Guest guest Posted August 6, 2001 Report Share Posted August 6, 2001 Terry, What a rude man. And it's amazing that he has you on your ATD still when your TSI is negative. Makes you wonder if he realizes what remission means. I'd go elsewhere too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 6, 2001 Report Share Posted August 6, 2001 Hi Elaine & everybody, This is the next installment of the ongoing " battle with the endo " . I had tests run 2 weeks ago, TSI, FT4, FT3, and I think TBII--and after having to have 2 blood draws, and wait 2 weeks, I finally got a call from my endo this morning. He was, as usual, much annoyed. He said that the TSI was negative " as he expected it to be, since it rarely registered anything for patients who were slightly hyperthyroid " . He also said FT4 and FT3 were in the normal range, and my TSH was slightly low. He then went on to say that he rarely ordered these tests, only when he's trying to figure out whether someone is hyperthyroid, and that he felt they were indicative of nothing at all. I pointed out to him that I had lowered my dosage of tapazole from 15 to 12.5 mgs, then from 12.5 to 10 mgs. and finally, after our June 11 appointment, to 5 mgs. --all against his wishes. I also pointed out to him that I was no longer gaining weight, no longer needing to sleep for an hour and a half every afternoon, and no longer feeling lethargic and brain-fogged since I dropped my dosage. I said that these tests seemed to verify that what I'd done, I had been correct to do. I have to admit, while I was courteous, I wasn't about to let him get to me! I asked him to fax me test results, and he said he was too busy, about to start seeing patients (he called at 7:45 AM), and it'd have to wait until my next appointment in September! Anyway, I called the office this afternoon, after I stopped boiling over, and asked them to fax results to Bart's office. I hope to be able to get actual numbers tomorrow! And as soon as I do, I'm calling around to other endos, including Dr. Greenberg. I have had it with this guy! Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 6, 2001 Report Share Posted August 6, 2001 Terry, Right on! I think you handled him beautifully! You have out- doctored your doctor. If you hadn't called the shots on your dosages you would be very ill now. He is lucky you knew enough to disobey his orders. The tests show very clearly that you were right and he was wrong. Hmmm...maybe that's why he is reluctant to give them to you...Maybe that's why they were run twice. He couldn't believe he was wrong. No wonder he acted annoyed. I was having trouble getting a complete record from my doctor for months. Finally I called the police in the town that she works in and asked if they would come to her office with me to make sure I was given access to them. They said yes. I called her office and said what I wanted and that their time for compliance was over and i would be over with the cops to get them. My doctor called within 15 minutes to say she would have them ready by lunch time. She also stated that they were not my property but hers. I think that has been shown to be wrong in a court of law, however. Anybody know? by the way, I'm still not sure I have the complete record. Make the date with Dr Greenspan right away. Cancel it later if you find someone else. 3 weeks ago the soonest I could get in was in Sept. Might be later now, especially since he's been on vacation. If you are in a hurry you can ask about the clinic. > Hi Elaine & everybody, > > This is the next installment of the ongoing " battle with the endo " . I had > tests run 2 weeks ago, TSI, FT4, FT3, and I think TBII--and after having to > have 2 blood draws, and wait 2 weeks, I finally got a call from my endo this > morning. He was, as usual, much annoyed. He said that the TSI was negative > " as he expected it to be, since it rarely registered anything for patients > who were slightly hyperthyroid " . He also said FT4 and FT3 were in the normal > range, and my TSH was slightly low. He then went on to say that he rarely > ordered these tests, only when he's trying to figure out whether someone is > hyperthyroid, and that he felt they were indicative of nothing at all. > > I pointed out to him that I had lowered my dosage of tapazole from 15 to > 12.5 mgs, then from 12.5 to 10 mgs. and finally, after our June 11 > appointment, to 5 mgs. --all against his wishes. I also pointed out to him > that I was no longer gaining weight, no longer needing to sleep for an hour > and a half every afternoon, and no longer feeling lethargic and brain-fogged > since I dropped my dosage. I said that these tests seemed to verify that > what I'd done, I had been correct to do. I have to admit, while I was > courteous, I wasn't about to let him get to me! > > I asked him to fax me test results, and he said he was too busy, about to > start seeing patients (he called at 7:45 AM), and it'd have to wait until my > next appointment in September! > > Anyway, I called the office this afternoon, after I stopped boiling over, > and asked them to fax results to Bart's office. I hope to be able to get > actual numbers tomorrow! And as soon as I do, I'm calling around to other > endos, including Dr. Greenberg. I have had it with this guy! > > Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 6, 2001 Report Share Posted August 6, 2001 Terry, Good for you on standing your ground with this guy! I am glad you are moving on. Check on about.com dr. find service also...the patients recommend the docs. there. If you need the url let me know, I have my computer back again...finally! Take care and breathe deep! Jody _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 6, 2001 Report Share Posted August 6, 2001 Terry, Good for you on standing your ground with this guy! I am glad you are moving on. Check on about.com dr. find service also...the patients recommend the docs. there. If you need the url let me know, I have my computer back again...finally! Take care and breathe deep! Jody _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 6, 2001 Report Share Posted August 6, 2001 --- Jody Spitale wrote: > Terry, > Good for you on standing your ground with this guy! > I am glad you are > moving on. Check on about.com dr. find service > also...the patients > recommend the docs. there. If you need the url let > me know, I have my > computer back again...finally! > Take care and breathe deep! > Jody > > _________________________________________________________________ > Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at > http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp > > __________________________________________________ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 6, 2001 Report Share Posted August 6, 2001 sry that was an oooops. dont know how it happened. donna --- Donna wrote: > > --- Jody Spitale wrote: > > Terry, > > Good for you on standing your ground with this > guy! > > I am glad you are > > moving on. Check on about.com dr. find service > > also...the patients > > recommend the docs. there. If you need the url > let > > me know, I have my > > computer back again...finally! > > Take care and breathe deep! > > Jody > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > > Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at > > http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp > > > > > > > __________________________________________________ > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 6, 2001 Report Share Posted August 6, 2001 Elaine, I am curious about what you're saying, the implication is that I am solidly in remission--whereas *he* still claims I'm hyper. I assume I'm normal on 5 mg., based on the bloods. I did experiment for a few days this last week, dropping my dose to 2.5 mg. a day, and although I had no overtly hyper signs, my pulse was still in the 70's, I was still sleeping OK, etc., I did feel a little more jangly, so to speak. So, I went back to 5 mg. I had a big job this weekend, 210 guest wedding to cater, and felt that maybe the stress was going to combine poorly with the again-lowered dosage. Essentially I couldn't tell which was what, so decided not to proceed with 2.5 yet. So I guess my slight confusion is, do the tests reflect where I am or where I and my tapazole are together? Thanks for your ongoing help. I do think, as I go through this, that it will maybe help others understand this stuff as well. At least, I hope so! Terry > From: daisyelaine@... > Reply-To: graves_support > Date: Mon, 6 Aug 2001 21:43:36 EDT > To: graves_support > Subject: Re: test results...sort of > > Terry, > What a rude man. And it's amazing that he has you on your ATD still when your > TSI is negative. Makes you wonder if he realizes what remission means. I'd go > elsewhere too. > > > ------------------------------------- > The Graves' list is intended for informational purposes only and is not > intended to replace expert medical care. > Please consult your doctor before changing or trying new treatments. > ---------------------------------------- > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 7, 2001 Report Share Posted August 7, 2001 Hi Terry, According to current theory, hyperthyroidism in GD is caused by stimulating TSH receptor antibodies (also known as thyroid stimulating immunoglobulins or TSI). These antibodies mimic TSH and latch on to the TSH receptor, just like TSH does, telling the thyroid to make more hormone. These antibodies also ignore the normal feedback mechanism. Normally, when thyroid hormone levels are already high, TSH is suppressed. Consequently, the thyroid slows down thyroid hormone production. This is a regulatory mechanism intended to keep you from becoming hyperthyroidism. Anyway, it's these antibodies causing the hyperthyroidism. Granted, a few people who are hyper will have negative titers but not very many. The idea with ATD's is to measure these antibodies or the size of your goiter. When you respond to treatment, your TSI levels fall. Usually, negative titers indicate remission but you really need a baseline level to compare them to. Perhaps, you're one of the rare people who started out with negative levels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 7, 2001 Report Share Posted August 7, 2001 Forgot to answer the other part of your post. Yes, your thyroid hormone levels, the FT4 and FT3 indicate what your thyoid status is when you're on ATD's. Sometimes you can experience temporary symptoms just from the change in thyroid levels. Not because they're high, but because they're higher than they were. As long as you're not hypothyroid on your low dose of ATD's it won't hurt you to stay on it. A lot of people on this board have lots of experience using ATD's and weaning off them. From what I've heard a conservative approach seems to work best, but maybe Jeannette can tell how you how she went about achieving remission. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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