[Anonymous]

#1047957

Lori,

I am presently in remission. My levels have all been in the normal range for about six months. I have been unable to get off the beta blockers even though I am not currently hyper. I have the symptoms you describe each time I try to reduce my dosage. My doctor has advised that I continue to take them for a while longer, then, very slowly begin reducing the dosage.

Be sure to tell your doctor what is happening and follow his/her advice. I think others have mentioned having a rough time after discontinuing beta blockers, too.

Best wishes for good health and be sure to talk to your doctor.

Valerie L.

[Anonymous]

#1143201

Hi,

My name is Jeff and I have not logged on in a long time. Graves’s has sucked all of my energy out of me. I was diagnosed in Sep 99 and had the RAI Dec 1, 99. My Endo started me on synthroid 3 months ago and I am starting to feel somewhat better. I had severe fatigue for so long before that it was depressing me. I could hardly get off of the couch and felt like I was going to pass out. I also suffer from severe anxiety still. My question: Ever since I was diagnosed, I have had a very high heart rate 85-105. About 3 weeks ago I was awakened about 5 in the morning with sweats and a very rapid heartbeat/heart pounding. My doctor checked me into hospital (my request) and I wore a holter monitor for 5 days and they could pick up no arrythmia/palps…nothing. They did heart tests and heart is strong. My Doctor suggested my extreme anxiety/depression is causing this. I am so confused. Could this be true?? He put me on 25 mgs of Atenelol and Klonopin for anxiety. I have also started takiing Celexa for depression. I notice even if I go for a brisk walk my heart rate really stays high. I am very athletic and so very confused by this. Will my heart rate ever slow down naturally? Will I ever be able to jog again without rapid heartbeat. Am I destined to be on Atenelol forever?? Anybody who can help me here I would love to hear from. I am very depressed and distressed over this.

God bless all

Jeffrey May

[Anonymous]

#1143202

Hi Jeff,

I am having the same problem and I had my thyroid out in Jan. My heart rate still is high and I too have had all the tests. I find that I am also getting depressed and need to think about an antidepressant. What a surprise — we were suppose to be getting our lives back!! Somehow I think this is all a matter of time and after Graves it takes the body a long time to heal. Hope someone else on the board has encouraging words for the two of us. My heart goes out to you because I know your pain!!!

[Anonymous]

#1143203

Sharon and Jeff, it sounds like your doctors are being careful to rule out other conditions, and it’s good news that you both have healthy hearts.

I know when we’re hyper we often become very sensitive to our heartbeats, because the palpitations can be scary and unpleasant. For a time I was so focused on my pulse rate that my kids made fun of me. It’s taken a long time for me to get over taking my pulse every 10 minutes.

According to the endocrinologist who spoke at the NGDF conference last summer, it can be many months or even years before our bodies and brains get over the effects of being hyper and going hypo. That was certainly true for me.

In the year following my RAI I had many periods of rapid heartbeat where I worried I was going hyper again, but that was never the case. It always turned out instead that my thyroid was continuing to fail. I’m not sure when the periods of palpitations stopped, but they did (except for a few days whenever my replacement dose is raised). My heart rate is now usually around 64. (Okay, okay—so I haven’t entirely stopped taking my pulse!!!)

One of the phrases I got tired of hearing during that first year was “you need to be patient”. But I think there is good reason to think that you both will have normal heart beats in time. Of course, as always you should keep your doctors fully aware of all symptoms.

Dianne W
NGDF Asst. Online Facilitator

[Anonymous]

#1143204

Hi Jeff,
I agree with everyone who has replied to your e-mail that it will take a while for you to feel normal again. I was diagnosed in April of 98 and I am currently in remission following a year-long anti-thyroid drug regimen. Even now, I still struggle somewhat with anxiety. I was on anti-anxiety benzodiazepines for about 1 1/2 years and underwent cognitive therapy for about a year. I still currently take an SSRI for anxiety. I can’t say that my life is anxiety free but whereas two years ago I couldn’t leave my house I am now able to live a normal existence including travelling etc. I must stress though that my return to “normalcy” was very gradual and took quite a long time(more than a year). I think you should focus on small victories and have faith that in the long run things will go back to normal. I was also very focused on my heart and now I rarely think about it unless I have an occasional palpitation. I would recommend getting psychiatric help with your anxiety and also be an active and aggressive participant in overcoming it.

Good Luck,
george

[Anonymous]

#1143205

Thankyou for the encouraging words. I am not going to let this disease run my life. I refuse.

Jef

[Anonymous]

#1143206

Just spoke with my endo. He basically said my heart has been deconditioned from the severe hyperthyroidism, and that I need to exercise (start out slowly) and recondition my heart. this is why I have the periodic palpatations (rapid heartbeat). This was his explanation. We’ll see. Anybody have any thoughts on this??? Most people on the board seem to think it is natural to have rapid heartbeat for a while after therapy RAI. He didn’t seem to concur with this. Again any thoughts???

jeff

[Anonymous]

#1143207

I was diagnosed in SEpt. 99 at which time my pulse was about 145 (doctor said if i was older – i am 31- they would have put me in an ambulance and shipped me straight to the ER). I was treated with RAI in Sept 99 and i still have times wehre my heart beats hard/fast, especially when i first get up in the morning it feels like it is beating ouf of my chest. This seems to subside within the first hour and i have become used to it.

I did find that exercise helped me, i too could barely move for a long time when i was hyper. It took a few months after treatment to get my stamina back but now i am powerwalking 4-5 times per week and doing heavy toning routines (I lost all muscle tone in those months i was ill) and i feel great. My mother had GD and RAI in 1994, she still has bouts of palpitations and she has been regulated on synthroid for years. For myself i think it is part my body’s hormonal flux, as i peak and valley i see small signs of what i now think of as hyper/hypo whereas in the past, before i knew about GD, i would jsut think well i feel jumpy today.
Best of luck and hang in there,
Kate

[Anonymous]

#1143208

Hi there,
I agree. I was told the same thing and being an athlete most of my life I find it to hold true. If you don’t exercise and become out of shape you have to work back up to the level of exercise. You can’t just decide one day that you want to run 5 miles after being sedate for a year or two and Graves degrading your muscles too.

I too have the occasional heart palpitations with chest pain but I have noticed that since I have begun to exercise they are fewer and farther apart. My guess is, if I keep going until my body is back where it was, my heart will be also and the palpitations will cease. I can actually feel my body getting stronger and it feels great.

I’m sure you’ll be fine if you just gradually work yourself back up to being fit and your doctor is monitoring you.

Hope this helps. Good luck.
Pam

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