Mayo check up this week - went well!

Monday was blood draw day - my mother-in-law rode with me for company.  By the time we got back to Iowa the results were online.  So I had preliminary info and was pleased with the thyroid numbers.  I'll get to those in a sec for you technical folks who care about those details.  Today was the actual doctor visit with Endo number 4.  Bob traveled with me and the conversation was very good.  So, first the numbers, then a summary of the conversation with the doctor.
TSH = 0.3 - bottom end of normal - slightly hyperthyroid per the doctor
Free T4 = 1.7 - towards the top end of the scale - confirms being slightly hyperthyroid
Tg - thyroglobulin - cancer marker - less than 0.1 or undetectable - HOORAY
Vitamin D, Calcium, kidney function, Phosphorous - all normal - and Calcium dropped from 10 to 9.5 but statistically unchanged since it varies up to one point based on hydration levels.
Fasting glucose 105 - high - prediabetes is greater than 100
A1C = 5.9.  Top of the scale is 6.0...above 6.0 is prediabetes and 6.5 and up is diabetic.
Parathyroid hormone is elevated at 95.  Top end of normal is 65.  It's down from 110 in February but statistically the same since this value migrates up and down every 15 minutes.

Doc was really pleased with the thyroid numbers and asked how I feel on Tirosint - the replacement for Synthroid that I'm now taking.  We recently reduced the dosage during my bout with shingles due to racing heartbeat, along with upping my beta blocker.  On this lower dosage, I feel much improved - of course still somewhat hyperthyroid but that's par for the course with metastatic ThyCa.  He asked if I "like" Tirosint (vs. Synthroid).  I said yes...much less brain fog and easier to maintain my weight.  He was pleased.  I told him that I've lost 12 pounds since a year ago and he said that was good and should go a long way to fending off the diabetes tendency.  He thought if I lost another 10 pounds I should be able to fend off diabetes and improve my A1C.  He is super pleased with the cancer marker being undetectable on their machine.  He said that there could still be microscopic cancer but even if my Tg rises, they'd likely not find anything to treat.  It took 16 years for this last recurrence to reveal itself (although I think U of Iowa missed it for a couple years) so since it's so slow growing, he's comfortable with a neck ultrasound and full blood work up in January of 2014.  He's not yet comfortable waiting a full year on the calcium levels.  He's convinced I have primary hyperparathyroidism (I am too) which means one of the parathyroids is "going bad" and we've just caught it early.  If he sees calcium hovering in the same range next time, I'll likely get a year off.  If it's creeping upward, we'll keep testing as surgery is warranted if it's 11 or higher.  Sometimes it just stabilizes, even with a bad parathyroid - so that's what I'm hoping for.  He wants me to do another DEXA bone scan due to the risk factors for osteoporosis.  I'll do that locally.  He said several times "you're doing great."  When he said good bye to us he said "it's nice to give good news to people."  I had said that I'd recommend ethanol ablation to any eligible patient who meets the criteria as it's been so successful for me and spared me surgery, radiation, LID prep, disability, etc.

So, I'm going to enjoy the "time off" from Mayo (although the stop off at Trader Joe's on the way home to pick up a few goodies will be missed - but I'll do that elsewhere) and focus on the 10 pounds that need to disappear.  Ugh.  :-D