Son, 15 has an elevated T3 level. He was tested 4 or 5 years ago with the same thing. They forgot to tell us to recheck him in 6 months. This month I had him tested on my own recall of that level. It's still elevated. Doctor said to wait 4 months, test again and then go up to a higher doctor.
His symptoms for years, depression, weight gain, moody, concentration levels off for school, hates school, slow moving, craves carbs. He has been treated for depression with little or no help from various medications. He has been treated for ADD, again no help there.
So my question is, why wait to see a specialist when it's been high for years?
Re: should we go to an endocrinologist now or wait?
If you don't need a referral, and there are symptoms, I would just set an appt. because there seems to be a history, the endo will do his/her own bloodwork anyway. An endo isn't a "higher" doctor, it's just a specialist that will see if there's a problem.
Re: should we go to an endocrinologist now or wait?
Don't wait. You have waited long enough. His system is in constant flux at his current age.. waiting just makes things worse. I would take him to an Internal medicine MD and see if you can get him pushed from there to an pediatric endocrinologist that is highly recommended.
Do not put all your faith in the MD.. they are human and they can make mistakes. In the Mean time get a copy of your sons labs. If he hasn't been run for thyroid AIs.. get TPOAb, TGAb , TSI, and TRAb run.
If you post your son's:
TSH 3rd Gen of sensitive
FT3
FT4
Antibody levels we can give you are two cents due to experience prior to getting into the Endo. Do thyroid issues run in your family. Have you or your mother/hubbies mother tested positive? They tend to be genetically linked. Puberty is a known genetic trigger for thyroid AIs. If the FTs have not been run. Make them run them.
I have Hashimoto's. My mother and her four sisters all have AITs. My mom's mom and my mom's dad's mom and siblings had thyroid woes as well. You can live long lives with these issues. You just need to diagnose them and treat them as soon as possible.
I am wishing you and your son the best of care.
MG
__________________
If we learn by our mistakes, I am working on one hell of an education.
Re: should we go to an endocrinologist now or wait?
My mother had thyroid cancer. It was caught very early and the thyroid removed. she has been on meds for over 30 years now. No other family history, at least nothing that has been found.
Re: should we go to an endocrinologist now or wait?
I am wondering why you haven't seen the specialist when it was first discovered! I just don't get doctors...general docs just don't have the expertize or the background to treat a patient properly and especially a very young patient. Call the endocrinologists office/clinic today and see what you have to do to get your son in. Some require a referral some do not but either way you need to take charge and get you son some good help. Go now and good luck.
Re: should we go to an endocrinologist now or wait?
We've been searching for help since 2003, when he was in 5th grade. He was depressed, tired, moody, gaining weight, lacked concentration and organizational skills, so they did test his thyroid at that point. They found the level off and just wanted to repeat the test 6 mo later. I think we did do that and they never told us it was off again. I learned this from a new doctor I just switched him to. I requested the test myself and that doc started looking at his records.
Yeah, I've had my share of misfortunate events with the medical world. You really have to take things into your own hands at times and search until you find the right person to help you. I haven't found that person yet, but I'm on my way to it now.
