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My TSH level is 0.18, but my other levels are within the ...

Sent to Health Experts September 18 2006 at 4:53 PM
   

My TSH level is 0.18, but my other levels are within the normal range (T4 0.80). While my thyroid is enlarged (the nuclear medicine doctor said that it was about 2 1/2 times the normal size, my endocrinologist says that my thyroid looks normal (witht the exception of the enlargement). I asked him what I should do since I still feel horrible and what does my low TSH level mean. He says that the TSH level is abnormal and that I might be mildly hyperthyroid. So, he's decided to put me on Tapazole and I should go to see him in a month. If that doesn't work, he says we'll probably do radioactive iodine. If everything else looks fine, why any course of treatment. I want to feel better - but I hate to just go fishing for a solution. What is usually wrong if all levels are fine but the TSH level is low. I need help!

 

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Female , Age: 43

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Everything, it seems.

Customer (name blocked for privacy)
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September 18 2006 at 5:43 PM (27 minutes and 27 seconds later)
         
Reply to Family Physician's Post: I am tired, fatigued all the time. But, I don't sleep well. At one point I was urinating much more than usual, but that has decreased now. I've nodded at work. I have abnormal heart beats. I am out of breath, sometimes just in a sitting position. I've been experiencing, what I thought were hot flashes - terribly! My hair has been wierd - dry, brittle and thinning, it seems. My hands shake and I sometimes feel like I'm going to have an anxiety attack (although I've never had one to my knowlege). My bowel movements have been strange (a lot when I have them), I've always been infrequent in that area. I am forgetful, irritated, and find it difficult to concentrate sometimes. Lately my legs have been hurting as well as my wrists and joints. Yesterday during church I had an episode where I felt incredibly HOT (in the upper part of my body) and I felt anxious. I started shaking my legs. I get these feelings often now. On and off I am very hungry and can't seem to satisfy my hunger, then there are days I am just stuffed and nauseated. Sometimes I want to cry because I feel like I'm losing control of my body.
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September 18 2006 at 5:53 PM (9 minutes and 40 seconds later)
         
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Your symptoms are very consistent with hyperthyroidism. Based on the low TSH and symptoms, I would agree with your physician in suggesting a treatment for this condition.

I would suggest speaking with your doctor about possibly starting you on propranolol (Inderal®) - while you are waiting to see if the Tapazole is going to help.

Propranolol blocks many of the SYMPTOMS of hyperthyroidism (rapid pulse, shaky, hot flashes etc) I understand how miserable you can be - my own wife had hyperthyroidism - and eventually had radioactive iodine treatment.
http://www.aafp.org/afp/20050815/623.html
http://www.merck.com/mrkshared/mmanual/tables/8tb4.jsp



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