Cryptic Medical Foo

[kiya]

Hey, the new doctor sends me my lab results! Cool! *putters about googling obscure terms*

Hey autumnesquirrel, I've got enough platelets for two!



My TSH is at 5.41, which is within the listed 'normal' range of .3 - 5.5 ...

... or would be if a 2003 recommendation hadn't suggested 'normal' TSH has a high value of 3, from what I keep reading ...

(Doctors keep looking at me funny when I say I was treated for hypothyroidism as a teenager. Every single one says, "Hypo?" Yes, damnit, hypo. I know I don't fucking look like it unless you take a measuring tape to my neck. Look at the damn numbers, okay?)

Trying to figure out how bothered to be about this. Meh.

Comments

[ardaniel]

It's probably a question for the doc, and then, if the doc feels there's enough there to warrant concern, for a good endrocrinologist-- possibly even, since I know you're looking at having children someday, a reproductive endocrine specialist. High TSH can mess up your chances of conceiving, but that issue goes away with treatment, from what I understand.

[kiya]

I had it tested because I think it important to keep tabs on it (and also getting it tested at first appointment with new doc convinces the damn doctors that I'm not an idiot who doesn't know her own damn medical history), and because of the whole having-children-thing, so getting the ducks inarowed on appropriate medical baseline.

I will probably drop a message to them at some point this next week, when I've decided how much to be concerned once I've taken into account my tendencies towards hypochondria.

[ardaniel]

Yeah, I'm currently battling a bout of "MUST MARCH ON PLANNED PARENTHOOD AND SHOW THEM MY OVARIES WHETHER OR NOT THEY APPRECIATE IT." Totally understand. ;)

[kiya]

"Take my organs. Please."


Speaking of things you will totally understand, I went and got a shiny at the shiny place and it's all your fault. (I also got one for my mother, as it's her birthday in a few days.)

[ardaniel]

...uh, I got three shinies from the shiny place?

Which got me a fourth shiny?

And then I won a fifth one from the Shiny Woman and her cohorts today. There's a big fucking envelope of shinies headed my way.

I didn't actually OWN any shinies before this. The last two I had are somewhere *in the Atlantic.* But now I have five. Go figure.

[autumnesquirrel.livejournal.com]

Hey autumnesquirrel, I've got enough platelets for two!

Well, that can't have helped the blood draw any. :P

[kiya]

True. That may be involved with the whole, "Nope, no more blood for you" portion of the procedure.

(My platelet level is recorded at 323, which means I could give you half and we'd both be normal.)

[kiya]

You have sudden, amazing powers of accidental girliness.

[suzanne.livejournal.com]

(Doctors keep looking at me funny when I say I was treated for hypothyroidism as a teenager. Every single one says, "Hypo?" Yes, damnit, hypo. I know I don't fucking look like it unless you take a measuring tape to my neck. Look at the damn numbers, okay?)

*hygges* I showed all the symptoms of both hypo and hyper before I was diagnosed. They should go by the numbers and what your body is telling you.

suzanne

[syndramise.livejournal.com]

TSH of 5.41 is NOT normal anymore. It depends on the person, of course, but if you're not feeling right, find a doc that either uses the updated numbers or just actually listens to your body. A lot of docs still stick with the way out-of-date numbers; I have no idea why. Uninformed? I had to go to an endocrinologist to finally get someone to listen and treat me.

And I'd be quite bothered about it, personally. I spent about ten years being told my numbers were normal and was VERY sick before I found someone who treated me properly; if you're not there already, you don't want to be. Your TSH level will go down with proper treatment; it takes a while--it has to--but it'll go down to actual normal levels.

*hugs* I hope you can quickly and easily find a doc who takes you seriously and takes good care of you.

[kiya]

I'm wondering how much of the rest of my wrestling with depression issues is thyroxin deficiency.

The doctor's office I go to tends to be fairly responsive to patient concerns (which is why I switched to there), so I will drop them a note and say, "Um, I know you get your lab results done out-of-site and are awfully busy, so you don't necessarily flag things that they don't point out, but ..."

I need to go back in anyway for a tetanus shot. Maybe I can coordinate this.