[nicolefsu]

#1058762

Hi all.

I’m currently dealing with some type of symptom or side effect which I’m still convinced is not fully understood by my Endo. I know with hyperthyroidism/graves stomach issues tend to be common. I had gone into remission earlier this year, and by August I started to feel nauseous, they did blood tests and found out my levels were off again. My Endo decided they weren’t too off so she would see me in another 3 months. I didn’t even make it a month without coming in and complaining of worse nausea, so she put me on Methimazole. It has been 2 months or so that I have been taking it and I feel that my stomach issues are just getting worse. My Endo just switched me over to PTU which she says they rarely use. I’ve been taking it for only a week, but I still feel bad..I know it takes awhile, but this is taking over my life. It feels like my stomach is constantly moving all day, whether I have eaten or not, and my lower abdomin hurts, I get "car sick" just sitting at my desk at work and the second I get into a car with someone else driving. Sometimes it will get worse, sometimes I will feel okay. I’m not sure if it’s my anxiety that sparks it, but when I try to go out at night, it seems to get me the worst.

Anyway, enough about me, I was just wondering if anyone has done acupuncture, meditation, or something different to help with the anxiety, stress, or other side effects/symptoms? I don’t know much about alternative medicine. I’m definitely going to stay on my meds, but I was wondering if there was something to help with these things in the mean time. Obviously it cannot be strenuous because I can barely stand for more than 10 minutes. Any advice would be appreciated! I’m in serious need of help! Thanks all!

[gatorgirly]

#1169842

Hi Nicole,

I had a lot of stomach issues, too. I actually went to see a gastroenterologist. He had me undergo an upper GI (barium swallow test), an endoscopy and a gastric emptying study. After all three, I was diagnosed with severe GERD and gastroparesis. However, once we got my Graves under control with RAI (it took 6 months), all those stomach issues eventually resolved themselves, leading my gastroenterologist to believe it was all related to my thyroid being all over the charts. For a while, I was taking 40mg omeprazole (similar to Prilosec) twice a day and eating four Tums before and after every meal. It was awful. I know you’re looking for alternatives to more medications, but sometimes it’s necessary. I would recommend seeing a gastroenterologist to see if there is something more going on than just side effects from the methimazole.

On another note, my mother swears by acupuncture for severe arthritis in her legs. I work for a cancer hospital, and many of our patients find immediate relief from the chemo nausea when they have just one session of acupuncture. It can’t hurt to try, but please be careful with any type of herbs or supplements as they can interact with the drugs you’re already on or with your misbehaving thyroid.

Yoga helped me a lot when it was the only form of exercise I could handle. I went to a class where it was quiet, controlled and dark. Sometimes I became so calm I forgot I was in the class and would just do my own meditating version of yoga without all the difficult poses.

Happy Thanksgiving! And if your name indicates your college loyalty, GO GATORS (though I’m not looking forward to the massacre I’ll be watching in-person in Gainesville on Saturday)!

[RebeccaJT]

#1169843

Hi Nicole

Just to chime in with the acupuncture and yoga theme – I find them helpful. Just anything to calm the system down. I also have Alexander Techinque lessons and they really, really help. When I was hyper I also took L-Carnitine which seemed to make a difference to me. Beware googling but there is some interesting info about this supplement and hyper.

But also to say I’ve recently been referred to a consultant endocrine surgeon whose life’s passion is this illness, the man is a sight for sore eyes I can tell you! But he said that there is often a parallel or knock on gut issue in Graves patients, often linked to the autoimmunity side of things. I don’t know a huge amount about it, but just to say it might be worth persevering until you are taken seriously.

Also, finally, having tolerated two years of HELL on ATDs (in the UK I hasten to add, care is not as good here) it now turns out that it was the toxicity of my shrivelled and nodular thyroid that was driving a lot of my symptoms, hence feeling rough even when my levels were normal and hypo on ATDs. It turns out I’ve been hyper for at least ten years!!! I’m now awaiting surgery. My surgeon is adamant that it is, in my case, the INFLAMMATION IN MY THYROID gland that is driving 70% of my symptoms, and remission in my case is not possible.

I’m just throwing that in as a possible idea to consider. You may have investigated all this already but what I am learning is very few doctors truly, truly understand just how far reaching and serious (and subtle and interconnected) the impact of Graves disease is. I would just encourage you to keep on asking questions and not allow yourself to be fobbed off with inadequate explanations, its your body, you live inside it, you KNOW if something is not right. Looking back, years ago I knew there was something physical going on and I wish I’d been more insistent.

Best wishes

Rebecca
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