[MikeLSU]

#1017832

Good day all, I am new to this forum as of yesterday.

I was diagnosed with GD 2 years ago. After the initial spike of hormones that caused the diagnosis dropped off my hormone levels have been in the normal band every time I go to the endo. I have never had to take medication to control my thyroid.

3 weeks ago I had a massive panic attack which caused me to hyperventillate several times (I did not know what hyperventillation was). This started as I was trying to go to sleep. I felt I was unable to breathe and shot out of the bed 2 or 3 times before I just decided to stay up. That is when the sweating kicked in. I was soaked. Since I thought I was short on air I was trying to breathe harder. That brought on light headedness. The circle continued until I went to the pharmcy and bought benadryl (Sominex). It knocked me out like someone hit me in the head with a hammer.

Since that time the insomnia has continued. This week on Monday I had my yearly check with my Dr and hormone levels were the same, normal. Antibodies are still high so there is no doubt I have this lovely disease.

I have a lot of the supporting symptoms especially an extreme sensitivity to heat. It has gotten bad enough to where I nolonger can enjoy riding a motorcycle (head in the helmet does not work), and car racing (body in a fire suit and head in a helmet, um, no sale!) In the last few weeks I have found myself sweating indoors in 76 degrees F temperature. I thought I had a fever. Typically when I get the sweats the back of my neck hurts (it has been doing so for the last 24 hours).

My suspect the insomina is associated with the heat intolerance which is the worst of my symptoms. When I get hot, I get a migraine headache (enjoying one of those #$%^ers right now). I can get rid of the migraine but when I am the least bit hot I cannot sleep. I can get sleep with the assistance of the aforementioned Sominex, a Xanax (prescription) or an Ambien. I have always been able to get sleep my entire life. In fact, when the real world used to get to be too much I was always able to sleep. The last 3 weeks have been the 1st time ever where I had any sort of sleep problem. To put it mildly, this has my knickers in quite a twist.

OK, to summarize, I still have my thyroids, no rad iodine done, hormones normal, antibodies high (little bastards), extreme heat sensitivity, heat causes headache and neck (back of neck, not around our favorite little buddies), insomnia off the charts.

Have any of you had this same problem?

Reading through the forum I see others that are having similar issues but have already had a thyroid removal or are taking medication to control high hormone levels.

If I could deal with the insomnia the other symptoms are tolerable.

Thanks,

-Mike
Houston, TX

Edit – When I have a bad migraine cold compresses on the forehead and neck help massively. I suspect my insomnia is a result of my head getting warmer than usual. At the moment I am looking for some kind of hat or cap to cool my head while sleeping or when I get a good headache. The racing industry makes something called cool suits. This is a shirt with tubing running all over it connected to a pump that circulates cool to very cold water from a bath of cool water (in what looks like a drink cooler) through the shirt. This keeps the body cool while wearing a Nomex firesuit. I have been looking for a similar system that works for the head. Right now I have two soft blue ice packs that I keep in my freezer. I put them into a sock as they are too cold to apply directly to the skin. It is an almost instant relief when I use them.

PS: I am relatively positive I have had Graves disease since my late 20s but I am positive I did not have it while in college as I spent a semester in an unairconditioned dorm at LSU (Late August in Baton Rouge LA). There is no way I could tolerate that with GD now.

Thanks again -Mike

[Bobbi]

#1061188

The first thing you should do, Mike, is go back to the endocrinologist (or your GP in a pinch) and have your thyroid levels checked. It’s the easiest way to rule out hyperthyroid levels of hormone, which could account for many of the symptoms you are describing. If those levels are still normal, then you need to look for another reason for the symptoms. But these symptoms do sound like some that we experience while hyperthyroid.

[msmanatee]

#1061189

Mike,I have a few of the same symptoms but am sub-clinical hyperthyroid (my hormones are still normal) and have had no treatment yet, either. I can sleep, usually three hours at a time but my ophthal specifically recommended benedryl for insomnia, so do ask your doc. Maybe a smaller dose would be more tolerable. I’m saving my xanax for emergencies. ” title=”Very Happy” />

[MikeLSU]

#1061190

Bobbi, my blood was tested this week. Hormone levels are normal. The point of my post is my hormone levels are normal but I am still having heat sensitivity and insomnia. The insomnia is what bothers me the most.

Thanks Msmanatee, i will try a lower dose and see if it still knocks out the insomnia without dragging me down for th whole next day.

Have a good week.

Mike

[MikeLSU]

#1061191

The panic attacks are now gone and I was able to sleep about 2 hours at a time over the weekend. I suspect the insomnia may taper off.

Going back to my original base question:

Do those of you who have been hyperthyroid in the past that then went euthyroid ever get the symptoms of GD (like panicky feelings, insomnia and sweating)?

Great forum by the way, have learned a lot about the ins and outs of this disease. I’ll be showing this to my neighbor who also has GD.

[CGkayaks]

#1061192

Hey Mike, I suffer off and on with the insomnia…have for a while. What helps me is to make sure I don’t stimulate my brain before bed, no TV or reading, for at least half an hour. If you can manage to do some meditation (no, it doesn’t have to be the ‘woo-woo’ stuff) just find a quiet place, breath in and out counting the first in/out breath as a pair (one) and repeat to ten. You may find that after about 15 minutes you are very relaxed and it makes it easier to get to sleep. That helps me at least. I occasionally have trouble with waking up in the night but lay there and do the breathing again and it seems to work. Also, when you have the feeling of fullness in your chest, I’ve found rolling to my right side helps — no pressure on my heart. I think we all try what works and sometimes we try several at a time. Hope you can figure out your combination!

And yes! in answer to your last question

[MikeLSU]

#1061193

Thank you very much CGKayaks (especially for that final answer). I will try some of those techniques. Tonight, actually, now it is this morning I will try them for effect. I think the insomnia is tapering off but tonight is one of those nights. Have a good week.

-Mike

3am. I slept from about 12:30am to 1:30am. I then woke up with the feeling of a panic attack setting in. It did. I was able to ride it out. Now I am dead tired, but as soon as I lay down I feel the overpowering urge to get up. This is just not fun. I have a beta blocker I take for migraine prevention called Atenolol that is also prescribed for prevention of these panic attack onsets in hyperthyroid cases. My blood pressure is normal (even while in a mild to strong panic attack) so I can only take a low dose to prevent low blood pressure. I remember when I first took it I always felt "good". FYI – it is a prescribed drug by my GP and I take no other medications regularly. Anyone reading this should avoid Atenolol and Xanax together as they have moderate interaction (hypotension I believe).

I have never dreaded the night in my life. I do now. As soon as the sun goes down my comfort level decreases as I anticipate what is coming. It is very hard to explain this to my employees and boss. We are a tiny company. I’ll be dead on my butt all day today again or worse than yesterday.

For the record I went 3 nights without any medication to help me sleep. I got 4 to 6 hours sleep each night and felt good. Yesterday morning I woke up at 3am (went to sleep at 11) and ground through the day. I thought for sure I would sleep easily tonight. I am starting to think when I get extremely tired I may be more prone to the panic attacks. My thoughts seem a lot "louder" when I am really tired.

OK, enough rambling from the mentally exhausted. Time to go read the financial reports from some bloated company like Bill Gates inc, that could put a loaded crack addict to sleep

It took until well past sunrise to get to sleep. Someone on another post said they took an antacid and fell directly to sleep. I am starting to suspect I have multiple things working together to cause these bad nights. I did have some mild indigestion with gas. The fear of not being able to breathe gets really strong when a panic attack hits. I now think the indigestion/gas causes the fear to grow. I am going to look into a daily 24 hour OTC pill like Prilosec.

[Kimberly]

#1061194

FYI…Web MD posted some tips on dealing with insomnia that we shared over on the Foundation’s Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Graves-D … 2413847565

(Note: you will need to click your browser’s "back" button after viewing the link).

[HonestBabe]

#1061195

Hi Mike,
Re your insomnia. I listen to quieting music before sleep time; maybe some camomile tea. Ocean waves is a good repetitive rhythm that brings all my energies down a notch and with hyperthyroidism, every notch counts. Watching ocean waves on a DVD or VCR tape (yeah, I still have a VCR) is really good because it focuses the eye and the mind and hearing on relaxing and after 20 minutes, the eyelids drop and you’re off. On those nights that I’m really keyed up, I take some passion flower and lemon balm, but to be safe, check with your doctor or a naturalist to see if herbs like this are okay for your condition. Here’s a CD that has music that creates ‘stillness’ and it really works. "Sounds of Stillness" by Sounds True (Onespirit.com) I absolutely love it! All the best.

[SharieS]

#1061196

Hi Mike,

I’ve had problems sleeping since I was diagnosed with Graves in March 2009. Prior to that, I always slept well. I was treated with Methimazole for 2 yrs, and have been off meds now since April 2011. My bloodwork is okay and I have been well…….the only problem was the insomnia. I was willing to try anything (except medications), so last April I went for hypnosis therapy. I had 4-1hour sessions, and he also made me a 1/2 hour relaxation tape. I have listened to that tape everynight at bedtime, just put it on my ipod. I have slept well ever since, and have not taken any drugs for sleep. I am also a type A personality, so I never knew how to relax or meditate. Had never meditated a day in my life, so I wasn’t sure I could calm my mind enough to sleep. Now, I generally fall asleep about 1/2 way through the tape, and have on rare occasion heard the actual ending of the tape. I still fall asleep listening to it every night.
I was very skeptical when I went for my first session, and I know it sounds like an odd thing to do, but being able to sleep has changed the quality of my life for sure.

I wish you well.

[MikeLSU]

#1061197

SharleS,

Thank you for your reply.

How did you locate your hypnotherapist? Is there one type or classification for sleep disorders?

Unfortunately, I am taking medication. It works well but I am worried it is a hard road to stop driving on. The one I use most often is Unisom (Doxylamine Succinate). It seems to be the best for sleep and a lack of sluggishness the next day. I also have a prescription for Atenalol to preempt migraines (my blood pressure is normal, no hypertension).

I have found that a big aggravator to my insomnia is the heat. Houston is over 100 daily right now. My wife noticed I was sweating during a 3am panic attack/wake-up. I sprayed myself down with water and stayed near a fan. It really clobbered the panic attack. Unfortunately, getting back to sleep after a full panic attack has not happened often.

My long term plan is to get into better shape and exercise more in hopes that will help my heat intolerance and make me more tired at night.

Mike

[Bobbi]

#1061198

Hi, Mike:

Heat intolerance is sometimes a sign that our thyroid levels are too high. Ditto panic attacks. If you haven’t had your levels checked recently, you might want to call your doctor and arrange for a blood test.

[MikeLSU]

#1061199

Bobbi wrote:Hi, Mike:

Heat intolerance is sometimes a sign that our thyroid levels are too high. Ditto panic attacks. If you haven’t had your levels checked recently, you might want to call your doctor and arrange for a blood test.

I recently had them checked (July 2011) and all were normal. Every time I have had them checked I have been Euthyroid. I was right in the middle of a really bad bout of insomnia and heat stress last time I gave a sample and the levels were normal. Antibodies were still high by hormones normal.

[MikeLSU]

#1061200

I went to a new GP today who is closely tied to an endochronologist who I will be switching to. He (the GP) prescribed Atenolol generic and Ambien CR generic for 30 days. At the end of 30 days I will try coming off of the Ambien. The Atenolol is a beta blocker known to help lessen or prevent anxiety attacks. Ambien is a non addictive sleeping pill of which I had some samples and know it works well. When they say take it just before getting in bed they mean it.

I asked if the doctor would recommend an exercise regimen to get back in shape. He said to hold off on that until 30 days is up. :p

If after 30 days things are not improved I will be having a neurological sleep study.

Fingers crossed. At least i will sleep for the next 30 days.

HonestBabe wrote:Hi Mike,
Re your insomnia. I listen to quieting music before sleep time; maybe some camomile tea. Ocean waves is a good repetitive rhythm that brings all my energies down a notch and with hyperthyroidism, every notch counts. Watching ocean waves on a DVD or VCR tape (yeah, I still have a VCR) is really good because it focuses the eye and the mind and hearing on relaxing and after 20 minutes, the eyelids drop and you’re off. On those nights that I’m really keyed up, I take some passion flower and lemon balm, but to be safe, check with your doctor or a naturalist to see if herbs like this are okay for your condition. Here’s a CD that has music that creates ‘stillness’ and it really works. "Sounds of Stillness" by Sounds True (Onespirit.com) I absolutely love it! All the best.

I just noticed I missed this post. Thank you for the recommendation HonestBabe. Strangely, a different kind of music distracts me from the attack – metal guitar. I watched the movie Wanted Sunday while still recovering from pretty much an all day Sat anxiety attack. At the end of the movie the metal guitar played during the credits pulled my mind out of that blurry anxiety feeling. Violins do the same thing. Why? Because I can play both and listening to Either brings visuals of playing. I may need to go invest in another guitar ” title=”Very Happy” />

Thank you for replying.

Mike

[Denise321]

#1061201

Hi Mike. About the insomnia. I started having trouble with it in 1993. I began taking benedryl then. In 1999 I was diagnosed with Graves. In 2000 I had RAI. There was a short time of about 18 months after my treatment that I didn`t need the benedryl to sleep. But, I am back on the benedryl. Having taken it for so long I have built up a tolerance for it. It does not work so well for me now. Insomnia is going to be an issue for a
long time. It is part of this disease. I slept about 2 hours total last night. My endo led me to believe Graves had no effects once i took the RAI. Now, I can`t remember anything. My concentration has left me. And sleep is only a daydream for me. I wish I had been informed long ago. Hopefully the medication will help you get some much needed rest. But, it will be an ongoing issue.
Denise

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