responsibility and fear

[Guest guest]

Dear Kats3Boys:

I am fascinated with what you wrote (copied below) regarding TSI, TPO,

TG, knowing the reason why I have a thyroid disorder, being aware of

the effect of medication, and so on. What amazes me is how much

responsibility a person has to become fully informed about the full

picture. I am thinking back to a friend I used to know in the 1980s who

suffered terribly with weight gain and emotional distress, and she had a

thyroid diagnosis but I believe (reading everyone's posts to the Loop)

her treatment was not appropriate. She truly suffered, and maybe if she

had known more, she could have found some symptom relief.

I watched a re-run of an interview program last night with Oprah Winfrey

and her expert friends who have started a satellite talk show, and they

concluded that the major problem people have today is fear. In so many

areas -- health, personal finances, etc. -- people are afraid and don't

jump into addressing the problem. When I first started reading posts to

this Loop, I started to feel swamped, like there was just too much

danger, too much information, too much to know. I felt more helpless by

the minute. But that's just fear slowing me down, and I realize that I

need to step up to the plate like all of you are doing and become well

informed.

Not to be repetitive, but I'm so grateful to all of you for this

information, and to JudyP, who is the person who mentioned this

discussion forum in the first place. Thanks so much. I'm going to push

the anxious feelings and keep on learning.

Mel

You want to make sure the doctor runs proper antibody testing on

you..

TSI..thyroid stimulating antibody..this is for Graves..be warned

they use a range like 130% or 1.3 for positive meaning you could be

at 100% and considered negative..although in a true sense less than

2% is considered negative.

TBII..this is thyroid blocking antibodies, the reason why some

people with graves go hypo or have high TSI and are eurothyroid.

TPO, TG..these antibodies are inflammation markers for the thyroid.

Both TPO and TG only exsist inside the thyroid, as the thyroid is

damaged by inflammation these leak into the blood stream and being

foriegn to the bloodstream the body produces antibodies towards them.

Being markers of inflammation both those with Hashi's and Grave's

and even those with out thyroid disorders can have TPO..the

difference is with a normal range of 0-35..those with no thyroid

disorder or with graves will be in range..or just above range..those

with hashi's are usually seen in the hundreds, although I have seen

medical papers that suggest 5 times the normal range to be positive(

175 or higher)and some that say anything above 35 is positive for

hashi's..

Now the early stages of Hashi's tend to go something like this..

The thyroid is attacked by antibodies, these antibodies cause cell

destruction, this cell destruction releases stored up hormone(

different from Grave's where the thyroid produces extra hormones)

this release of stored hormones causes temporary hyperthyroidism,

the attack on the thyroid lessens, the thyroid returns to normal (

maybe just a little less depending on cell destruction) ..this

process than repeats , the hyper getting a little less each time and

the hypo getting a little more each time. Hashi's literally does

cause permanent cell destruction of the thyroid gland..

Now remember TSH is thyroid stimulating hormone, stimulation of the

thyroid increases thyroid cell destruction as it increases

antibodies against the thyroid.

With Hashi's regardless of hyper or hypo( except T3 toxicity) the

idea is to use Synthroid in full replacement doses to supress the

TSH to stop thyroid stimulation.

..

With Grave's TSI antibodies attach directly to the TSH cell

receptors of the thyroid stimualting the thyroid regardless of TSH..

Now the reason I post this..using antithyroid drugs with Hashi's

will block the thyroid from producing excessive hormones..this will

increase the TSH which will stimulate the thyroid..which will

increase antibodies against the thyroid..

Using Synthroid with Grave's is like adding fuel to the fire.. the

thyroid gland is already stimulated and producing excessive hormone

regardless of the TSH..

The important thing here is to confirm the reason for your thyroid

disorder, other things such as toxic nodules,temporary thyroiditis

etc. need to be looked at also..but you need to know for sure before

you start treatment.

Kats3boy

[Guest guest]

Thank you Mel,A friend of mine just told me to "be careful,  if you keep changing doctors they will think you are a hypochondriac", well, I'm hypo, just not a chondriac.That is another area fear comes in... what if they don't believe me and how I am feeling? Or by me firing a doctor and moving on I will get "blackballed" so to speak? I totally agree about the fear, I fear making the appointment, I fear going to it and then I fear what information will come after it. All stress, which is what non of us need. Then top that off with if you have other layered problems, like I have gallbladder issues, and you having making for stress cocktail.Jackie~Dear Kats3Boys:I am fascinated with what you wrote (copied below) regarding TSI, TPO, TG, knowing the reason why I have a thyroid disorder, being aware of the effect of medication, and so on. What amazes me is how much responsibility a person has to become fully informed about the full picture. I am thinking back to a friend I used to know in the 1980s who suffered terribly with weight gain and emotional distress, and she had a thyroid diagnosis but I believe (reading everyone's posts to the Loop) her treatment was not appropriate. She truly suffered, and maybe if she had known more, she could have found some symptom relief.I watched a re-run of an interview program last night with Oprah Winfrey and her expert friends who have started a satellite talk show, and they concluded that the major problem people have today is fear. In so many areas -- health, personal finances, etc. -- people are afraid and don't jump into addressing the problem. When I first started reading posts to this Loop, I started to feel swamped, like there was just too much danger, too much information, too much to know. I felt more helpless by the minute. But that's just fear slowing me down, and I realize that I need to step up to the plate like all of you are doing and become well informed.Not to be repetitive, but I'm so grateful to all of you for this information, and to JudyP, who is the person who mentioned this discussion forum in the first place. Thanks so much. I'm going to push the anxious feelings and keep on learning.Mel. 

[Guest guest]

Mel, you are not alone here, that's for sure, and, besides sharing and

learning, that's why we're all here. I remember how alone I felt before I

got with these groups, and it has just opened up worlds to me. Am I feeling

great? No, but I'm working on it constantly (yes, it gets very

frustrating), and sometimes I just wish it would all go away. I've even

thought (in anger) Wonder what would happen if I just quit taking my thyroid

because I am SO sick of thinking about it. But I know better than that, and

I do know what would happen, not very pretty at all. I have received so

much info from the Groups it's unbelievable. I never would have known that

I could run my own blood tests, never would have had the confidence to, but

after that last endo I went to several yrs ago, I knew that I may be able to

do as good a job of it myself as someone like him (stupid when it comes to

thyroid problems), and I sure feel better than I did then, that's for sure.

I still want a good doc that I can trust and one that I don't have to do all

the footwork with, that's my dream, or one of my dreams. It hasn't happened

yet, but it will...........it will. There are also plenty of prayers

floating around this place too, and that's a big one.

responsibility and fear

> Dear Kats3Boys:

>

> I am fascinated with what you wrote (copied below) regarding TSI, TPO,

> TG, knowing the reason why I have a thyroid disorder, being aware of

> the effect of medication, and so on. What amazes me is how much

> responsibility a person has to become fully informed about the full

> picture. I am thinking back to a friend I used to know in the 1980s who

> suffered terribly with weight gain and emotional distress, and she had a

> thyroid diagnosis but I believe (reading everyone's posts to the Loop)

> her treatment was not appropriate. She truly suffered, and maybe if she

> had known more, she could have found some symptom relief.

>

> I watched a re-run of an interview program last night with Oprah Winfrey

> and her expert friends who have started a satellite talk show, and they

> concluded that the major problem people have today is fear. In so many

> areas -- health, personal finances, etc. -- people are afraid and don't

> jump into addressing the problem. When I first started reading posts to

> this Loop, I started to feel swamped, like there was just too much

> danger, too much information, too much to know. I felt more helpless by

> the minute. But that's just fear slowing me down, and I realize that I

> need to step up to the plate like all of you are doing and become well

> informed.

>

> Not to be repetitive, but I'm so grateful to all of you for this

> information, and to JudyP, who is the person who mentioned this

> discussion forum in the first place. Thanks so much. I'm going to push

> the anxious feelings and keep on learning.

>

> Mel