Ballew and Nancy:
 
Thank you for your helpful response to my request for information.
 
As for other symptoms -- very few.  I am 63 and have the normal hair loss (actually a bit less) for my family.  My hair is still mostly non-grey, no dry or thin skin or any of those things.  I do a lot of physical work -- mostly hand mowing my yard (which is huge), garden, yard work, and when the weather does not allow that, then I have a stationary bicycle.  I do not believe that I get fatigued any more than normal.  No weight gain -- I lost about 25 pounds a few years ago to beat a high blood pressure problem.  So really, other than the TSH, no obvious symptoms.
 
I will say that I have a good strong belt of coffee most mornings and I feel really good after that, so I have not forgotten what it feel like to feel good ... not that I don't feel good at other times -- just not quite as good.
 
A couple of questions if you don't mind (please, anyone, join in) ...

*	
	Why would I need to understand my T3 and T4 levels?  would this in any way change the treatment?
*	
	Is a TSH of 5.9 really that bad?  (This used to be at the upper edge of the normal range.)  How high have you seen it in severe cases?

I have some questions on the Iodine and Solenium supplements as well, but will cover those in a future post.  I don't want to just tread water for three months and get the same results.  I would like to try SOMETHING -- obvious whatever has the greatest potential.  I am not at all suffering (as far as I can tell), and so some type of life long treatment is just not very appealing to me.  Other than vitamins and baby aspirin, I am not on any medication.

Thanks -- dave

 
 

________________________________

From: Thyroid Discussion Group on behalf of Nancy Dunham
Sent: Wed 7/4/2007 11:18 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: New Member



Dave -

If there is one thing I have learned throughout my trials with thyroid
disease -- nothing but problems can be gained by "wait and see" while your
body may be starving for the correct hormones on a cellular level.  There is
nothing better t han having a tsh that any doct or off the shelf will
treat -- it is when you are on the edges with that usless test that you and
your loved ones that may also have it truly suffer.

Also, the latest I have seen for TSH is  .25 to 2.5 -- but alas our lab here
still shows .4  - 4.0.

You dont list your symptoms and while they may differ from  male to female
one of the largest for me is literrally "forgetting" what it feels like to
feel good.  This enemy is insidious and is best attacked while you still may
have your "wits" about you.

Nancy



Simple enough -- blood test come up with a TSH of 5.98; a repeat test a few
days later got a 5.66.



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