last 4 weeks (normal range 12-24).
I have 2 questions: I'm going to try L-acetly-Carnitine but do you know if it will reduce the T4 in my blood as well as reducing the symptoms (so I don't have to argue with my endos, who treat according to lab results and not symptoms)?
Secondly, I have been trying to heal my thyroid and immune system through a diet with lots of goitrogens, juice and raw food as all my research seemed to indicate raw food and bowel cleansing to heal auto-immune conditions, however, John Johnson's website recommends avoiding green leafy veg (because of their cadmium content), goitrogens and fruit. Do you have any knowledge/ experience that could help me sort through all this?
Thanks
Helena

-- posted by juicymango

» juicymango - Systemic enzymes and Graves' disease

Hi Elaine
Sorry, I know you haven't even had a chance to answer my last questions yet, but I have been taking Vitalzyme, a systemic enzyme supplement, for the last 2 weeks to improve my overall health, immune system and energy (it now seems I have pernicious anaemia as well as Graves') and it has belatedly occurred to me to worry that the enzymes are also increasing the efficiency of the excessive thyroid hormones. Do you know anything about this subject?
Thank you
Helena

-- posted by juicymango