[ewmb]

#1065676

I am also trying to get the right dose for replacement after RAI last May. Went hypo in Sept of last year. I was on 100 and felt pretty good. I had a normal t4 and my TSh was 14. Doctor went up to 112mcg. A few weeks into that I started having familiar feelings of hyper symptoms. Talked to doctor we went to 100 four days a week and 112 three days a week. The tremors have started to go away. I think that we flew over the right dose but I won’t know until May when I get blood work done again. I think my TSH was really lagging behind my other numbers. Hope that you talk to your doctor on Monday and write down all your symptoms. You might have jumped over too.

Feel better,
ewmb

[Ski]

#1065677

When we’re first getting regulated, things can be a bit up/down/all over the place, symptom-wise. Remember that when you change doses of replacement thyroid hormone, your body needs about six weeks to fully metabolize that dose before you can effectively evaluate it with lab results. After each of my dose changes I’ve had a period of a few weeks where I feel hyper one minute, hypo the next, before things begin to settle into a level state. It’s tough to wrap our heads around that ~ we’re so used to being able to say "I took it this morning and this afternoon I feel badly, so that must be the cause, and I need to change something." It just doesn’t work that way with thyroid hormone replacement. You need to let things settle, otherwise you can put yourself in a constant state of fluctuation, and that’s not healthy either.

[basebplyr6]

#1018555

I have a quick question about some symptoms that I am experiencing. I’m currently on 112 mcg of synthroid, I have been on it for 3 weeks. Previously I was on the generic 100 mcg levothyroxine, after a TSH of 15 my doctor bumped me up to 112 mcg, I suggest the change to synthroid and we went with it. I have been feeling much better since on the higher dosage except for some recent symptoms.

1. I had a high heart rate that woke me up at 3am and was in the 120 bmp range for about 15 mins (first time I have had a heart rate this high since 3 weeks after RAI (Oct 09)). Also my body had a slight shaking, like nervousness mixed with chills. These symptoms went away after a few hours after I relaxed by watching TV and listening to music.
2. Decreased Appetite. I feel like I have to force myself to eat most meals. I’m only hungry through the first few bits.
3. Nausea. This kinda goes along with the decreased appetite since I don’t feel like eating as much.
4. Confusion. I still experience some slight confusion later in the evening, its almost like a semi conscious. Normally eating some food and drinking fluids will help but it is not 100% solved until a full nights rest.

I did go to the ER last night to get everything checked out..and they couldn’t find anything outside of the normal other than a slightly low potassium level (3.3). So I believe that this must be thyroid related.

I have an appointment with my doctor on Monday about all of these symptoms but wanted to get some insight on here as well. Do you think that these symptoms are related to my body adjusted to the new dosage of synthroid, or are these some symptoms since I’m still hypo? Any other possibilities? The decreased appetite and nausea symptoms have only shown up in the last 4 days. I thought I was on the right track and now this..any suggestions?

Any input in appreciated. Thanks.

[basebplyr6]

#1065678

ewmb,

Thanks for your reply. I will ask my doctor about that. Do you still have any of the other hypo feelings? I’m still experiencing tiredness, and now seem to have this slight confusion, nausea, and loss of appetite. So I’m not sure if I’m going hyper or if my body is adjusting or if it is something else.

Ski,

I know that you mentioned that the body can go through ups and downs while adjusting to a dosage. But does it seem common that I was feeling much better around week 3 on 112 of Synthroid and at week 4 I’m having new symptoms? It is becoming difficult for me to work with the confusion (not feeling all there). I have also experienced a rapid heart rate (120-140 bmp) for about 15 mins twice in the last week. My potassium was slighly low (3.3) so I’m on a potassium supplement (prescribed by my doctor) that I started 3 days ago, so hopefully that will help the potassium levels. But I don’t understand why my symptoms (low appetite, nausea, slight confusion, rapid HR) are showing up now. I want to become regulated ASAP so I don’t know if it’s best to "stick it out" or try to lower the dosage. Again, it’s becoming difficult to work with these new symptoms so that’s why I’m concerned.

Thanks

[Ski]

#1065679

You could talk with your doctor about the new symptoms and see what they think. It is always recommended that we wait at least six weeks before doing labs to evaluate a new dose of thyroid hormone replacement, because it can create a false idea of where you are, and you end up chasing a phantom. Still, if your symptoms are truly debilitating, then the doctor may recommend lowering the dose right away. It’d be wise to wait another six weeks after that before having blood drawn. Remember that as long as your thyroid is no longer functioning, a set dose of thyroid hormone replacement will not send you into the stratosphere again. You aren’t putting that much into your system.

[ewmb]

#1065680

I have hypo and hyper symptoms it seems. I think I am just not at a right dose yet so my body swings back and forth with things. I also have fibromyalgia so I blame some of my things on that. The tremors and the sleeping in the afternoon were never symptoms I’ve had with fibromyalgia though so I think those are thyroid related at this time. I will go in on May 11 to see where I am blood wise. I had my dose changed/lowered to 100 mcg four days a week and 112 three days a week about two weeks into my new 7 days of 112mcg. The tremors were really bad then. They haven’t gone all the way away yet but are better. I hate waiting so long to get blood work done too. I have my busiest time at work coming up with the end of school for the kids and I hate to have to change doses again right before that but I will if I’m not on the right track. I need to get healthy! Right now I am really sore because I did a lot at work today. I go back and forth between I’m getting better look at what I did today to OOOOOOOHHHHHHH I feel rotten today. Wish it were easier on everyone with Graves. Let us know what your endo thinks.

ewmb

[basebplyr6]

#1065681

I talked with my endo and he doesn’t believe that my symptoms are directly related to my thryoid and he didn’t recommend lowering my dosage since my tsh was 15 in my previous labs. I decided to see my GP to get another opinion on why I wasn’t feeling good. Basically had blood tested and everything was normal (except for thryoid levels) and she decided to give me a prescription to xanax. I have been taking 0.5mg for 3 days and now feel much better. I believe that my condition (hypothryoid) and struggling with this disease has just created some uneasy feelings that eventually piled up and let to more serious symptoms (nausea, loss of appetite, and metal confusion). I never had any emotional issues before being diagnosed with graves so I believe that they will go away once my levels are normal, but until then I’m going to take a xanax as needed.

[Kaeljia]

#1065682

I’ve been wondering if I’ve been going insane lately, the simplest thought takes so much to process, I recently did a IQ test which 10 years ago I scored high on… I couldn’t even make 100. My head feels like it’s always in a fog, and for someone who at one time never needed a list… well if it’s not on the list, or on the calendar I promptly forget it.

So to read other’s having similar symptoms well I don’t feel so alone. My husband hasn’t been supportive or doesn’t know what to make of my disease, sometimes I don’t think he even remembers I have a disease.
My dosage is no where near as high on synthroid, I’m at 75mcg, and have been for almost 6 months now. A year ago I felt fine, then I had to deal with TED double orbital reduction, I didn’t go back to work, I honestly don’t know how people do work with TED, I didn’t drive for 6 months then was pretty much forced to. So after a year of eye surgeries (3 in all) my eyes are done, but my body and my heart don’t feel right.
I’ve been lacking energy, motivation, I’ve been down right depressed where I cry at the drop of a hat, and get frustrated and mad at myself for being so overly sensitive. I’ve also lacked appetite drinking and eating, and find if I don’t eat within half hour of getting up I’ll go all day without eating. I wake up famished and that will disappear within the hour. I am so thirsty at night my sinus’ and throat dry up and I can never get enough water to drink, but I can’t force myself to even drink water during the day I almost feel sick doing so. I’m seriously thinking it’s all psychological.
I go for walks with my son before school every morning, come home and lack even the motivation or want to go out and do work in the gardens. I’ve been looking for work and am scared that I won’t be able to do the easiest jobs I once was fully capable of. I constantly feel like I’m letting my family down, we are struggling to make ends meet, and I can’t seem to get it together.
The weight has been steady since I was radiated, it doesn’t go up, nor does it go down… even after eating Easter dinner I weighed the same. I’m at a constant 215lbs and desperately want to lose 65lbs. I’ve been pushing myself to work in the garden and fifteen minutes of weeding in the garden makes me feel like I’ve run a marathon, my heart is pounding so hard.
I’m getting my blood work done today and going to see my Endocrinologist tomorrow, but thus far all my tests have supposedly been normal.
Has anyone else experienced loss of voice, when I told my Dr’s I was losing my voice and it didn’t matter how little I talked, and I felt it was due to my thyroid… they both said they’ve never heard of such a thing and that the voice box is not directly related to the thyroid. Although your voice box is close to it, why wouldn’t it be affected by it?
I can honestly say I don’t feel as bad as when I was first diagnosed with Graves Disease four years ago, but I don’t feel much better either.
I just wanted to thank you for letting me vent, and I know I had nothing to add… except to acknowledge that I too have similar symptoms as you with the nausea and loss of appetite. Just thinking of food makes me ill.
I wish all a trouble free day.

[Kimberly]

#1065683

Kaeljia – I’m sorry you are not feeling well — and that no one at home seems to understand what you are going through. ” title=”Sad” /> Trust me, everyone on this board has "been there, done that" — so feel free to vent here!

Having out thyroid levels out of whack can absolutely affect our emotions, so please don’t be so hard on yourself for getting sad and/or angry over things that never would have bothered you before. Hopefully, this will start to subside the further along you get in your healing process.

You mentioned that your symptoms might be psychological. Yes, sometimes our metal state *can* end up causing physical ailments. However, have you had a complete physical recently? I think you owe it to yourself to make absolutely sure that there are no other physical issues going on besides your Graves’. Also, keep in mind that the "normal" range for thyroid function tests are extremely wide. So although you might be "normal", your levels might not be at a point that is OPTIMAL for YOU.

Hopefully, you have a doctor who will work with you and keep searching until you can get some relief from your symptoms. Keep fighting for yourself — you DESERVE to feel good again!

Finally, I don’t know where you are located, but if you check the home page at http://www.ngdf.org, you can see all the different areas that have in-person support groups. If there is one near you, that would be a great way to get some extra information, support, and understanding as you are working through this process.

Best of luck!

[Kimberly]

#1065684

Oops, I also meant to mention that I experenced hoarseness of voice about the time I was diagnosed with Graves’, although I don’t know if there is a scientific explanation behind this. It has mostly subsided, but I still have occasional issues. It’s VERY frustrating when it happens when I am trying to speak in public!

[Bobbi]

#1065685

Just a guess here. But the nerve that "works" the vocal cords goes through the thyroid. I’ve always suspected that problems in the thyroid could impact that nerve, because I, too, had some hoarseness before treatment. Regardless, persistent hoarseness should be checked out by an ear, nose and throat specialist to make sure something else isn’t going on.

[njnichols]

#1065686

I was diagnosed in Sep 2007, had the RAI in Nov 2007 and went hypo in January 2008. I go to the DR every 6 months with new lab work, was 3 months, but my medicine has been changed every time. I was up to 150 and she moved me down to 137 recently. I felt better on the 150 than the 125, but I’m back to the being tired, and not wanting to do anything. It seems to take every ounce of energy I have some days to hold my head up. And talking about needing lists, I seem to have the worst memory ever now. It gets frustrating and I just wonder how long it will take for this to stop or will it?

[Kimberly]

#1065687

njnichols – When our thyroid levels are out of whack, memory can definitely be impacted. Hopefully, you are getting closer to finding that "sweet spot" with your replacement hormone that will get you to feeling good again. This will hopefully help with the memory issues as well.

However, many of us find that our memory is just not as good as it was pre-Graves. I find that if a thought pops in my head, I need to write it down that instant, or it might be gone forever! Others use timers or beepers to remember important "to-dos", such as taking meds. As you continue on this journey, you will definitely find little tricks to get around the memory issue and make sure that your days run smoothly!

[JSF1204]

#1065688

I was experiencing similar symptoms to the OP. I was actually having full blown panic attacks as a result of my Synthroid dose being too high. (I had RAI in 2002) After years of not being "heard" I finally found an edocrinologist who actually listens to ME and not my labs. My body is just extremely sensitive to even the slightest level changes…even if they are within the normal limits. If I am starting to feel Hyper, she reduces my dose and also, if I begin to feel too sluggish, she increases it. I hope you are able to find the right dose quickly. Please feel better soon!

Regards,

Jenn

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