[Momof5]

#1059852

I’m trying really hard to “get on with life” and not fret about what may or may not happen. But, I stare at my eyes many times a day. I can’t figure out if jumping into a TT is the right or wrong thing to do. And, I can’t get a grip to save my life and I am going bonkers. I am freaking my kids out because I cry so much and I can’t help it…the silliest things set me off. How do you not havestress with kids? I don’t think that’s possible. I’m not used to feeling so frazzled…it’s not my nature. My friends have been wonderfully supportive as has my husband. I’ve talked to real life people who have had the RAI and love full lives and also some who have had. TY and live full lives. I thought I just wanna feel better.

[Kimberly]

#1178244

Hello – How do you not obsess…wow, that’s a tough question! Consider the old saw, “don’t think about an elephant right now” — and of course, what do you think about? An elephant.

Hopefully others with kids will chime in here. In a weird way, I feel like I was lucky to be single when diagnosed, as I didn’t have to worry about taking care of anyone else but myself!

If you get a few moments to yourself, any activity that you can really immerse yourself in is helpful, whether that might be reading, watching a movie, doing a puzzle, knitting, etc..

I also find out it’s helpful for me to write out my thoughts to keep them from swirling around in my head.

Hopefully, you will find one or more strategies that works for *you*!

[Momof5]

#1178245

Thanks, Kimberly! You are a gem!

[Momof5]

#1178246

I think part of it goes back to reading the stories on here and elsewhere about problems and TED popping up much later. It’s hard to read those and not worry and fret about the “what if’s…” because that’s all you pretty much read on the internet, ya know?

I joined a few FB groups and I am amazed at how many people don’t do any research….

[adenure]

#1178247

Hmmm…

Well, my obsession now is that every time I feel poorly or an ache or a pain, I automatically think, “It’s the Synthroid! I should be on Armour (natural pig hormone instead of Synthetic)!” Seriously, I’ve had a sore toe (arthritic) and aches and pains lately, and all I can think of is the horror stories of Synthroid causing arthritis and every other terrible thing that those who take the pig hormone say. Now maybe they’re right; I don’t know. But, a lot of people do well with Synthroid (I keep telling myself this). But, yeah, I get it. I automatically think my thyroid issues are to blame for every little thing even though my numbers are in range, and, for the most part, I feel pretty good.

As far as they eyes, it’s in the back of my head (the though of TED that is).

What do I do not to obsess? Having 4 children and homeschooling helps! Hee hee! I also do what Kimberly suggested- I’ll watch a fun show (Hell’s Kitchen or Dance Moms are my faves) at the end of the day. Go get a massage sometimes- all these things help.

I don’t end up in tears anymore, but that is because I’m finally done with hyperthyroidism- no more methimazole, no more worrying about going hyper, surgery has leveled my emotions out and made me back to normal in that regard. Thank goodness! But, I hear you. It’s hard.

[AzGravesGuy]

#1178248

It may not be your style but I have found guided meditation for 15-20 minutes every morning to be what helps me focus and eliminate the obsessive thoughts and worries about GD.

It helped me through my RAI anxiety and now helps with the daily stresses of life by allowing my mind to shut out everything else for just those few moments.

I have several as mp3’s loaded into my phone and tablet so I never have to go far to feel at peace when it is needed, as long as I have ear buds on me. (Before I leave for work, occasionally on lunch break, sometimes to relax and decompress before I leave work if it has been an awful day, sometimes to shut off the anxiety at night) I get them for free at Meditation Oasis (they are under “podcast”). There are 40+ to choose from and hopefully one would suit your needs.

Feel free to give meditation a try. It works for me. It might bring you some peace as well.

[Momof5]

#1178249

I will definitely download some! I have tried yoga in the past and didn’t really like it, but am going to try it again.

[Momof5]

#1178250

If I could control my emotions, I think I would be ok. But, I can’t right now.

Ironically, where many endos are pushing for RAI, mine keeps telling me to wait. Although, she wasn’t gung ho on the surgery part.

[vanillasky]

#1178251

For me, I try to not think about it. I visit with friends and laugh,laugh,laugh! Laughing for me is definitely the best medicine on the most rotten day I can have.

I love to watch movies. I watch my favorite actors like Tom Cruise, (thus my screen name “Vanillasky”) and Brad Pitt. Love some deep conversations with my mom, she always makes me feel better.

Being with my dog, Achilles is a joy! He’s my best little buddy so if you have a pet, spend some time with him and play or talk to him. Sounds silly but dogs love the sound of your voice.

When all else fails, there is always my tranquilizers. Not good, I know but I have a feeling if and when this thing is over, I’m going to rehab. But then I try not to worry about that too. Living with husband is a lot like living with little kids, I don’t think there is much difference.
Karen

[jaqeinquotation]

#1178252

Im thinking of trying meditation and getting back into yoga also. At times, I’m finding it very difficult to control my thoughts. How long will this last? Will I ever look even close to what I used to? The list goes on and on.

I hope neither of you ever experiences TED. Nothing about this auto-immune “distraction” is easy for any of us. We all deal with it in different ways. I think when it starts to change your features…I don’t know but it does something to you. I remember when my eyes first started to change, I cried in the mirror for hours locking myself in my room etc etc… Of course that made them even more red and the pressure behind them….ooh Lord.

18 months later (never thought i’d make it this far) it’s been nothing short of “my mid-life crisis”. And the change has been dramatic!! Especially when I look at my before pictures.

I’m just starting to see the a teeny weeny bit of the ol gal behind the eyes. The thing I obsess about the most is…”could I ever get use to this look?” I don’t think so.

Self-care is key..hard but extremely important-I struggle with it daily but I work in the field that promotes and encourages “caring for oneself” so fortunately I have access to a lot of helpful resources and info (nothing about Graves).

Still I’m gonna have a celebration the night before my first eye surgery.

[Raspberry]

#1178253

It is hard Carrie. I look different now though I would still count as having “mild” TED. If it stops where it is, I don’t think I’ll ever choose surgery but I already feel a bit of loss about it. So many other more urgent concerns have come up in my life, big ticket stability type things, that I’ve finally let go of obsessing like I used to about my eyes. It helps to read the stories of those who have had severe cases who are handling it well and realize that life does go on. I just had a tiny freaky new change to one of my eyes yesterday and basically I refuse to let this dominate my thoughts – there’s just too much else that matters more. So I guess that’s my advice, find what matters more to you in your life, and redirect your mind there.

Edited….I don’t mean to make it sound just so easy though. For me it was a period of a few months staring at my eyes all the time, freaking out. And even now if I weren’t having major stress in my life I’d probably be more freaked out about that. I think that TED and the psychological effects are by far the hardest part of Graves.

[Stymie]

#1178254

@raspberry I hope your stress eases up a bit on you… It seems you’re having a rough time. I pray fir everyone on here and everyone with any illnesses.. I will keep you in my prayers also.

I find it hard to not obsess as well. Being newly diagnosed, I still feel I need information and that leads me to research and read and obsess more.

I was feeling a while back that my thoughts were not my own and so hard to control. I don’t know if it was the synthroid or not, but since I’ve been in tirosint I do feel my brain is more under my control now.

Carrie I hope you get some relief soon.

God bless you all

Diane

[Momof5]

#1178255

@Raspberry – how long have you been dealing with all of this?

I think I am leaning more and more towards a TT….but gosh, some of me feel like “what if I am one of the lucky ones who gets remission” and then what if I don’t?

[snelsen]

#1178256

There are some good suggestions in all of the posts. For me, it is gratifying to “meet” someone else for whom yoga just doesn’t DO IT! I wish I liked yoga. But not for this girl! (:

It is addressed again in #2, but stress enters my life when I am indecisive about something. I make lists, pros and cons, including my own feelings, which don’t have a right or wrong, plus the “facts” as I know them.
What I mean by “feelings, my opinions or my personality,” is that they are not a right or a wrong for the most part. For example, if I had a fear of radiation, and had other choices, I would chose one of the other two. If I had a fear of surgery, and had other choices, I would chose one of the other choices. And, surprise, surprise, if I had a fear of ATD’s, and the risks associated with that, I would, again, choose one of the other two.

For me, indecision is one of the biggest stress triggers for me. Once I make a decision, the biggest feeling is relief. This applies to a job I hated, and should have quit long before I did, a marriage, same situation, belonging to a book club that I did not enjoy anymore, but stuck with it too long.

I found the following helpful for me:
1. I do not read any of the other websites. This one seems so superior, and so many of the other ones seem too anecdotal, irrational and sensational for me. I realize there are probably exceptions. I took a look at a couple, to know that they seems too sensational and inaccurate for me.

2. I tend to hate indecision and limbo, and want to “take action,” and move on. That is my personality.
Therefore, when I first got Graves’, I guess it was an advantage for me to want to “get it over with” as fast as possible. So I am a ***list maker, and my own biases do contribute to how I made my list. I love lists, and to check things off.

My overal goal was to get this behind me as soon as possible.
As you read my list, I do not infer in any way, that one treatment is better than the other. Other people make different choices, for different reasons, and they are fine for them.

1. I absolutely did not want the uncertain future of recurrence that could happen with ATD’s. The idea of a recurrence loomed as a specter I did not want to deal with. I felt like I would be waiting for the Graves’ bomb to recur. I was mildly concerned about liver involvement, but that is a consideration generally, at the very beginning of taking ATD’s, and it is rare.
I was happy to take my ATD to get off the crazy Graves’ train.

2. Although it was not as common as it is now, to do RAI, I did not want the length of time it took to get to a euthyroid place, and it did not fit my “need” to get this behind me as soon as possible. I wanted to get pregnant again soon, and did not want to wait as long as was advised. Also, I did not want to find that they did not do “enough” RAI, and I might need a repeat dose.

IF I were considering my choice now, I would include the recent research that includes a mild relationship between RAI and TED. Briefly, if a person has TED, there is a slight indication that RAI might increase the TED symptoms. Having said that, this requires careful exploration with a good doc who knows this, for it is thought that this can be managed by giving steroids.
RAI is one of three choices.

3. For me, surgery was my choice, with no ambivalence at all. It seemed the fastest to get all of this behind me. I found a surgeon who did many thyroidectomies. I am comfortable with hospitals, and with surgery. I talked to people who had the same thing, and saw they were doing fine.
For me, it was ACTION, and I felt so at peace about it.

So, it might help you to make a list, too. REalize, that I was a complete cynic about believing in a permanent remission. I felt like I’d be dealing with a time bomb for the rest of my life. That does not make me right, or make it a poor choice. that is all part of incorporating our own thoughts in our choice when the three choices are equal.
Shirley

[Kimberly]

#1178257

For meditation, I have a CD called “Hawaiian Music of Nature.” Picked it up via iTunes, but I’m sure you could find it other places as well. There’s about an 11 minute track with ocean waves, thunder, and rain. Love it!

@Shirley – Yep, I’m also a list-maker. Totally agree that finally arriving at a decision after researching all the alternatives is a HUGE relief. Also agree on the letting go of activities that drain your energy. I resigned from an alumni board a few months after I got diagnosed. Even though I served out my term, just giving the resignation notice made me feel like a huge weight had been lifted!

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