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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by bleauberry on September 26, 2008, at 10:22:44
http://www.thyroid-info.com/articles/shamestsh.htm
Hi Phillipa,
Thought I would pass this along. Good book on thyroid, especially geared toward people who have doctors treating them by labs instead of symptom improvement. Here is just an excerpt from it, with a nice section on how to write a disclaimer so your doctor can prescribe what you want to try.
You could change the disclaimer to whatever particular dose or med you want.Also in "Thyroid Power", we have a special section that can help you enormously in getting the dose you need from your health provider. It is called "Show This To Your Doctor". In addition to this support, we have another powerful suggestion for you. In asking your practitioner to aim for a low-normal TSH, you might have better luck in if you write up your own disclaimer ahead of time. A simple statement, inserted into your medical chart, could go as follows: "I understand that Dr. _________ has advised me that the amount of thyroxine on which I feel most comfortable results in a TSH level that is considered less than optimal by the doctor. I hereby release and hold harmless the doctor for allowing me a clinical trial of this dose. The pro and con have been explained to me."
Keep in mind that this high a dose of thyroxine, and this low a TSH result may not be needed forever. Optimal thyroid dosing is an ongoing process. The ideal level is always a moving target, depending upon many factors. These may include age, constitution, illness, stress, pregnancy, menopause, other life crises, and in addition - how long you have been on thyroid medicine.
Posted by Phillipa on September 26, 2008, at 13:14:03
In reply to Phillipa....Thyroid Stuff, posted by bleauberry on September 26, 2008, at 10:22:44
Bleaberry that is incredibly sweet to send this to me. I just want an interpretation of if I'm hyper or hypo with a TSH of .567 and Free T4 of l.54? Waiting til New Years is a long time to continue this. And you don't get to see the endo as the networks only let you see your one you started with and mine is only working two days a week. Thanks Love Phillipa I will go to the link now.
Posted by Phillipa on September 26, 2008, at 13:23:57
In reply to Phillipa....Thyroid Stuff, posted by bleauberry on September 26, 2008, at 10:22:44
Since it was less I wanted to raise the thyroid to at least 2.5 this is the opposite and says my TSH is normal. But was Told by endo the Free T4 is a lot more importants. Interesting. Phillipa
Posted by bleauberry on September 26, 2008, at 17:55:30
In reply to Re: Phillipa....Thyroid Stuff » bleauberry, posted by Phillipa on September 26, 2008, at 13:14:03
Phillipa,
Sure wish you had a different doc for thyroid treatment. Either MD or endo, don't matter, just a different one. Someone you can see. I mean, everyone knows thyroid issues need constant review. Work on it. There must be a way. Talk to whoever the payer is.I wish I could send you this graph I have. Awesome. It was developed by an endo that treats patients by symptoms and not lab numbers. He doesn't care what their doses or labs are, as long as they feel better. He created a graph that is based on patients feeling the best.
Picture this...a row going from left to right with TSH numbers starting real low at the left of the page and going to real high at the right of the page. Underneath it is another row for free T4. Underneath that is another row for free T3. You find your TSH number on the top row and mark it. You find your free T4 on its row and mark it. You find your free T3 on its row and mark it. The optimal lab numbers are when all three marks line up vertically on the graph, one above the other, all somewhere near the center of the page.
Mine look bad. My TSH is fairly ok, left middle, but free T4 is way off to the right and free T3 is way off to the left. What does that mean? It means I have plenty of T4 but it is mostly being converted to reverse T3 instead of free T3, which is not good. That is classic for mercury toxicity. Reverse T3 is the brakes. It is only meant to balance things out, but not meant to be dominant.
I don't have your free T3 numbers so I can't see the whole picture. But your TSH is off to the left, and your free T4 is way off far to the right. That alone does not look pretty. I can see why you are fatigued and tired. Makes perfect sense. It looks like the brakes are on full. I am no doc and certainly no endo, but folks at thyroid forums who know this stuff real well say the last thing you need is anything with more T4 in it. Instead what you need is pure T3. They say that your TSH can go down to almost nothing and that is safe and fine. What matters is how you feel. Lab numbers are only guidelines, and very broad guidelines at that. Normal lab numbers does not mean normal feelings. Even if all the numbers are in normal ranges, it means nothing unless they are all looked at in comparison to one another, as on the graph I mentioned. The 3 numbers relative to each other paint the true picture of what is going on.
What makes the most sense...taking whatever doses improve how the patient feels.
What makes the second most sense...taking doses that align the numbers on the chart vertically.
What makes the least sense...taking doses based on predetermined guidelines, styles, or biases.
> Bleaberry that is incredibly sweet to send this to me. I just want an interpretation of if I'm hyper or hypo with a TSH of .567 and Free T4 of l.54? Waiting til New Years is a long time to continue this. And you don't get to see the endo as the networks only let you see your one you started with and mine is only working two days a week. Thanks Love Phillipa I will go to the link now.
Posted by Phillipa on September 26, 2008, at 19:51:45
In reply to Re: Phillipa....Thyroid Stuff » Phillipa, posted by bleauberry on September 26, 2008, at 17:55:30
I know that's what's so darn frustrating babblemailed you. Love Phillipa now you have me scared.
Posted by Phillipa on September 26, 2008, at 21:24:28
In reply to Re: Phillipa....Thyroid Stuff » bleauberry, posted by Phillipa on September 26, 2008, at 19:51:45
Blueaberry you didn't even send a link to a good thyroid forum please do. Thanks Phillipa
This is the end of the thread.
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