I just said that I was hoping for a TSH between one and two, and free T4 and free T3 in mid-range, away from the subclinical hyopthyroid realm. Well the endo's nurse just called and that has happened, although free T4 is still a bit low. Here is the progression, with latest results in bold:
TSH went from below 0.05 -> 0.17 -> 3.81 -> 3.28 -> 1.87
Free T4 went from 1.3 -> 0.7 -> 0.6 -> 0.7 -> 0.8
Free T3 went from 5.2 to 2.5 -> 2.4 -> 2.8 -> 3.0
Last month's score was after switching to PTU at 50 mg. twice a day.
This month's score follows taking PTU at 50 mg. once a day.
I don't have a lab draw again until mid-July, along with a visit to the endo. I am weaning off the propranolol and stepping up the exercise. Also working on eliminating bad, processed food from my diet, to heal the immune system. Between that and a summer spent working at home, gardening, painting, etc., I hope to put active disease behind me.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Telogen effluvium following subclinical hypothyroidism
Telogen effluvium is the name for the periodic heavy shedding that hair goes through—usually in response to some physical stress: surgery, fever, hormonal fluctuation. Hair from all over the scalp falls out, anywhere from one to six months following the stressor. And telogen effluvium is happening to me right now.
My hair was already looking a little ratty from all that I had lost last summer and fall. Hyperthyroidism tends to make hair fall out and thin its caliber (make it finer). Then anti-thyroid meds such as the ones I took tend to worsen the problem, most likely because they induce hypothyroidism. In my case, I was on the verge of overt hypothyroidism shortly after beginning Tapazole. (Here's hoping the trend is still reversing).
It is still looking ratty as I pull it out by the drain-clogging handful. I'm lucky to have a lot of hair to begin with, with lots of body, but the hair loss is still fairly evident.
The bright side of telogen effluvium is that by the time one notices it, new hair is growing in, pushing out the old. The scalp is soon covered with prickles and a new fringe of virgin hair is growing in. I managed to miss the hair growing back in the last time this happened to me, probably because I was still toxic then, metabolism working overtime.
Other "benefits" of subtle hypothyroidism: Nails become thickened, jowls become heavier, eyes become puffier and weight gets put on. Up 7 pounds since December. And my mind has become sluggish; processing speed is slower and the end result of all that labor is usually not a pearl of wisdom.
If I could do this over again, I would have really put the brakes on the ATDs a month after treatment began, because letting myself get so close to hypothyroidism did me no favors whatsoever.
My hair was already looking a little ratty from all that I had lost last summer and fall. Hyperthyroidism tends to make hair fall out and thin its caliber (make it finer). Then anti-thyroid meds such as the ones I took tend to worsen the problem, most likely because they induce hypothyroidism. In my case, I was on the verge of overt hypothyroidism shortly after beginning Tapazole. (Here's hoping the trend is still reversing).
It is still looking ratty as I pull it out by the drain-clogging handful. I'm lucky to have a lot of hair to begin with, with lots of body, but the hair loss is still fairly evident.
The bright side of telogen effluvium is that by the time one notices it, new hair is growing in, pushing out the old. The scalp is soon covered with prickles and a new fringe of virgin hair is growing in. I managed to miss the hair growing back in the last time this happened to me, probably because I was still toxic then, metabolism working overtime.
Other "benefits" of subtle hypothyroidism: Nails become thickened, jowls become heavier, eyes become puffier and weight gets put on. Up 7 pounds since December. And my mind has become sluggish; processing speed is slower and the end result of all that labor is usually not a pearl of wisdom.
If I could do this over again, I would have really put the brakes on the ATDs a month after treatment began, because letting myself get so close to hypothyroidism did me no favors whatsoever.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Tired of this
For the past two days, I've been looking half surprised. The lid retraction is worse. My eyes don't feel or function any worse—the lid is just a little tighter. Feels as if it has a little sling holding it up.The eye symptoms wax and wane, and now the wax is max.
Currently waiting to hear labs from my endo's office. Haven't tried to call, since I have been busy. It'll be interesting to see if I am still tending toward the hypothyroid side. I feel better than two months ago, so I'm hoping for a TSH between 1 and 2, and FT4 and FT3 values in mid range. That would be nice.
My heart is palpitating a lot more, and the propranolol prescription will run out soon. Might be time to taper off completely, and quit cheating with caffeine, too.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Eye exercises
That's me, doing my eye exercises.Okay, not really. I made that about 8 years ago, just having fun with Image Ready. But doing eye exercises is something for Graves' ophthalmopathy suffers to ask their doctors about. It can extend the range of motion of eye muscles and some claim it speeds recovery—putting eyes through full range of motion in all the cardinal gazes. The drawback (and this is why you need to ask your doctor) is that looking up can increase intraocular pressure in Graves' ophthalmopathy patients. Any glaucoma suffer can attest to why this is not a Good Thing.
Why consider doing exercises? Because recovery from having double vision (diplopia) is not a sure thing.
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