The Results are In

Last week when we were at the DS Clinic, the doctor (Dr. Kathleen) said that she wanted to repeat some of the blood work that had been done at his one-year appointment, so we went on Friday to have the blood drawn. Justin is getting so smart and he knows when we lay him down on white paper, it is not going to be good. It means shots or worse, a blood draw. He did very well, and we are learning who the good phlebotomists are. We were told we would hear when the results came back: a phone call for bad news, and a letter for good. (That's my simplified interpretation.)

Yesterday, I got a phone call.

It was the thyroid, just what Dr. Kathleen had expected. His TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) is elevated which means he has compensated hypothyroidism. What I have read says that the pituitary gland makes TSH and sends it to the thyroid gland to cause it to make T3 and T4 which are thyroid hormones. The thyroid hormones are responsible for growth, puberty, reaction to stress, temperature regulation, and urine output. Because his TSH level is high, it means his thyroid is having to work harder to maintain the levels his body needs. It might NOT be able to produce enough for his body, which causes the body's metabolism to slow, resulting in fatigue, a lowered heart rate and blood pressure, slowing of the intestines leading to constipation, and a constant feeling of being cold. These are all things that Justin has has trouble with, so I am really hoping this solves some of his problems.

SO...

Another doctor. We have to get an appointment with an endocrinologist. And from what I went through yesterday, it's not easy. Some of these doctors have some major obstacles constructed to make certain that they only have to see patients who really need their services. I spent 20 minutes being transferred to several different people, none of whom could tell me exactly what I needed to do to get an appointment. I think I am on the right track though. They need to see all of Justin's medical records and screen them before they will call me to set up and appointment. I am not sure how long this process takes.

And the results of the celiac test are not in yet. That will be another week or so. So there may be more coming. Keep praying please!

(Information for this post was taken from an article "Late Effects to the Thyroid Gland")