Worried

February 23, 2009

depends on the variant of CVID. can you mention which tests? also it sometimes

depends on how " out of range " they were. Illness can make numbers shift but

more stable health can put them right back to where they were before. Each

patient has their own ranges aside from the lab ranges. Macey's hemaglobin

might be fine when it's around 11 but another child might have severe fatigue

and some problems with oxygen when it is at 11.

Some patients function with certain percentages of neutrophils and lymphocytes

(seen on the differential) while another group of patients go into isolation or

receive medication at that level.

Also were these one time lab values or has there been a trend over several lab

draws towards these numbers? If it's only the most recent levels that have been

abnormal you might have the luxury of waiting a month or so and redrawing them.

Provided things are currently stable.

When is the appointment?

Ursula Holleman

mom to (16) and Macey (13)

www.caringbridge.org/visit/maceyholleman

April 20, 2009

***> I have just rang my surgery for my last thyroid function results and have been told the doctor wants to see me, I am worried now.

Hi (from your email I'm assuming that's your name ?),

Is a T4 all the lab has done ?... they usually do a TSH and an FT4 when the thyroid function is tested. Since you are now on 3 grains Armour, it is more likely that your TSH will have plummeted and *that* might have freaked your GP out.... hence you got summoned to his chambers.

Your FT4 might or might not be lower than it was before, but I reckon that will be of less concern to your GP (wrongly, but that's beside the point) than the TSH, which is bound to be rock bottom.

Bottom line.... IMHO you may have to confess. Your GP will know that something does not add up by looking at your TSH. It will be very difficult to maintain that you are still taking Levothyroxine, when both, your FT4 AND your TSH have come back low. The way it (usually) works with Levothyroxine, is that the TSH goes down as the FT4 goes up. - On Armour, however, the TSH goes (usually) below the ref range, the FT4 stays in the middle of the range, and the FT3 (which is usually not measured) will be high. It depends on how clued up your GP is on reading blood results, but the most likely outcome - if you do not tell him that you no longer take levothyroxine - is that he will drop your (imaginary) dosage ... and then you will come up against the very same problem in a few weeks time, when he orders a re-test. Staying on Armour means that your TSH will be, and will stay, suppressed... and it's meant to, but your GP won't like it.

Good luck,

PS - please remember to ask your GP for copies (with ref ranges) of the results.

April 20, 2009

I think you might mean the TSH could have dropped - and that is the case on

armour and it does make the docs nervous.

Being as you are self medicating and making some progress after all this long

time, I would just 'nod and smile' take whatever script he gives you and say,

yes doctor. After all arent we just somatropic females who need anti

depressants !!!!!

If he/she were a reasonable type of doc, well its worth sharing with him/her,

especially if he can see the improvement in you - only you can make that

decision based on past experiences you have had with him/her.

F

>

> I have just rang my surgery for my last thyroid function results and have been

told the doctor wants to see me, I am worried now.

> I have been on armour for nearly 4 months and in that time I do know m

>

April 20, 2009

Hi

I did think about the TSH but on last test, while on armour back in Feb it was 3.6 so I wonder if it could have dropped that quick? They have done T4,T3 and TSH so out of those 3 its either the T4 or the TSH, I guess I will have to wait and see!

Your FT4 might or might not be lower than it was before, but I reckon that will be of less concern to your GP (wrongly, but that's beside the point) than the TSH, which is bound to be rock bottom.

Bottom line.... IMHO you may have to confess. Your GP will know that something does not add up by looking at your TSH.

Good luck,

PS - please remember to ask your GP for copies (with ref ranges) of the results.

April 20, 2009

My TSH was 3.6 back in Feb, do you really think it could have dropped that low in such a short time? Thats why I was thinking my T4 might have gone out of range

I have a telephone conversation booked for tomorrow morning with my doctor so I will find out then, I am just worried that if I mention armour etc he will oppose it etc like they all do and scare with what a low TSH can cause etc etc, I do remember though having a TSH of 0.66 when I was on thyroxine and nothing was said then but I guess thats in range.

Thanks everyone

I think you might mean the TSH could have dropped - and that is the case on armour and it does make the docs nervous.Being as you are self medicating and making some progress after all this long timeF>>

April 20, 2009

Hi ,

You would expect your FT4 to be low if just taking armour, but provided you feel fine this is not a problem. The problem with your GP is more likely to be that your TSH is supressed or lower than he wants it to be, and also of course now you are on armour you will need to make sure that you have the FT3 done which can also be a battle (ok may be impossible on the NHS). You should be aiming for high normal FT3, and FT4 will probably be low in range - I like my FT4 to be mid-range & so take 50mcg T4 to do this with my armour, although mine has gone haywire so needs looking at.

You will have to own up I think.

Val

all I can think is that it has dropped out of range thus he wants to speak to meHe doesnt know I am on armour and have been on 3 grains for 3 weeks.

April 20, 2009

Hi Val

My surgery does do my T3 with no problems so thats not a worry, unless one day its refused, but so far so good!

If it is my TSH then so be it, if its my T4 I can always add a little in like some of you do, I just have to wait till I speak to him tomorrow. If its my TSH he will probably reduce my prescription of T4, if its my T4 he will increase it, thats all I can think of he can do, either way I will eventually have to 'come clean' about the armour!

Hi ,

You would expect your FT4 to be low if just taking armour, but provided you feel fine this is not a problem.

You will have to own up I think.

Val

all I can think is that it has dropped out of range thus he wants to speak to me

April 20, 2009

Hi - go to our files and check out the one entitled

" How to tell your GP you are taking Armour " - or something like that.

That will help you tell him and the reasons why you have decided to try

Armour. See what you think.

Luv - Sheila

I have been on armour for nearly 4 months and in that time I do know my T4 has

dropped a lot and and was only just in range at my previous test so all I can

think is that it has dropped out of range thus he wants to speak to me

He doesnt know I am on armour and have been on 3 grains for 3 weeks.

Change

settings via the Web ( ID required)

Change settings via email: Switch

delivery to Daily Digest | Switch

format to Traditional

Visit

Your Group |

Terms of Use | Unsubscribe

Recent

Activity

·

17

New

Members

·

1

New

Photos

·

1

New

Links

Visit

Your Group

Give Back

for Good

Get inspired

by a good cause.

Y! Toolbar

Get it Free!

easy 1-click access

to your groups.

Start a group

in 3 easy steps.

Connect with others.

..

No virus

found in this incoming message.

Checked by AVG - www.avg.com

Version: 8.0.238 / Virus Database: 270.12.0/2065 - Release Date: 04/19/09

20:04:00

April 23, 2009

Everybody's TSH naturally drops when taking ALL the thyroid

hormones your body needs. There is no need for your pituitary to send out

thyroid stimulating hormone because your body is getting the thyroid hormones it

needs. This is what doctors don't understand. Your FT4 should be well up

in the upper half of the reference range and your Free T3 could be right

at the top. These are where they should be - but make sure you are actually

feeling better. If you are not, then something is amiss.

luv - Sheila

My TSH was 3.6 back in Feb, do you really think it could

have dropped that low in such a short time? Thats why I was thinking my T4

might have gone out of range

I have a telephone conversation booked for tomorrow

morning with my doctor so I will find out then, I am just worried that if I

mention armour etc he will oppose it etc like they all do and scare with what

a low TSH can cause etc etc, I do remember though having a TSH of 0.66 when I

was on thyroxine and nothing was said then but I guess thats in range.

Thanks everyone

No virus

found in this incoming message.

Checked by AVG - www.avg.com

Version: 8.0.238 / Virus Database: 270.12.0/2065 - Release Date: 04/19/09

20:04:00

April 23, 2009

Hi Sheila

Not sure if you saw my message yesterday re rang my doc about results?

My TSH is now 0.2 and that was what worried him which we all know does, he said it seems as if I am taking too much, I then told him I wasnt taking thyroxine anymore and had been taking armour for 4 months.

My T4 has raised from 10.1 to 12 but my T3 hasnt shifted its still 4.6, this is what has confused me because i expected it to go up now I take armour, do you have any idea why it hasnt?

I am now at 3 grains of armour for 4 weeks now and am now wondering if I should increase again now my TSH is so low, but my T4 is still lowish? Should I stick at 3 grains and hope the T4 and T3 will increase in time?

Everybody's TSH naturally drops when taking ALL the thyroid hormones your body needs.

luv - Sheila

My TSH was 3.6 back in Feb, do you really think it could have dropped that low in such a short time? Thats why I was thinking my T4 might have gone out of range

Thanks everyone

April 25, 2009

It matters not that your TSH is suppressed - so stop

worrying about that, if your doctor is concerned, he should do his research to

find out the reasons why, and learn that TSH is not required for those patients

taking all the thyroid hormones that are in Armour. However, it might be that the

T3 in Armour is insufficient for your needs. Have a word with Dr P and ask him

whether you should be adding extra synthetic T3 or even using T3 on its own.

Sheila

My T4 has raised from 10.1 to 12 but my T3 hasnt shifted

its still 4.6, this is what has confused me because i expected it to go up

now I take armour, do you have any idea why it hasnt?

I am now at 3 grains of

armour for 4 weeks now and am now wondering if I should increase again now my

TSH is so low, but my T4 is still lowish? Should I stick at 3 grains and hope

the T4 and T3 will increase in time?

No virus

found in this incoming message.

Checked by AVG - www.avg.com

Version: 8.0.238 / Virus Database: 270.12.2/2072 - Release Date: 04/22/09

17:25:00

April 25, 2009

As my T3 and T4 ARE still in range albeit low in range I think I will increase the armour again by half a grain and leave it there for a while and then re test again, I did read on here that it took someone 9 months to get where they wanted to be on armour, I have been on it 4 months now. I certainly cannot afford to start buying T3 at this stage along with everything else and wouldnt know how to dose it anyway

It matters not that your TSH is suppressed - so stop worrying about that, if your doctor is concerned, he should do his research to find out the reasons why, and learn that TSH is not required for those patients taking all the thyroid hormones that are in Armour.

Sheila

My T4 has raised from 10.1 to 12 but my T3 hasnt shifted its still 4.6, this is what has confused me because i expected it to go up now I take armour, do you have any idea why it hasnt?

No virus found in this incoming message.Checked by AVG - www.avg.comVersion: 8.0.238 / Virus Database: 270.12.2/2072 - Release Date: 04/22/09 17:25:00

May 14, 2009

---Does anyone else worryabout if our rights will be taken away from us?

Mississippi and West Virginia do not have religious exemptions so why wouldn't

they be able to revoke religious exemptions in more states?

May 14, 2009

That is why we all need to stick together...find friends to team up with in your

state too. If push comes to shove, we can take action. I highly recommend

teaming up with the Holistic Moms network in your state. Remember...power is in

numbers!

>

> ---Does anyone else worryabout if our rights will be taken away from us?

Mississippi and West Virginia do not have religious exemptions so why wouldn't

they be able to revoke religious exemptions in more states?

>

May 14, 2009

I don't have any friends who feel the way I do about vaccines. I have two

friends that I have confided in and that is it! Everyone that I know are pro

vaccine and when I say some of my views they look at me like I have three heads.

From: Dawn <dawndanc@...>

Subject: Re: worried

Vaccinations

Date: Friday, May 15, 2009, 12:57 AM

That is why we all need to stick together...find friends to team up with in your

state too. If push comes to shove, we can take action. I highly recommend

teaming up with the Holistic Moms network in your state. Remember...power is in

numbers!

>

> ---Does anyone else worryabout if our rights will be taken away from us?

Mississippi and West Virginia do not have religious exemptions so why wouldn't

they be able to revoke religious exemptions in more states?

>

May 14, 2009

Give them time. Their children just haven't been harmed yet.

Winnie

Re: worried

> Vaccinations

> Date: Friday, May 15, 2009, 12:57 AM

>

> That is why we all need to stick together...find friends to team

> up with in your state too. If push comes to shove, we can take

> action. I highly recommend teaming up with the Holistic Moms

> network in your state. Remember...power is in numbers!

>

> >

> > ---Does anyone else worryabout if our rights will be taken

> away from us? Mississippi and West Virginia do not have

> religious exemptions so why wouldn't they be able to revoke

> religious exemptions in more states?

> >

May 18, 2009

Hi Sheila

I am only taking 1 NAE because when I had increased to 4 previously I had been

suffering with dizzy spells,but when I cut back they stopped. I am a bit

frightened to take any more than 1 at the moment, looking at my temps and bp I

was thinking that I was on enough. I had a very high cortisol reading of 47 at

8am last October with all the others being low but in range and so Dr P told me

to take them at 11am and not at breakfast.

I think that I need to try to stick at 2 1/4 grains, I think I am still

suffering hypo symptoms, wouldn't you agree.

My latest Ferritin test was 86 in December I have not had the others tested but

do supplement with all. Oh just remember I had B12 in Oct 07 and it 306.

So, you think I need to increase the NAE further, looking at my temps and bp and

last ASI results?

Thank you for your help Sheila

Love Lizzie

I am amazed that you are only taking 1 tablet of Nutri Adrenal

> Extra. I would have expected you were on about 3 or 4 tablets daily. You

January 5, 2010

You have NOT failed. You're 77 pounds down from when you started.

You've made tremendous progress. We all have setbacks. They happen.

Remember, you do NOT get to the right fill in one try, at least in

most cases. Most docs want to GRADUALLY get you to the proper fill.

You have also learned the things NOT to do, right? You will not do

them again and end up having another slip. I'm sure of that.

Life isn't perfect, right? You slipped and fell in the mud. But that

doesn't mean you can't get back on the path and progress again.

Really. Honest. BTDT.

dan

Tuesday, January 5, 2010, 6:14:48 PM, you wrote:

> My beginning wt. was 321 and my lowest wt. appox. a year ago was

> 199. I am back at 244 and so depressed about the gain. I am so

> afraid that I won't be able to get back on track. I am worried that

> I won't get a fill large enough on Friday to give me any

> restriction. I guess I'm worried that I have failed at this.

--

" It's OK to be a little broken, everybody's broken in this life " Jon Bon Jovi

Dan Lester, St. , Utah, USA www.riverofdata.com/lapband

Banded 4/27/03, Dr. Ortiz, Tijuana

Started at 355, at goal in the 210-220 range for almost 4 years

Ultimate goal of 195 Tummytuck in Boise and SmartLipo in Tijuana

January 5, 2010

Hi - thankfully, the band is always there for us, as long as we have taken good

care of it and of our stomachs. You had a slip, but it was apparently one of the

small ones that can repair itself with an unfill and rest period. That's great!

The VG is one of the larger bands, and it takes 3.5 cc to simply fill the

tubing. After that, it is a real FILL, since the band's balloon starts to

expand. As with all bands, the VG takes an average of 3-5 fills to get to a

beginning restriction. Even after an unfill, we need to creep up slowly again.

We can never just jump right back to any previous level. So, it's not very

likely that just the next fill or two will turn out to be enough, sorry.

You ned to have another round of patience, while you get to a good fill level.

In the meantime, there is lots to do - be sure you're being serious about the

parts YOU need to contribute - good fluid intake, reasonable exercise, etc. The

band and fill are only tools meant to help the serious effort YOU put in.

You have only failed if YOU give up!The band will always be there to lend a

hand.

Sandy r

>

> I posted a few months back when my band had slipped and all of my water was

removed. Since I have had another upper GI and no slips found. My Dr. gave me

1.5cc in my VG lap band. My Dr. does not use fluro for fills. I checked into

changing Drs. but could not get another to take my case. It has been about 8wks

since my first fill and will go back on Friday for another. My beginning wt. was

321 and my lowest wt. appox. a year ago was 199. I am back at 244 and so

depressed about the gain. I am so afraid that I won't be able to get back on

track. I am worried that I won't get a fill large enough on Friday to give me

any restriction. I guess I'm worried that I have failed at this.

>

January 5, 2010

> You have only failed if YOU give up!The band will always be there to lend a

hand//and you have this support group to help you get through this..thank you

sandy and dan for your incredible advice..

January 5, 2010

> You have NOT failed. You're 77 pounds down from when you started. You've

made tremendous progress. We all have setbacks. They happen. Remember, you

do NOT get to the right fill in one try, at least in most cases....You have

also learned the things NOT to do, right? You will not do them again and end

up having another slip. I'm sure of that. Life isn't perfect, right? You

slipped and fell in the mud. But that doesn't mean you can't get back on the

path and progress again.///I'M GOING TO START FRAMING THIS STUFF..thanks Dan

January 6, 2010

Thanks so much to everyone for your encouragement. I was feeling really low last

night and after reading your emails I feel better. I will go for my fill on

Friday afternoon and will post how everything went. Thanks again.

D

January 6, 2010

thank you so much!

>

> > You have NOT failed. You're 77 pounds down from when you started.

You've made tremendous progress. We all have setbacks. They happen. Remember,

you do NOT get to the right fill in one try, at least in most cases....You

have also learned the things NOT to do, right? You will not do them again and

end up having another slip. I'm sure of that. Life isn't perfect, right? You

slipped and fell in the mud. But that doesn't mean you can't get back on the

path and progress again.///I'M GOING TO START FRAMING THIS STUFF..thanks Dan

>

January 6, 2010

Thank you Sandy. I needed a bit of encouragement. Sometimes I feel like I don't

have anyone to turn to.

> >

> > I posted a few months back when my band had slipped and all of my water was