Viewing 8 posts - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)
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  • cathycnm
    Participant
    July 13, 2009 at 1:23 pm
    Post count: 284
    #1069782

    Abigail – I was really impressed with your strength when I was reading this. It does not sound like you have "suffered" – it sounds like you are pretty resilient to me. Welcome to the board!!!

    I would like to know what strategies you used to stay positive through all of this. I can always use more info about that!

    Again, welcome!

    gravessufferer
    Participant
    July 13, 2009 at 4:51 pm
    Post count: 10
    #1019169

    hi everyone i just wanted to let you know about my story and also i wanted to let people know who have been recently diagnosed or anyone really that they can ask me anything if they want,

    I was diagnosed with graves disease in October 2008 but i suffered from the illness from atleast December 2007 although now i am thinking it may have been even longer. I started throwing up randomly in the mornings, i was feeling very tired and run down, i had tremors and was generally feeling just so warn out, that lasted for a few months then things got alot worse i felt ill all the time by july and august i was throwing up around 30 times in one evening and this was happening about twice a week, i lost well over a stone and had absolutely no energy left, my gp was useless and tried to fob me off saying i had IBS and a twenty four hour bug, i felt so bad i would lie on the floor outside the toilet actually saying to my partner that i felt as though i couldnt go on.

    When i was finally diagnosed i found it very difficult to come to terms with, my endocrinologist told me that i should have been in hospital which scared me even more, i was put on beta blockers for a few months and carbimazole which i am still on. My levels were t3 45 and t4 48.

    After diagnosis i struggled to ever be positive i was constantly in tears and felt like i had nothing left, i found it extremely hard to cope i came to this site to help learn about my illness and to see if other people were experiencing the same things as me, it was a massive help as there was no where else to go.

    I have been through alot of ups and downs through this difficult time and it seems as though the 9 months has gone by so fast now although it didnt feel like it at the time, in the last few months i have felt like i am getting back to my normal self although i still am snappy and quite angry sometimes, i feel i can do more of the things i used to do, you need to stay positive as much as you can to help fight this.

    If anyone wants to ask me or just talk to me about anything then go ahead as i have been through the same thing you are going through and i am always wanting to help others through their difficult times and i always want to listen and learn about graves
    Abigail

    gravessufferer
    Participant
    July 14, 2009 at 6:10 am
    Post count: 10
    #1069783

    Hi
    I think that now i have had time to get a bit better i can be more upbeat about things, which is why i wanted to come back on here to let people know that it is hard in the beginning but if we are strong we can make things better for ourselves.

    It is funny you say you are impressed with my strength and i am grateful for that because it is that which keeps me in going, this is the main reason i wanted to come back on here as i wanted to show people that you do feel better, if you look at some of my older posts i sound a lot more desperate, i really had a rough time with it all physically and emotionally for months after being diagnosed i was so down, i didnt see my friends i didnt really do anything, i had very bad anxiety, i was constantly freaking out about everything, i was so scared, it really did change my whole life for a while, and although it still does know i have got back alot of what i used to be.

    When i say about being positive i think that it has a big impact on how you view things and giving yourself a better chance at recovery, i think it is ok to have a good cry when things get too much or your having a really bad day but you have to just think to yourself i need to pull my self back together and keep trudging on im only making myself feel worse. I didnt use any particular strategies i just used will power, also my dad was always there to remind me that the stressing out and getting worked up was doing me no good and bad for me. I am still afraid of what is going to come in the future as in a couple of months i will be off the medication and will see if i am cured i just hope everyday that i am as i dont know if i can cope with the if not.

    i hope you are doing well

    hyperm
    Participant
    July 14, 2009 at 10:46 am
    Post count: 435
    #1069784

    HI Abigail,

    Welcome aboard! It sounds as though you have had a rough time but it may help to know and read that others on here have been there and survived….well hanging by a thread somedays may be a more apt expression <img decoding=” title=”Wink” />

    You will find lots of information and support on here!

    Mxxx

    cathycnm
    Participant
    July 14, 2009 at 11:05 am
    Post count: 284
    #1069785

    Abigail – You bring up some great points on healing. Thyroid does impact our mood. It is so hard, even for the most optimistic people, to stay positive when our levels are topsie-turvey. I has switched to a new PCP within a few months before my first symptoms. And I started with me endo afterwords. This year, I could see both of them working to decide if I had "major depression" or if it was thyroid. I wondered if I had major depression a few times, too <img decoding=” title=”Wink” /> I remember this spring telling my endo that I thought my exercise level was in the top 10% for my age group nationally (we were talking about high cholesterol). I just remember his stopping in his tracks and looking at me and saying "top 10 percent – you see yourself in the top 10%?" I could see I had broken out of the "always depressed" mode in his mind. But before I stabilized, that is sure how I looked to folks!

    I am so glad you are doing better and have come to share your recovery. I think it is light at the end of the tunnel for many people. I think we can appreciate ourselves and our strengths more after all of this, for sure.

    mamabear
    Participant
    July 14, 2009 at 2:51 pm
    Post count: 484
    #1069786

    Remission can happen and having a great attitude helps a lot!!!! Can’t fight something till you know what it is and after finding out what it is it’s butt kickin’ time! You seem to be doing a great job with that part…KUDOS to you!

    WELCOME!!!

    Ski
    Participant
    July 15, 2009 at 11:25 am
    Post count: 1569
    #1069787

    Thanks so much Abigail ~

    It’s not often that someone so early on in the process of dealing with Graves’ can put it all into perspective and really feel they’re on the upswing. Good for you! And thanks SO much for posting a positive story. I know you’ve helped a lot of people by passing that along. <img decoding=” title=”Very Happy” />

    gravessufferer
    Participant
    July 17, 2009 at 10:11 am
    Post count: 10
    #1069788

    Thankyou, I just wanted to give people some hope as i know how desperate and afraid i felt at the start of all this, it upsets me when i read posts of people who feel so low as it reminds me of how i used to feel. I still have alot to face but we have to be strong and atleast we can come here for support from people who feel the same.

    I just dont want people to let this illness get the better of them, we just need to have a little faith.

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