Re: getting diagnosed - another poll

[Guest guest]

Hi Pam,

It's also not that uncommon for the people sending out the reference tests to

send out the wrong tests. This is a real possibility. But if you have

hyperthyroidism (indicated by your labs) and any positive thyroid antibody

tests, they should have diagnosed you with GD and started treatment. You

could call and ask what they have in mind and mention all your symptoms. Not

all doctor's offices and not all labs are particularly efficient. good luck,

elaine

Also, can anyone put my name in the subject heading and give me the poll

address again. thanks, elaine

[Guest guest]

Hi Pam,

It's also not that uncommon for the people sending out the reference tests to

send out the wrong tests. This is a real possibility. But if you have

hyperthyroidism (indicated by your labs) and any positive thyroid antibody

tests, they should have diagnosed you with GD and started treatment. You

could call and ask what they have in mind and mention all your symptoms. Not

all doctor's offices and not all labs are particularly efficient. good luck,

elaine

Also, can anyone put my name in the subject heading and give me the poll

address again. thanks, elaine

[Guest guest]

Hi Pam,

It's also not that uncommon for the people sending out the reference tests to

send out the wrong tests. This is a real possibility. But if you have

hyperthyroidism (indicated by your labs) and any positive thyroid antibody

tests, they should have diagnosed you with GD and started treatment. You

could call and ask what they have in mind and mention all your symptoms. Not

all doctor's offices and not all labs are particularly efficient. good luck,

elaine

Also, can anyone put my name in the subject heading and give me the poll

address again. thanks, elaine

[Guest guest]

> I'm venting, but also I was wondering how you all were diagnosed..

> and how long it took.

My diagnosis was accidental. I had to have a pre-employment physical with

a company doctor. She looked at me, and asked if I was being treated for

an enlarged thyroid. This was the first I had ever heard about it, so I

said " no. " As soon as I was employed and got my insurance card (and

switched doctors as my old one wasn't covered...) I asked the new doctor

about it. She ran some tests, and I had Graves anti-bodies over 700.

Ooops.

*~*~*~*~*

Patti Spicer patti@...

" Those who would give up freedom for security deserve neither "

--Ben lin

http://www.cyphergirl.com - My photography, cookbooks, thyroid info, and more!

[Guest guest]

> I'm venting, but also I was wondering how you all were diagnosed..

> and how long it took.

My diagnosis was accidental. I had to have a pre-employment physical with

a company doctor. She looked at me, and asked if I was being treated for

an enlarged thyroid. This was the first I had ever heard about it, so I

said " no. " As soon as I was employed and got my insurance card (and

switched doctors as my old one wasn't covered...) I asked the new doctor

about it. She ran some tests, and I had Graves anti-bodies over 700.

Ooops.

*~*~*~*~*

Patti Spicer patti@...

" Those who would give up freedom for security deserve neither "

--Ben lin

http://www.cyphergirl.com - My photography, cookbooks, thyroid info, and more!

[Guest guest]

> I'm venting, but also I was wondering how you all were diagnosed..

> and how long it took.

My diagnosis was accidental. I had to have a pre-employment physical with

a company doctor. She looked at me, and asked if I was being treated for

an enlarged thyroid. This was the first I had ever heard about it, so I

said " no. " As soon as I was employed and got my insurance card (and

switched doctors as my old one wasn't covered...) I asked the new doctor

about it. She ran some tests, and I had Graves anti-bodies over 700.

Ooops.

*~*~*~*~*

Patti Spicer patti@...

" Those who would give up freedom for security deserve neither "

--Ben lin

http://www.cyphergirl.com - My photography, cookbooks, thyroid info, and more!

[Guest guest]

Have you called your doc? I have to call to get mine in a reasonable amount

of time. I usually wait about 5 workings days, then I'll call. It took me

three weeks to get my " letter " in the mail. If I hadn't called, I'd have

been extremely hyper for another two weeks. Not a pleasant thought. I

called, got my results, and increased my dose myself. Luckily, my letter

told me to do just what I was doing anyway. Increase to 15 mg. for a week,

then go down to 5 mg. twice a day. Unless they're doing something really

unusual, I bet your doctor's office has the results. He probably just

hasn't gotten around to reading them and contacting you. Give them a call.

And they can't deny you the right to know your results, even though some

places will try to.

Holly

getting diagnosed - another poll

Well, it's going on two and a half weeks now and still no results

from my blood work(tsi, trab, etc)... but really, it's going on three

months with no diagnosis other than hyperT. I have many of the

Graves' symptoms, my TSH is almost non-existant, my T3 and T4 are out

the roof and I have antibodies and I've had an ultrasound that ruled

out cancer or nodules... I just don't know why it is taking so long

and I'm feeling pretty frustrated... I could be feeling much better

by now.

I'm venting, but also I was wondering how you all were diagnosed..

and how long it took.

Thanks,

Pam B.

[Guest guest]

Have you called your doc? I have to call to get mine in a reasonable amount

of time. I usually wait about 5 workings days, then I'll call. It took me

three weeks to get my " letter " in the mail. If I hadn't called, I'd have

been extremely hyper for another two weeks. Not a pleasant thought. I

called, got my results, and increased my dose myself. Luckily, my letter

told me to do just what I was doing anyway. Increase to 15 mg. for a week,

then go down to 5 mg. twice a day. Unless they're doing something really

unusual, I bet your doctor's office has the results. He probably just

hasn't gotten around to reading them and contacting you. Give them a call.

And they can't deny you the right to know your results, even though some

places will try to.

Holly

getting diagnosed - another poll

Well, it's going on two and a half weeks now and still no results

from my blood work(tsi, trab, etc)... but really, it's going on three

months with no diagnosis other than hyperT. I have many of the

Graves' symptoms, my TSH is almost non-existant, my T3 and T4 are out

the roof and I have antibodies and I've had an ultrasound that ruled

out cancer or nodules... I just don't know why it is taking so long

and I'm feeling pretty frustrated... I could be feeling much better

by now.

I'm venting, but also I was wondering how you all were diagnosed..

and how long it took.

Thanks,

Pam B.

[Guest guest]

Have you called your doc? I have to call to get mine in a reasonable amount

of time. I usually wait about 5 workings days, then I'll call. It took me

three weeks to get my " letter " in the mail. If I hadn't called, I'd have

been extremely hyper for another two weeks. Not a pleasant thought. I

called, got my results, and increased my dose myself. Luckily, my letter

told me to do just what I was doing anyway. Increase to 15 mg. for a week,

then go down to 5 mg. twice a day. Unless they're doing something really

unusual, I bet your doctor's office has the results. He probably just

hasn't gotten around to reading them and contacting you. Give them a call.

And they can't deny you the right to know your results, even though some

places will try to.

Holly

getting diagnosed - another poll

Well, it's going on two and a half weeks now and still no results

from my blood work(tsi, trab, etc)... but really, it's going on three

months with no diagnosis other than hyperT. I have many of the

Graves' symptoms, my TSH is almost non-existant, my T3 and T4 are out

the roof and I have antibodies and I've had an ultrasound that ruled

out cancer or nodules... I just don't know why it is taking so long

and I'm feeling pretty frustrated... I could be feeling much better

by now.

I'm venting, but also I was wondering how you all were diagnosed..

and how long it took.

Thanks,

Pam B.

[Guest guest]

Hi Pam B.

It took me about 10 years to be diagnosed, and then I never did have any

antibodies test run, just the uptake and T3/T4 levels run. I was in the

hospital in thyroid storm for 7 days and they told me I had everything

except thyroid problems, double pneumonia, heart attack, penumonia only AIDS

patients get, lung cancer, finally congestive heart failure but they

couldn't find the cause of it...which was BS.

The girls in the lab new me as my sister had worked there for 20 years, they

ran all the thyroid tests and tried to get the doctors to look at them...the

doctors refused to because *they*, the little gods, had not ordered them,

leaving me undiagnosed. I signed myself out of the hospital, came home,

called a doctor in my hometown, got an appointment with him for the

following Monday (this was a Friday), told him what the girls in the lab had

told me about my thyroid levels and that is where he started, had the uptake

on Tuesday, was diagnosed by Wed. and into an endo in another city a week

later.

Hang tight Pam, and call your doctor and ask how much longer before your

labs are back. They could actually be in his office somewhere, just not in

your file.

Take care,

Jody

_________________________________________________________________

Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp.

[Guest guest]

Hi Pam B.

It took me about 10 years to be diagnosed, and then I never did have any

antibodies test run, just the uptake and T3/T4 levels run. I was in the

hospital in thyroid storm for 7 days and they told me I had everything

except thyroid problems, double pneumonia, heart attack, penumonia only AIDS

patients get, lung cancer, finally congestive heart failure but they

couldn't find the cause of it...which was BS.

The girls in the lab new me as my sister had worked there for 20 years, they

ran all the thyroid tests and tried to get the doctors to look at them...the

doctors refused to because *they*, the little gods, had not ordered them,

leaving me undiagnosed. I signed myself out of the hospital, came home,

called a doctor in my hometown, got an appointment with him for the

following Monday (this was a Friday), told him what the girls in the lab had

told me about my thyroid levels and that is where he started, had the uptake

on Tuesday, was diagnosed by Wed. and into an endo in another city a week

later.

Hang tight Pam, and call your doctor and ask how much longer before your

labs are back. They could actually be in his office somewhere, just not in

your file.

Take care,

Jody

_________________________________________________________________

Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp.

[Guest guest]

Hi Pam B.

It took me about 10 years to be diagnosed, and then I never did have any

antibodies test run, just the uptake and T3/T4 levels run. I was in the

hospital in thyroid storm for 7 days and they told me I had everything

except thyroid problems, double pneumonia, heart attack, penumonia only AIDS

patients get, lung cancer, finally congestive heart failure but they

couldn't find the cause of it...which was BS.

The girls in the lab new me as my sister had worked there for 20 years, they

ran all the thyroid tests and tried to get the doctors to look at them...the

doctors refused to because *they*, the little gods, had not ordered them,

leaving me undiagnosed. I signed myself out of the hospital, came home,

called a doctor in my hometown, got an appointment with him for the

following Monday (this was a Friday), told him what the girls in the lab had

told me about my thyroid levels and that is where he started, had the uptake

on Tuesday, was diagnosed by Wed. and into an endo in another city a week

later.

Hang tight Pam, and call your doctor and ask how much longer before your

labs are back. They could actually be in his office somewhere, just not in

your file.

Take care,

Jody

_________________________________________________________________

Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp.

[Guest guest]

I was diagnosed because I had gone to the doc for symptoms I was

having-sleeplessness, nausea, shaking, shortness of breath, etc. It also

happened to be time for my annual thyroid panel, which I've had done since

my mother was diagnosed with Graves' 22 years ago. So, in addition to

checking my blood sugar, etc, she did the thyroid panel and it came back

abnormal. I'm so thankful that I knew to have this done because of my

mother; otherwise I would probably have been given an antidepressant or

something. My doc thought it was just stress.

Holly

getting diagnosed - another poll

Well, it's going on two and a half weeks now and still no results

from my blood work(tsi, trab, etc)... but really, it's going on three

months with no diagnosis other than hyperT. I have many of the

Graves' symptoms, my TSH is almost non-existant, my T3 and T4 are out

the roof and I have antibodies and I've had an ultrasound that ruled

out cancer or nodules... I just don't know why it is taking so long

and I'm feeling pretty frustrated... I could be feeling much better

by now.

I'm venting, but also I was wondering how you all were diagnosed..

and how long it took.

Thanks,

Pam B.

[Guest guest]

I was diagnosed because I had gone to the doc for symptoms I was

having-sleeplessness, nausea, shaking, shortness of breath, etc. It also

happened to be time for my annual thyroid panel, which I've had done since

my mother was diagnosed with Graves' 22 years ago. So, in addition to

checking my blood sugar, etc, she did the thyroid panel and it came back

abnormal. I'm so thankful that I knew to have this done because of my

mother; otherwise I would probably have been given an antidepressant or

something. My doc thought it was just stress.

Holly

getting diagnosed - another poll

Well, it's going on two and a half weeks now and still no results

from my blood work(tsi, trab, etc)... but really, it's going on three

months with no diagnosis other than hyperT. I have many of the

Graves' symptoms, my TSH is almost non-existant, my T3 and T4 are out

the roof and I have antibodies and I've had an ultrasound that ruled

out cancer or nodules... I just don't know why it is taking so long

and I'm feeling pretty frustrated... I could be feeling much better

by now.

I'm venting, but also I was wondering how you all were diagnosed..

and how long it took.

Thanks,

Pam B.

[Guest guest]

I was diagnosed because I had gone to the doc for symptoms I was

having-sleeplessness, nausea, shaking, shortness of breath, etc. It also

happened to be time for my annual thyroid panel, which I've had done since

my mother was diagnosed with Graves' 22 years ago. So, in addition to

checking my blood sugar, etc, she did the thyroid panel and it came back

abnormal. I'm so thankful that I knew to have this done because of my

mother; otherwise I would probably have been given an antidepressant or

something. My doc thought it was just stress.

Holly

getting diagnosed - another poll

Well, it's going on two and a half weeks now and still no results

from my blood work(tsi, trab, etc)... but really, it's going on three

months with no diagnosis other than hyperT. I have many of the

Graves' symptoms, my TSH is almost non-existant, my T3 and T4 are out

the roof and I have antibodies and I've had an ultrasound that ruled

out cancer or nodules... I just don't know why it is taking so long

and I'm feeling pretty frustrated... I could be feeling much better

by now.

I'm venting, but also I was wondering how you all were diagnosed..

and how long it took.

Thanks,

Pam B.

[Guest guest]

Thanks Holly, I just called them again, and I'm waiting for a call

back from the nurse...

> Have you called your doc? I have to call to get mine in a

reasonable amount

> of time. I usually wait about 5 workings days, then I'll call.

It took me

> three weeks to get my " letter " in the mail. If I hadn't called,

I'd have

> been extremely hyper for another two weeks. Not a pleasant

thought. I

> called, got my results, and increased my dose myself. Luckily, my

letter

> told me to do just what I was doing anyway. Increase to 15 mg. for

a week,

> then go down to 5 mg. twice a day. Unless they're doing something

really

> unusual, I bet your doctor's office has the results. He probably

just

> hasn't gotten around to reading them and contacting you. Give them

a call.

> And they can't deny you the right to know your results, even though

some

> places will try to.

>

> Holly

>

> getting diagnosed - another poll

>

> Well, it's going on two and a half weeks now and still no results

> from my blood work(tsi, trab, etc)... but really, it's going on

three

> months with no diagnosis other than hyperT. I have many of the

> Graves' symptoms, my TSH is almost non-existant, my T3 and T4 are

out

> the roof and I have antibodies and I've had an ultrasound that

ruled

> out cancer or nodules... I just don't know why it is taking so long

> and I'm feeling pretty frustrated... I could be feeling much better

> by now.

>

> I'm venting, but also I was wondering how you all were diagnosed..

> and how long it took.

>

> Thanks,

> Pam B.

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks Holly, I just called them again, and I'm waiting for a call

back from the nurse...

> Have you called your doc? I have to call to get mine in a

reasonable amount

> of time. I usually wait about 5 workings days, then I'll call.

It took me

> three weeks to get my " letter " in the mail. If I hadn't called,

I'd have

> been extremely hyper for another two weeks. Not a pleasant

thought. I

> called, got my results, and increased my dose myself. Luckily, my

letter

> told me to do just what I was doing anyway. Increase to 15 mg. for

a week,

> then go down to 5 mg. twice a day. Unless they're doing something

really

> unusual, I bet your doctor's office has the results. He probably

just

> hasn't gotten around to reading them and contacting you. Give them

a call.

> And they can't deny you the right to know your results, even though

some

> places will try to.

>

> Holly

>

> getting diagnosed - another poll

>

> Well, it's going on two and a half weeks now and still no results

> from my blood work(tsi, trab, etc)... but really, it's going on

three

> months with no diagnosis other than hyperT. I have many of the

> Graves' symptoms, my TSH is almost non-existant, my T3 and T4 are

out

> the roof and I have antibodies and I've had an ultrasound that

ruled

> out cancer or nodules... I just don't know why it is taking so long

> and I'm feeling pretty frustrated... I could be feeling much better

> by now.

>

> I'm venting, but also I was wondering how you all were diagnosed..

> and how long it took.

>

> Thanks,

> Pam B.

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks Holly, I just called them again, and I'm waiting for a call

back from the nurse...

> Have you called your doc? I have to call to get mine in a

reasonable amount

> of time. I usually wait about 5 workings days, then I'll call.

It took me

> three weeks to get my " letter " in the mail. If I hadn't called,

I'd have

> been extremely hyper for another two weeks. Not a pleasant

thought. I

> called, got my results, and increased my dose myself. Luckily, my

letter

> told me to do just what I was doing anyway. Increase to 15 mg. for

a week,

> then go down to 5 mg. twice a day. Unless they're doing something

really

> unusual, I bet your doctor's office has the results. He probably

just

> hasn't gotten around to reading them and contacting you. Give them

a call.

> And they can't deny you the right to know your results, even though

some

> places will try to.

>

> Holly

>

> getting diagnosed - another poll

>

> Well, it's going on two and a half weeks now and still no results

> from my blood work(tsi, trab, etc)... but really, it's going on

three

> months with no diagnosis other than hyperT. I have many of the

> Graves' symptoms, my TSH is almost non-existant, my T3 and T4 are

out

> the roof and I have antibodies and I've had an ultrasound that

ruled

> out cancer or nodules... I just don't know why it is taking so long

> and I'm feeling pretty frustrated... I could be feeling much better

> by now.

>

> I'm venting, but also I was wondering how you all were diagnosed..

> and how long it took.

>

> Thanks,

> Pam B.

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I was partially diagnosed after my GP sent off for bloodwork. We thought I

was hypoglycemic but she decided to check for thyroid abnormalities anyway,

credit to her. She then referred me to an endo who did further bloodwork.

Now I am not sure whether my endo diagnosed me as having Graves based on my

FT4 and TSH or whether she did it based on antibody tests. I will have to

ask her.. I am also curious as to how she is going to know whether I have

gone into remission without the anti body tests too as I am currently only

tested for FT4 and TSH. Anyways it was all done within a matter of a week

and a few days... very very quick. In fact my endo had said she had wanted

to see me before the weekend of the week that the first blood tests came

back because she didn't want to leave it over the weekend.

Katy.

getting diagnosed - another poll

Well, it's going on two and a half weeks now and still no results

from my blood work(tsi, trab, etc)... but really, it's going on three

months with no diagnosis other than hyperT. I have many of the

Graves' symptoms, my TSH is almost non-existant, my T3 and T4 are out

the roof and I have antibodies and I've had an ultrasound that ruled

out cancer or nodules... I just don't know why it is taking so long

and I'm feeling pretty frustrated... I could be feeling much better

by now.

I'm venting, but also I was wondering how you all were diagnosed..

and how long it took.

Thanks,

Pam B.

[Guest guest]

I was partially diagnosed after my GP sent off for bloodwork. We thought I

was hypoglycemic but she decided to check for thyroid abnormalities anyway,

credit to her. She then referred me to an endo who did further bloodwork.

Now I am not sure whether my endo diagnosed me as having Graves based on my

FT4 and TSH or whether she did it based on antibody tests. I will have to

ask her.. I am also curious as to how she is going to know whether I have

gone into remission without the anti body tests too as I am currently only

tested for FT4 and TSH. Anyways it was all done within a matter of a week

and a few days... very very quick. In fact my endo had said she had wanted

to see me before the weekend of the week that the first blood tests came

back because she didn't want to leave it over the weekend.

Katy.

getting diagnosed - another poll

Well, it's going on two and a half weeks now and still no results

from my blood work(tsi, trab, etc)... but really, it's going on three

months with no diagnosis other than hyperT. I have many of the

Graves' symptoms, my TSH is almost non-existant, my T3 and T4 are out

the roof and I have antibodies and I've had an ultrasound that ruled

out cancer or nodules... I just don't know why it is taking so long

and I'm feeling pretty frustrated... I could be feeling much better

by now.

I'm venting, but also I was wondering how you all were diagnosed..

and how long it took.

Thanks,

Pam B.

[Guest guest]

I was partially diagnosed after my GP sent off for bloodwork. We thought I

was hypoglycemic but she decided to check for thyroid abnormalities anyway,

credit to her. She then referred me to an endo who did further bloodwork.

Now I am not sure whether my endo diagnosed me as having Graves based on my

FT4 and TSH or whether she did it based on antibody tests. I will have to

ask her.. I am also curious as to how she is going to know whether I have

gone into remission without the anti body tests too as I am currently only

tested for FT4 and TSH. Anyways it was all done within a matter of a week

and a few days... very very quick. In fact my endo had said she had wanted

to see me before the weekend of the week that the first blood tests came

back because she didn't want to leave it over the weekend.

Katy.

getting diagnosed - another poll

Well, it's going on two and a half weeks now and still no results

from my blood work(tsi, trab, etc)... but really, it's going on three

months with no diagnosis other than hyperT. I have many of the

Graves' symptoms, my TSH is almost non-existant, my T3 and T4 are out

the roof and I have antibodies and I've had an ultrasound that ruled

out cancer or nodules... I just don't know why it is taking so long

and I'm feeling pretty frustrated... I could be feeling much better

by now.

I'm venting, but also I was wondering how you all were diagnosed..

and how long it took.

Thanks,

Pam B.

[Guest guest]

Ah yes, that uptake test... that's why it's taken me so long - I

refused it based on Elaine's info about antibody tests and had to

search for a doc who would beleive that those tests existed and

wern't just a bunch of internet BS.

10 years?! Three months is not so bad, then hu? How did you keep from

going crazy? I think if I was like this for 10 years with no

explanation, my husband would be out the door running.

> Hi Pam B.

> It took me about 10 years to be diagnosed, and then I never did

have any

> antibodies test run, just the uptake and T3/T4 levels run. I was

in the

> hospital in thyroid storm for 7 days and they told me I had

everything

> except thyroid problems, double pneumonia, heart attack, penumonia

only AIDS

> patients get, lung cancer, finally congestive heart failure but

they

> couldn't find the cause of it...which was BS.

>

> The girls in the lab new me as my sister had worked there for 20

years, they

> ran all the thyroid tests and tried to get the doctors to look at

them...the

> doctors refused to because *they*, the little gods, had not ordered

them,

> leaving me undiagnosed. I signed myself out of the hospital, came

home,

> called a doctor in my hometown, got an appointment with him for the

> following Monday (this was a Friday), told him what the girls in

the lab had

> told me about my thyroid levels and that is where he started, had

the uptake

> on Tuesday, was diagnosed by Wed. and into an endo in another city

a week

> later.

>

> Hang tight Pam, and call your doctor and ask how much longer before

your

> labs are back. They could actually be in his office somewhere,

just not in

> your file.

> Take care,

> Jody

>

>

>

> _________________________________________________________________

> Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at

http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp.

[Guest guest]

Ah yes, that uptake test... that's why it's taken me so long - I

refused it based on Elaine's info about antibody tests and had to

search for a doc who would beleive that those tests existed and

wern't just a bunch of internet BS.

10 years?! Three months is not so bad, then hu? How did you keep from

going crazy? I think if I was like this for 10 years with no

explanation, my husband would be out the door running.

> Hi Pam B.

> It took me about 10 years to be diagnosed, and then I never did

have any

> antibodies test run, just the uptake and T3/T4 levels run. I was

in the

> hospital in thyroid storm for 7 days and they told me I had

everything

> except thyroid problems, double pneumonia, heart attack, penumonia

only AIDS

> patients get, lung cancer, finally congestive heart failure but

they

> couldn't find the cause of it...which was BS.

>

> The girls in the lab new me as my sister had worked there for 20

years, they

> ran all the thyroid tests and tried to get the doctors to look at

them...the

> doctors refused to because *they*, the little gods, had not ordered

them,

> leaving me undiagnosed. I signed myself out of the hospital, came

home,

> called a doctor in my hometown, got an appointment with him for the

> following Monday (this was a Friday), told him what the girls in

the lab had

> told me about my thyroid levels and that is where he started, had

the uptake

> on Tuesday, was diagnosed by Wed. and into an endo in another city

a week

> later.

>

> Hang tight Pam, and call your doctor and ask how much longer before

your

> labs are back. They could actually be in his office somewhere,

just not in

> your file.

> Take care,

> Jody

>

>

>

> _________________________________________________________________

> Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at

http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp.

[Guest guest]

Ah yes, that uptake test... that's why it's taken me so long - I

refused it based on Elaine's info about antibody tests and had to

search for a doc who would beleive that those tests existed and

wern't just a bunch of internet BS.

10 years?! Three months is not so bad, then hu? How did you keep from

going crazy? I think if I was like this for 10 years with no

explanation, my husband would be out the door running.

> Hi Pam B.

> It took me about 10 years to be diagnosed, and then I never did

have any

> antibodies test run, just the uptake and T3/T4 levels run. I was

in the

> hospital in thyroid storm for 7 days and they told me I had

everything

> except thyroid problems, double pneumonia, heart attack, penumonia

only AIDS

> patients get, lung cancer, finally congestive heart failure but

they

> couldn't find the cause of it...which was BS.

>

> The girls in the lab new me as my sister had worked there for 20

years, they

> ran all the thyroid tests and tried to get the doctors to look at

them...the

> doctors refused to because *they*, the little gods, had not ordered

them,

> leaving me undiagnosed. I signed myself out of the hospital, came

home,

> called a doctor in my hometown, got an appointment with him for the

> following Monday (this was a Friday), told him what the girls in

the lab had

> told me about my thyroid levels and that is where he started, had

the uptake

> on Tuesday, was diagnosed by Wed. and into an endo in another city

a week

> later.

>

> Hang tight Pam, and call your doctor and ask how much longer before

your

> labs are back. They could actually be in his office somewhere,

just not in

> your file.

> Take care,

> Jody

>

>

>

> _________________________________________________________________

> Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at

http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp.

[Guest guest]

My new doctor ran " routine " blood tests before our first appointment, so we

could discuss results. She immediately referred me to the endo, who did all

the tests including uptake scan, and came back pretty quickly with a

diagnosis. But I know the ab tests do take time to get results from since

only a few labs run them, so they get sent away.

Terry

>

> Reply-To: graves_support

> Date: Wed, 13 Mar 2002 11:33:49 -0500

> To: " 'graves_support ' " <graves_support >

> Subject: RE: getting diagnosed - another poll

>

> I was diagnosed because I had gone to the doc for symptoms I was

> having-sleeplessness, nausea, shaking, shortness of breath, etc. It also

> happened to be time for my annual thyroid panel, which I've had done since

> my mother was diagnosed with Graves' 22 years ago. So, in addition to

> checking my blood sugar, etc, she did the thyroid panel and it came back

> abnormal. I'm so thankful that I knew to have this done because of my

> mother; otherwise I would probably have been given an antidepressant or

> something. My doc thought it was just stress.

>

> Holly

>

> getting diagnosed - another poll

>

> Well, it's going on two and a half weeks now and still no results

> from my blood work(tsi, trab, etc)... but really, it's going on three

> months with no diagnosis other than hyperT. I have many of the

> Graves' symptoms, my TSH is almost non-existant, my T3 and T4 are out

> the roof and I have antibodies and I've had an ultrasound that ruled

> out cancer or nodules... I just don't know why it is taking so long

> and I'm feeling pretty frustrated... I could be feeling much better

> by now.

>

> I'm venting, but also I was wondering how you all were diagnosed..

> and how long it took.

>

> Thanks,

> Pam B.

>

>

>

>

>

>