I'm curious about Lab Levels...

Juliekaboolie · 02-13-2003, 04:29 PM

My dr told me that my thyroid checked out on the low side of normal. He said I was a '6' and averages range from 5-12. He said I should feel better at an '8'. What is he talking about?? Btw, he put me on Synthroid and I *do* feel a lot better.

vicandla · 02-13-2003, 04:47 PM

Hi, First of all all Labs have a different range for what is "Normal" for their lab, Your dr says you are at a 6 I would be super exhausted at that, but everyone is different, he is talking about your TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) for the most part this is how they determine if you are hyper or hypo....When I was first dignoised with hypo my TSH was 13.9 right now is is 1.5 and I feel good, some people need their TSH lower than other people..You will know when you don't feel well and I wouldn't let your dr tell you what is "Normal " for you, You need to be able to tell you dr when you don't feel well, and then he needs to treat you as you feel, I was dignoised in 1999 and my levels are still not normal I go up and down, however at this time, since I had a baby 5 months ago, I have been taking two levoxyl pills (generic synthryoid) i take one 1.25mg pill every other day and a 1.50 mg pill every other day, and so far my levels are staying normal, but I have a great dr who listens to me and helps me with my meds and listens to what I say when I say my meds need to be raised and he also helps me experiment with how I take my meds to see which ways are better for me....I hope I have helped you a bit
I believe that you are hypothryoid, I don't understand why your dr is saying 8 is good, that is on the HIGH side of normal, nowadays they start treating Hypothyroidism at 3.00 (TSH LEVEL), My drs labs say that 3-5 is Normal and anything above that needs to be treated as hypo!!!!

Juliekaboolie · 02-13-2003, 06:59 PM

Thanks for the quick reply!!! I think this is why I'm so confused... a lot of the people on this board talk in numbers around like 1.00 or even lower. When he tells me that the normal range is from 5-12 and that I'm a 6 *that* is where I don't understand, kwim? He says that I *am* hypo and I really was totally exhausted before the synthroid... felt like a perpetual bag of wet sand. I am also confused because I just saw a new OB/GYN who works in the same building as my endo and she will be helping us conceive in May. She said that when I see my endo I will probably need to have my medicine increased. Why is she saying this and how would she know this?? Is there a certain level that I need to attain to conceive?? I am so confused!

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer!

vicandla · 02-13-2003, 08:07 PM

ok my opinion is this that your TSH is still too high, You might feel better right now due to it being a bit high and starting meds, but once your body gets used to this dose you will start feeling tired again, all the symptoms will return, until they raise your meds, they have to start everyone on a low dose and increase gradually due to the meds could cause heart probs if increased too fast....My dr says that 6 is still too high, but every Lab is different, I would go to http://thyroid.about.com/library/wee...pothyroid+chat there they have info about hypo , I got alot of my info there, another thing is this, If you feel bad and your dr isn't willing to help you, you need to find another dr, keep looking for a dr that will help even if you go thru 20 drs, they have to understand it is our body and we are the ones who feel like crud!!!
Now the ttc thing they say a good level to be at is between 1 and 2, however I did conceive with a TSH of 4.5 at the time, so I don't stick with that rule too much, now as far as raising your meds, yes from time to time you will have to have your meds raised, you need to have blood levels checked every 6 weeks until your levels come down a bit more, so your ob/gyn is correct about your meds being raised....If you have any more questions and think I can help please email me at safar@ucom.net ANYTIME, I would be glad to help if I can!!!! Good Luck

Juliekaboolie · 02-13-2003, 08:13 PM

You are a total sweetheart!!!!!!!!! Thank you so much for your valuable information. I have been so confused and you have greatly informed and reassured me. Thanks again... I'm going to check out that website after I pick my daughter up from preschool.

vicandla · 02-13-2003, 08:32 PM

Any thing I can do to help a cyster anytime!!!!!

If you ever need any more help please feel free to email me any time!!!

HillarysMe · 02-16-2003, 12:56 AM

About.com thyroid has a page "how to tell if you are hypothyroid". One of the things it says is "If your doctor ran a test called Total T4 or Total Thyroxine, normal range is approximately 4.5 to 12.5."

It makes sense that he prescribed Synthroid, which is synthetic Thyroxine.

Hillary

vicandla · 02-16-2003, 08:03 PM

Julie did your dr tell you which thing he was talking about was he talking about your TSH or your T3, T4 or TFree??? Most drs don't check on those they primairly check TSH first and if its normal will then if you still feel bad check on T3,T4 and or TFree.....Let me know which one and if the link I gave you helped at all!!!!

Juliekaboolie · 02-16-2003, 08:12 PM

Hi Laura! (Btw, I have a sister named Laura!)... my dr never told me which one. He just said he was checking my thyroid and then only that it came back on the low side of normal. I am definitely calling him on Tuesday since we are TTC and asking to be seen earlier than March 24th (which is when my next appt is scheduled). My hair still seems to be falling out (although not at the same rate but enough to warrant another check of my thyroid). The link you gave me helped tremendously! I added it to my favorites as a reference and it has really given me the incentive to have an earlier rather than later appt. I really appreciate your help!

Thanks again!

vicandla · 02-16-2003, 08:19 PM

Hi again Julie, ok well let me know which one it is if you talk to your dr, I am just curious...... That is neat that you have a sister named Laura too!! I know when we were ttc (for over 3+ yrs) I found out a year in of ttc 1999 to be exact that I was hypo, then it took another 2 yrs for me to conceive, but I think alot of my problem was the insulin resistance and being over weight i went from 230 to 186 in 10 months in 2001 I need to lose about 55lbs again too, We too are ttc again, our dd will be 6 months old next month and I will be 33 in April we don't want to put off ttc at all with my age and how hard it was to conceive our DD, but I need to lose some more weight first, my thyroid right now is in the normal range, and I am not tired so I know I am feeling ok right now!! Just holler at me if you ever need any help at all I would be more than willing to help out where I could!!! I wish you tons of babydust!!!!

Juliekaboolie · 02-16-2003, 08:27 PM

Thanks Laura! I'm a bit nervous about TTC... we only really just decided to go for it. I never thought we'd have three because I just felt so awful after having Colin. I just figured I wasn't cut out for the energy demands of raising children and thought we were finished. I never realized it was due to my thyroid!!! I seriously feel like my old self again (minus the heavy weight, of course). I'm nervous about how my body will handle pg with this thyroid deal but I believe that being on Synthroid *and* glucophage will help quite a bit this time. I have had borderline Gestational diabetes with both kids and glucophage should make that better. I am also SERIOUSLY relieved to find out the cause of my depression and anxiety (my thyroid). It feels so miraculous to not feel that way anymore so I'm steadily weaning off the Paxil (thank God... it has been making me GAIN weight... it's driving me crazy! LOL!) Anyway, it's nice to 'meet' someone out there going through similar things.

I really love being a mom and it has always just felt like there someone missing so I'm excited to be trying again, too.

vicandla · 02-16-2003, 08:38 PM

I totally understand where you are comming from I was soooo depressed before I found out I was hypo, I was so relieved to find out it was my thyroid, however it has been a rollercoaster ride with my thryoid since 1999 and it took me quite a while to find a dr I liked and who would work with me, not think he was a god because he was a dr and what ever he said was gospel and not how I felt meant anything, drs can be such a pain sometimes!!

lol
When I was pg with our dd I was on levoxyl (generic of synthyroid) and had my dosage increased 4 times while pg, I also took glucophage up until two weeks before our dd was born, I think that is the only reason why I didn't get gest diabetes, and for what its worth taking the meds will be just like your body is making the thyroid hormone which your body would make if you didn't need the pill to do it for you, My dr assured me that the baby would get everything it needed to form and survive first before my body would get anything, in simpler terms I would suffer before anything would happen to the little one, which made me have a huge sigh of relief, so don't worry too much, The stress of ttc is enough worry!!!
I love being a mom too, always wanted a housefull, but for now I will take what I have and enjoy!!!! I h ave a son from a previous relationship age 11 DH adopted him 6yrs ago, and a Dear step daughter age 13 who lives with us, and Our DD together 5 1/2 month old, how old are your children??? It is nice to have someone on here who knows how I feel!!!! Where are you on your cycle??? and how long ttc #3 so far?Take Care!! feel free to email anytime!!!

Juliekaboolie · 02-16-2003, 08:52 PM

Well, it's a relief to hear that being on Glucophage and Synthroid is safe. I mean, my OB/GYN has reassured me but I'm new to these two drugs and I'm still a little unsure.

Actually, I only *just* stopped taking my BCP last night!

So I should start my period probably Tuesday night and I'll start charting then (or in the morning, I mean). My daughter, Emma, will be 5 at the end of March and Colin will be 3 at the end of July. It took 3 years from start to finish to have Emma and only one month of trying with Clomid for Colin.

I suffered a miscarriage in my first pg at 11 weeks which was pretty devastating for us. We are nervous and excited about trying for a third and we aren't really telling anyone about it right now (except for you chickies on this board! lol!). Good luck with your TTC journey... it sounds like you are being really low-key about right now.