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Hi Jaz,
Well, I hope it helps to know that I’ve heard these words from nearly every GD patient I know!
” title=”Very Happy” /> I’m not sure if it contributes to ending up with Graves’, but we all seem to be the "go to," the "yes person," the one in control of everything, so one of our first and biggest lessons is how to manage that while we don’t feel well.First things first ~ the symptoms you’re experiencing now will likely be transient. It shouldn’t go on for much longer, but that certainly doesn’t mean they’ll stop in the next few hours, so you still need some help to get through, I understand.
There is a LOT going on in your body right now, and it’s hard to manage that, because it’s tough to know exactly where you’ll be at any given point in the day. Sometimes up, sometimes down. We know, we’ve definitely been there!
” title=”Wink” />There are a couple of things you can do right away. First, pare down your day so that you are only committed to doing THE MOST IMPORTANT things. Take projects that can be put off, and put them off, just for now. Put them off or give them to someone else to handle. When you’re not at work, do only those things that give you personal satisfaction, that ADD to your sense of well-being. Dump everything that sucks your energy away and gives nothing back. (This part might be permanent, after you see how good it feels!) Save your energy during the day so you are able to work at some rational pace. You may want to discuss the fact that you are currently recovering from a hyperthyroid condition ~ no one will understand, I’m sure, but you can at least broach the subject that you are not feeling 100% right now. The recovery is typically slow going, so it’s best to give a heads up as soon as you can.
There is a period of time after RAI when we can feel "extra hyper" ~ a few days’ worth ~ but I’m not sure whether that’s what you’re going through, just because it usually hits around two weeks after RAI, not just a few days. Still, it’s POSSIBLE that’s what’s happening with you right now. What happens is that the thyroid cells "dump" all the thyroid hormone they’ve been storing, when they are fully destroyed. This is a self-limiting event, because eventually ALL the thyroid cells will be gone and all the stored hormone will also be gone, but it can take a few days before you feel normal again. After that, you should be steadily feeling better. It’s "better by baby steps," don’t get me wrong, but try to look for small ways in which you feel better today than you did yesterday, and that points your mind in the right direction ~ toward gratitude, toward noticing how things are better, rather than grieving for the way things were before. That ship has sailed.
For small ways to get through a work day ~ get yourself a notepad and pencil, that was my favorite weapon. My mind couldn’t hold onto things, couldn’t remember everything I needed to be on top of, so I had to "resort" to writing on my calendar, putting reminders on the calendar in my cell phone and my computer, keeping post-it notes around ~ all kinds of mechanisms to make sure I stayed on top of things that used to be effortless. Again, try to just be grateful that you have these means to help you through this time. You’ll come through it, but for now it’ll be a little tougher.
Welcome to the club.
” title=”Very Happy” /> Glad you found us! Ask any questions you may have, we’ll try to get the best possible answers for you.
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