[Kimberly]

#1066538

onlyhope77 wrote:So my question is this – is this normal behavior for a Graves Patient???

Hello – When our thyroid hormone levels are out of whack, this definitely affects our personalities. However, once we have been through treatment and our hormone levels are stabilized, we should start to see an improvement (although the healing process can still take some time).

Are your daughter’s thyroid hormone levels are stable now? I wasn’t sure if this was the case from your post. If not, choosing a treatment option (Anti-Thyroid Drugs, Radioactive Iodine, and Thyroidectomy/Surgical Removal) and getting her levels stabilized will help your daughter feel SO much better. I would recommend that your daughter get copies of her lab tests at every visit, so she can see the test results for herself. It is helpful to look not just at the TSH test, but also Free T3 and Free T4, as these measure the available levels of actual thyroid hormone in the body.

If her levels *are* stable, there could be other issues going on besides the Graves’. Do you have a primary care physician that your daughter can discuss her situation with?

Also, you might check out the posts from February 1st — another member recently had similar issues with a son who was diagnosed with Graves’. Perhaps some of the advice that she received will be helpful to you as well. Best of luck to you and your family!

[Corinne]

#1066539

It doesn’t really seem like there is a "normal" behavior for Grave’s patients….but I have to admit that your daughter sounds a little bit like how I feel. I am 24 and like her, I let the book I am reading or game or tv show or whatever, consume me. I am so tired all the time and feel weak and exhausted that my house has become so messy. The only time I can get the energy to clean it is if someone is coming over, and even then its really hard to do. Lack of motivation is a big problem for me. And I can see how it would be really easy to neglect those you love the most, by not showing them the attention the deserve. I don’t have kids, but I have pets and a husband and I probably have been guilty of not showing them attention/spending time with them. I feel like this is TOTALLY unlike how I usually am. My house used to be spotless 24/7 and we would OCD/deep clean every weekend. That hasn’t happened in a really long time. I think my grave’s (being undiagnosed for quite some time) has definitely affected my emotional state, and may have even put me into a mild depressive state. I have been on methimazole for a couple months now, and it helps a little bit. I haven’t gotten into the doctor yet for blood draws, so I am not sure if my levels are where they should be. But, it has definitely not completely helped the way I feel. I know a couple months is really not long enough to know that they aren’t working, but I am really looking forward to undergoing a "permanent" fix for my Graves. (I put " around permanent because I know that RAI, etc may not actually permanently fix me, and I will always have Graves, but with how I have been feeling for so long….Im not going to lie….it FEELS permanent and like it will greatly improve the way I will feel, and quickly….you know relatively…..) How long has this been going on with your daughter? It doesn’t sound like you guys like her doctor, but have you all discussed other options for treatment? I can see if she feels like she is stuck feeling crappy like this forever that she might be really depressed and will lose even more motivation. When you feel like this it is really hard to imagine feeling better ever again! (But, with help from people on this message board, I can rest assured that it will happen, even if it takes a while to get there!) Maybe you could consider another doctor. Do you think there is any way you could get her on this website to read how other people handled it/how they dealt with their problems/etc? It was really helpful for me. I hope she feels better, and that everything works out for your whole family!

[enough3]

#1066540

Has she been tested for PPD? (Post-partum depression) I had a relative who had PPD and she did not discover it till the baby was a toddler. She had some blood work done and her serotonin levels were very low. Just a thought.

As for the graves, Kimberly made some really good suggestions.

Really sorry you are going through this. I’m sure it is difficult to watch. Hang in there.

[onlyhope77]

#1018698

I am the mother of an adult Graves Disease 27 yr.old daughter – who has a lovely 20 mt old daughter – my first grandbaby, and I am at my wits end with how my daughter is behaving. We went thru a terrible psychotic stage with her – had to hospitalize her – they Bakers Acted her due to suicidal thoughts. She slowly began to get better once released from that place – I quit my job to care for her and the baby – she was not allowed alone for 24/7 around the clock care….I did it because I love her naturally. Finally after a few months she was off the meds the psychiatrist in hospital had put her on and the Christian psychiatrist we found said she was doing fine he thought off all meds except tapazole…but he kept an eye on her until 2 weeks ago. For the last several months since 9/09 when I became their caretaker she has gained 75 lbs. She is also hyper-focused on whatever computer thing she’s doing or book she’s reading or game she’s playing etc. She smokes compulsively again and her house is in total disarray – floors in kitchen/bathroom filthy – toys everywhere – dirty clothes everywhere – dishes stacked up for days dirty – my poor son in law works hard all day then comes home to this – and he then begins to clean. He’s at his wits end too. She isn’t teaching the baby or going out for walks or to the park or any of the normal things young mom’s do – the baby watches tv all day and plays with herself unless I come around.

I am trying to train online for a new job that I can do at home so I can be around to help her still…but every time I come over I start to clean up the house cause I can’t stand the squalor and so she is getting very annoyed at me….but I can’t stand to see them living like this. This not my daughter….she is not this person…now she really has gotten a lot better over these last few months – we’re all seeing that her old personality is coming back a bit but this other stuff is just crazy and off the charts. I’ve tried to speak to her doctor but he doesn’t speak English well and I have to ask him to repeat what he’s saying over and over again…plus he’s so busy with a ton of patients that he rarely has time to talk. Don’t like this guy at all…sorry. So my question is this – is this normal behavior for a Graves Patient??? Should we do something else for her? If so what?? She doesn’t like me meddling now since she’s ‘better’ – her husband is very grateful that I show up to help her out and the baby especially and I don’t want to alienate her from me but I’m getting a little tense about my granddaughter too… is she safe? My son in law doesn’t think she is. The last big thing is she had me babysit with my husband Saturday nite and she went to a festival at our local beach area and she ended up not eating but drinking – getting drunk and over spending from their debit card. She’s been a bit angry too perhaps from the diet pills she NOT supposed to be taking…I am concerned for my grandbaby and for her!!

I could really use some sound advice….quickly….praying but really concerned!!!
Thanks so much!
Onlyhope77

[cathycnm]

#1066541

I agree that your daughter needs rapid evaluation for postpartum depression. This is a serious illness that takes lives of women and children!!! It has to do with a drop in serotonin levels with birth and – yes – people change. They can become ill enough to hurt themselves or their children. Sometimes this is deadly!!! Often they find that the thyroid is not functioning totally correctly, either – which adds to the serotonin issue. Please take her to someone who can evaluate this ASAP. I have a friend who lost her children because people did not recognize her illness in time.

Here is a link to a questionairre that may give you some idea about your daughter. Even if she will not answer the questions herself, I think you will be able to see if this sounds like what is happening. I wish you the very best – the condition is not difficult to treat – but it does require treatment!!! http://www.fresno.ucsf.edu/pediatrics/d … hscale.pdf

[snapshot]

#1066542

I would say that this behavior is a little extreme even for a graves patient… i’ve had mood swings but not quit to this degree… i would say it probably is a combination of things as others have suggested…the graves disease sounds like its just the beginning… i hope that you can get the help that your family needs.

[mamabear]

#1066543

I have to agree with cathym…….get daughter to a dr. (not the one she is going to since you can’t understand him to begin with) that will address postpartum issues AND thyroid issues. when was the last time her levels were checked? Should be every 4-6 weeks to make sure they are being maintained at proper levels.

Get the diet pills out of the house, tell Son in law to find them and flush them. They shouldn’t have that stuff around the baby anyway since she isn’t well enough to keep them out of the baby’s way.
Her levels might be making her overweight .
Your Son in law can have her put in hospital if nessesary, she wont like it but she is not herself. Her dr. isn’t monitoring her properly and his butt should be kicked to the curb. Find another dr. asap.

postpartum depression is a very serious and real thing, I have had 4 kids and my last one I remember feeling "off", she was a july baby and by october I finally told dh hey I need help please talk to me. He and I talked and it was literally all it took for me to come out of it. I was back to my old self and he was helping around the house and I was able to kick it before it got bad. MOST women can NOT do that. I have a very very special bond with my dh and I’m not saying that your dd doesn’t with her husband but her actions and mental state don’t reflect that just talking with her dh will be of any good.

Prayers that God’s hand is over all of you and that she gets the help she needs. Tell your son in law that it takes time with Graves’ disease AND with POstpartum depression to recover from it. He will need to be strong for his wife and child. It wont be easy on him, if he needs support to get it through church, family, come on here if he needs to get answers about thyroid issues. Tell him not to let him keep it bottled up inside, just let it out and move forward. That is what his wife needs right now even if she doesn’t want it.

I remember feeling like i had what we call the "crazies", it was bad but my dh caught me talking one day and said wait! You need to get to dr., i think your thyroid is screwed up. (i dont think he used screwed up but we’ll say that word anyway! lol) I went to dr. and my levels were bad, i felt so weird and was even in the car driving and I just knew something was bad.

She does not have the strength to do this so you and your son will have to advocate for her. Make sure you read anything the hospital gives you and not just sign away anything.
If this is her thyroid then she needs meds and needs to have an Endocrinologist and be told that she can get help and you are all there for her.

[onlyhope77]

#1066544

Thanks everyone! yes I stepped in to help her husband who works long days! Then comes home to clean and all which isn’t right! We went the whole route of depression – had her to a shrink to help – he says now she is not depressed…could have fooled me! She seems like how she was when she was a rebellious teenager…when I said that to my other daughter who is her best friends she said "Wow Mom right!!" They lost their health insurance so they have to pay for everything up front…another tuff issue! The shrink said her pituitary is not speaking to her thyroid…I’d like her to get to a new doctor but that would mean a lot more money and they just don’t have it. Also she won’t go now.
Thanks for all your help!

[Kimberly]

#1066545

Hello – I’m sorry you are still struggling with this. Is there any way to contact your state’s Health Department to check on options for residents without insurance? Even if your daughter isn’t Medicaid eligible, the state could potentially have some other resources and suggestions, such as local medical schools.

If your daughter does have a pituitary issue, she will feel SO much better once the issue is formally diagnosed and treated…and her thyroid levels are stabilized. Perhaps your other daughter can run interference and encourage her to seek treatment, since they are so close.

Best of luck…please do keep us posted.

[Author]

Posts