[Anonymous November 20, 1996 at 10:37 pm Post count: 93172]

#1058146

Ok, now I can write more. My Name is Carolyn and I was diagnosed with GD in 1993.
After much thought and research I decided to do the “atomic coctail.” Everything went
pretty well until 1994 when I had a reoccurance of GD and had my second “atomic cocktail.”
I am told that being treated twice is not all that uncommon. So in the last 1 1/2 years I
have been playing around with doses of synthroid. This BB has been a Godsend.
I can’t tell you how wonderful it is to read other people’s messages and notes. I have NO
ONE in my family with Grave’s. It is soooo frustrating. Ok, so finally now, my TSH is normal,
but I am still in pain. So, it turns up to be fibromyalgia, maybe. I have had two reoccurances
of the GD and I just not convinced that it is “cured.” I am getting pretty depressed about it.
My doctor has put me on antidepressants. Also, not uncommon with GD paitents, I understand

So for those who don’t know what Fibromyalgia is, the text book says:
“Fibromyalgia is a syndrome of widspread pain involving mainly muscle,
but also tendons…ligaments….bursa…and joints. The pain is generalized
usually, but discrete areas of tenderness in specific locations are characteristic…”

and on, and on, and on…..Anyway, the doctor said that fibromyalgia is also not uncommon with GD
paitents….I was just wondering if anyone else has shared this little gem with me? I feel more in
common with GD paitents than I do with fibromyalgia folks…any help out there?

[Anonymous November 21, 1996 at 4:39 pm Post count: 93172]

#1167789

Eureka! I thought I was the only GDer with fibromyalgia-esque symptoms. In fact, my odyssey began in summer of ’95 when I had all sorts of strange, unexplained nerve and muscle pains. I went through the gamut — neurologists and orthopedists eventually ending up with a rhuematologist who diagnosed me as having fibromyalgia as an offshoot of GD. The funny thing is, that in all the literature, etc. on GD they never talk about fibromyalgia as being a symptom, but for me it was really the only discernible one. Anyway, I’m rambling here. My doc put me on anti-depressants and something to help me sleep. I couldn’t handle the anti-depressants and found that once my sleep was under control (I wasn’t sleeping well due to GD) my fibromyalgia symptoms dissipated. Plus, lack of sleep can lead to depression. So what I’m saying here is that sleep plays a big part in all of this as well as getting the GD under control. I found that a muscle relaxant helped me sleep better, and get the all important REM sleep I needed. In any event, good luck. If you want to share more, I’m open.

[Anonymous November 25, 1996 at 1:46 pm Post count: 93172]

#1167790

Ellen….I know that you will take this in the correct “light” when I say that thanks
so much for having fibromyalgia. I just thought that I was nuts, Graves’ generally
makes everyone question their sanity anyway, then add fibromyalgia. I don’t sleep, or
at least not very well. My doc put me on an antidepressant, and I am now on a “schedule”
where I go to bed at the same time and get up at the same time reguardless of the day of
the week….no sleeping in on the weekends! I hate that! We will see how this goes.
Maybe the antidepressants will help. Thanks soooooo much for the support! ….Carolyn

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