I am really worried that it maybe graves hyperthyroidism

Hormones
1

Hello,

I am needing to check with someone about a thyroid problem but am out of the country and was working until 3 months ago. I have been loosing energy over this year. I got a doctors check here in vietnam and they said I have basedow-graves disease and hyperthyroidism.

I am worried their is a translation barrier. My mother has hypothyroidism.

She believed my doctor maybe got it wrong and i had same as her because said that hyperthyroidism makes you more nervy and loose a lot of weight.

9 months ago i did loose weight and had a lot of loose stools and hives but wasnt sure if it was just allergies being in Asia. 

I  later had some skin diseases and just aches and tired feeling. some blurred vision.

Then 5 months ago i put on a lot of weight more than ever before. I have also suffered constipation. so i can look at both conditions and pick out symptoms on both lists.

How can i decide what i have. can i only rely on a doctor who speaks not good english?

My first test was a blood test :

TSH (ECLIA-Roche)   (0.270-4.2)  0.102   low they said

I suffer from anxiety and the doctor said stress caused these problems.

I had an ultrasound where scanned my thyroid and the man said they looked normal.A second doctor said that she thought not too abnormal.

The main doctor said dont worry its not cancer. she gave me another test

The TSH Receptor antibody (TRAb)    3.89 High (,1.22 IU/L>

I was put onto medicine

thyrozole 10 mg

peopeanolve 40 mg

one each a day

another blood test for 4 weeks time. 

I am more worried about having graves disease and hyperthyroidism.

do you have any ideas? 

Also if it were graves, hyperthyroidism, is their any cures and or help?

Sincerely

James

2

Hi james84867, a raised TSH receptor antibody level is very typical for Graves' disease but can also occur sometimes in patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Does your report include any other antibody tests? Your TSH level is below the normal range but it is not completely suppressed indicating that your thyroxine level (FT4 on your blood test) might be somewhat raised but not too high. Do you have the thyroxine level on your blood test?

The presence of antibodies shows that your hyperthyroidism is of autoimmune nature. The treatment you are receiving in Vietnam is similar to the treatment you would receive in the UK. Typically anti-thyroid medication is given to normalise the thyroid levels. The treatment is extended in the hope that the patient eventually stays euthyroid (has normal thyroid levels) without medication.

Additionally, beta-blockers may be prescribed. These help by reducing anxiety, elevated heart rate, etc. Btw, not all Graves' patients lose weight. Some, in fact, gain weight while being hyperthyroid. 

You will need to keep up the treatment and have regular blood tests. Most Graves' patients eventually go into remission. A relapse is likely in more than 50% of the cases but some patients may stay in remission for years.  It must be difficult being in a foreign country but don't worry too much you will get better. 

 

3

Hello Dan,

Thank you for getting back to me and all the information provided. I think the doctor doesnt want to say more because im booked for another set of blood tests in 4 weeks. She said to have a week off work and that in 4 weeks expects I will have more energy. I tried to upload photos of results but says file is too big. I dont know how to compress the file but I can write the results.

So the first blood test tested all like diabetes, cholesterol and the man who gave me ultrasound sais that sometimes test results can be a little high or low, not perfect.

 

T (ECLIA-Roche) (0.84-2.02)    1.33      ng/ml

FT4 (ECLIA –ROCHE) (0.932-1.71)  1.01  ng/dL

TSH (ECLIA-Roche)    (0.270-4.2)    0.102 Uiu/Ml  (this one was low)

2ND of February

 

Then I had another blood test same laboratory

TSH Receptor Antibody (TRAb)      3.89  H   (<1.22 IU/L)

Anti Thyroglobulin (Roche)     39.84    (<34 Ul/mL)

Anti Microsomal (TPOAb) (Roche)   13.10   (<34 Ul/mL)

 

5th of February

In 4 weeks I will have blood tests

1-T3

2-FT4

3-TSH

4-Cong three man

5-SGOT-SEPT,bilienbin

6-anti TRAb

im sorry i believe some of the above maybe spelt not perfect and one maybe in vietnamese. i just couldnt read well the hand writing of the doctor.

4

Hi James, from the test results you have posted I can see that your FT4 is within normal range. Your doctors have done a thorough investigation and you are receiving optimal care. Hope you respond well to the medication and will be doing better soon. 

5

Hi Dan,

Sorry, the first test was T3

I only wrote T.

The first test--it was just TSH that was low, and after had the follow up test. 

Thank you.

6

Hello,

I am a little worried if it is graves disease, because I read people take 

Carbimazole.

I was given thiazole I think its called.  I dont know if its doing the same thing as the doctor said i had basedow-graves and hyperthyroid so i imagine it may be. 

Again, the language barrier makes it a little hard. Just the endings of both drugs are the same and if she wrote this problem, I imagine she would provide the drug for it.

7

I guessed that the first test on your list refers to T3. You were prescribed Thiamazole which is also called Methimazole. It is even better than Carbimazole since Carbimazole has to be first converted to Methimazole by your body.

8

sorry thyrozole.

I bought some walnuts, as they seem to be good with the selenium in them.

I heard an old russian cure of the walnut dividers added with vodka over 21 days. Left to soak and 2 teaspoons of it after 3 meals. For a month, 10 days break, then repeated 2 more times. 

I cant tell if its an old wifes tale, but i heard in india, the oldies believed in black walnut. 

Seems to ring true in a few cultures. 

I wanted to ask you if you think its safe to mix alcohol, a little bit like this when taking this medicine?

Kind Regards

9

I don't know if it's ok to take a small amount of alcohol with your medication. Since you went through all the trouble of getting green walnuts you might want to set the liquor anyway and figure out later if it's ok to take it.