[vanillasky]

#1059693

Hi Support Group!

Well, went to the lab and thyroid TSH is 2.39. Ref. Range .045-4.78

Free T4 is 1.0 Ref. Range 0.9-1.8

Free T3 is pending (as always)

Dr. Took me off Tapazole.

I complained of hot flashes, night sweats that are impacting my life. I cannot sleep anymore than 4 hours without waking up soaked, I have been on all types of HRT and nothing is working.

My hot flashes are several a day and very disconcerting. My face turns bright red, and I am sweating, feel embarrassed if people see it. I am burning up!!!!1

He told me to see the women’s group at Cleveland Clinic. Just passed the buck as they say. Problem is: I have already been to that “women’s group” that did not help me! So now what? I guess I have to live with menopause? He claims that my Graves’ disease is not calling the issue here.

He could be right but what does a woman do with menopause so severe she can’t function at times?

[snelsen]

#1176835

Hi. This might have you feel that I am not empathic, but I am.
It sounds like you are really being “hit” with menopausal symptoms big time.
I had the same experiences. Glad that your Graves’ is beginning to behave itself. IT is hard to have this double whammy.

But what your endo said was perfectly reasonable. Kinda not fair to say that he passed the buck. That pretty much reflects the degree of your frustration with all of this, which is perfectly easy to understand, but entirely reasonable.

It sounds like you have done what you can about these menopausal symptoms that are driving your life right now. And the fact that you have been hyper recently, sure does not help you to have little bit of an objective view of your subjective self.

So, yes, you do have to live menopause and its’ terrible hot flashes and soaked sheets at night. Sounds like you did try the women’s group. I am guessing that exists for women to know that other women are having the same experiences. Basically, it’s another darn thing that happens to females.
It really does impact your life when you soak your clothes and get a bright red face, day or night.

YOu might have already done this, but probably a female gynecologist, or an empathic primary care doc, are the appropriate people to talk to . But the fact, is, REALLY, that you are experiencing menopause, big time, this is typical, and it does end. HRT has been known to help some women, but apparently not you. Menopause does have a beginning and and end. Honestly. I was just like you.
Shirley

[vanillasky]

#1176836

Thank you, Shirley. I am just so sick of this “going in circles” stuff. My primary care told me to “tough it out.” Men have no idea of what we go through as women at mid-life.

I went to 3 different hormone specialists. One injected me with estrodial and all my level was is 14! So she said I must “spit it out” as she put it.

I went to an older man who claimed to be a hormone specialist. He gave me testosterone capsules to choke a horse and I felt worse! then he told me I must have lung cancer because I am so warm.hot.sweating. I had 2 tests for Carcinoid Syndrome. One was a 24 hour urine test for 5HIAA and Chronogramin-A and it was negative. They did this test 2 times.

I have a transdermal patch. My level is still 14. The doctor said anyone with a level of less than 100 would be having hot flashes.

I wake up soaked. Sometimes 6 times a night and have to change the nightgown. I cant stand the heater in the car. I get so warm, I feel like throwing up. I drive with the window open in 14 degrees! And without warning, my face will turn bright red and I drip sweat under my arms and I have fungus now on my feet because they are dripping in water all the time.

Went to foot doctor. He has me on some topical medicine. I don’t think it works very well.

When does it get better? the surgeon at Cleveland said Graves’ makes menopause worse. Do you think so?

[Kimberly]

#1176837

Hello – I don’t have experience with menopause (yet – it’s probably right around the corner), but hopefully, others will chime in with their experiences.

I’m not certain if Cleveland Clinic was referring you to a support group or to a specific medical center for women. Either way, it might be worth checking out if you are able to make the long trip.

Take care!

[vanillasky]

#1176838

@Kimberly: there is a woman there that “claims” to be a specialist. I saw her a few years ago. She claims to treat the “difficult cases.” She told me to wear my socks to bed, avoid sleep aids, tranquilizers, bio-feedback and accupuncture. None of this has worked as I have tried it all!

I do take the Klonopin to sleep but still wake up in the middle of the night having to change the nightgown.

Socks make my feet so hot, I could blow up. I’d rather walk in the snow to feel better.

Bio-feedback is baloney and I went for accupuncture and got hotter because they placed a sunlamp on my stomach for 45 minutes and I was hot all day long!

The people in neurology (my husband’s spinal doctor) is an accupuncturist and he claims it might help pain, but does NOT help hot flashes.

I learned an old saying “Patient heal thy self.” So that’s what I am going to do. Just ordered some Estroven Maximum Strength, if that doesn’t work, I’ll buy some other herbal preparations. And I just purchased POISE cooling gel. It helps alittle if I put it on the back of my neck.

Amberen I found out is not good for thyroid patients.

[catstuart7]

#1176839

Vanillasky, does the doc have a plan for when your thyroid levels will be checked again – I hope soon? A big dose reduction in tapazole makes sense – my levels last labs are almost exactly the same as yours and my endo reduced my methimazole by one quarter with retest in a month – but to take you off it completely might be asking for some trouble.

Another avenue to try for menopause is with a naturopath – you’d have to be careful to work with your endo to make sure the herbs didn’t affect your thyroid but it’s worth a shot. I’ve heard really good things about the herbs vitex (aka chasteberry) and black cohosh.

[vanillasky]

#1176840

Hi Cat! thanks for writing! Yes, I have a standing order for every 4 weeks so if I go hyper, I’m sure we’ll know right away.

I am going to try the herbal stuff and I understand what you are saying. I consulted with one company and they told me they would never sell it to someone like me because if we have Graves’ it can cause thyroid nodules and goiter!

But I did check with Estroven and so far, so good. I also will run this by the endo on March 20th when I go but that’s a long way off.

Not getting any sleep I swear is making me sicker. I am soooooooooooooo tired!

[dnjhicks55164]

#1176841

I have recently been diagnosed with Graves disease. Prior to that, I am diabetic. I feel like no matter what I do, my sugar is high. I feel horrible. I have just had the iodine test done on Wed and find out the results on Monday at my endocronologist. I have a husband that is taking treatments for Stage 4 Cancer and we have an 7 and 11 year old. I am weak in muscles, tired, and always hot. My sugar is constantly 200+++ and i and a 9 on their A1C chart, possibly will have to go on insulin. I now take the diabete pill and is maxed on the dosages.
Has anyone been in this situation and what do you feel I should do. I feel the one pill you take and become radioactive, and risk with my kids and husband is out of the questions as I take care of everyone. The doctor seemed upset and a bit patrubed when I told him I didnt want to do that treatment. I thank God I just found this page. Has anyone been in this situation. I have no family to help me as they all work jobs and cant take time off. Please give me your thoughts and opinions on what you would do in this situation.

[Kimberly]

#1176842

@Karen – I would see if you can at least *call* your endo before starting on any supplements, particularly since you are off the Tapazole and need to be on the alert for hyperthyroidism to set in again. Obviously, you need some relief from the symptoms you are currently experiencing. However, the fact that the one company turned down a sale because of your history of Graves’ would make me want to dig a little deeper into the ingredients of the product and make sure it won’t have a negative impact on your Graves’.

@dnjhicks55164 – Hello and welcome! There are actually three treatment options for Graves’ (Radioactive Iodine, Surgery to remove the thyroid gland, and anti-thyroid drugs to block production of thyroid hormone), and they all have risks and benefits. We are fellow patients here, not docs, and we can’t give medical advice. However, since you are a full-time caregiver, you might talk to your doctor about anti-thyroid drugs like Tapazole (generic version is methimazole). The “Treatment Options” thread in the announcements section of the forum is a good place to get started in researching the pros and cons of each option. I’m not as familiar with diabetes, so you might post this question in a new thread to see if you can get some additional responses. The “New Topic” button is in the top left-hand corner of the screen, just below the butterfly logo. Wishing you and your family all the best during this difficult time.

[vanillasky]

#1176843

Hear from endo this morning. He’s washing his hands of this menopause situation. Keeps telling me to see that woman I already saw. Claims she is a specialist and that he knows nothing about hormones, estrogen, etc.

I told him I went to the director of the North American Menopause Society that is located right in his building, (she has an office there) and LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! he told me he never heard of her.

I’ll keep taking my Estroven and take my chances. They say it’s okay unless you are hypo, which I certainly don’t have that problem. And him? he’s worthless in this department.

These doctors! very infuriating.:mad:

[Kimberly]

#1176844

Hello – Obviously, you need to make the choice that is right for you…but it’s *always* a good idea to check out any supplements with an endo or general practitioner, as there can potentially be drug interactions or side effects. Here’s some info from the National Institutes of Health on soy and black cohosh, which are ingredients in Estroven.

(Note on links: if you click directly on the following link, you will need to use your browser’s “back” button to return to the boards after viewing, or you will have to log back in to the forum. As an alternative, you can right-click the link and open it in a new tab or new window).

Soy:
http://nccam.nih.gov/health/soy/ataglance.htm#cautions
“Soy’s possible role in breast cancer risk is uncertain. Until more is known about soy’s effect on estrogen levels, women who have or who are at increased risk of developing breast cancer or other hormone-sensitive conditions (such as ovarian or uterine cancer) should be particularly careful about using soy and should discuss it with their health care providers.”

Black Cohosh:
http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/BlackCohosh-HealthProfessional/
“In the United States, the U.S. Pharmacopeia (the standards-setting organization for foods and drugs) advises that black cohosh products be labeled with the following cautionary statement: ‘Discontinue use and consult a healthcare practitioner if you have a liver disorder or develop symptoms of liver trouble, such as abdominal pain, dark urine, or jaundice'”

Just like with the 3 treatment options for hyperthyroidism, there are pros and cons to the options for treating menopausal symptoms. You might decide the benefits are worth the risks, but it’s still important to be an informed consumer – and even better if you can discuss the risks/benefits with a medical professional.

Take care!

[vanillasky]

#1176845

@Kimberly! thanks for the links and the information. I’ve known for years about the debates of black cohosh and 2 gyno’s I went to, said soy is really not doing anything for hot flashes and night sweats via the new research that has been done.

But he mentioned to me that he thought I should be on high dosage of estrogen/progesterone, which I think is probably more dangerous than this, so I’m going, for the time being sticking with this. A fertility specialist told me this was much safer than taking estrodial,estrone or testosterone. Everything has it’s pro’s and con’s, but my quality of life is very, very poor at this point. I feel lately like I’m getting worse. I don’t know when it ends, but I am pretty fed up with this condition right now. I don’t sleep. I am up at least 3x a night changing my nightgown. Sometimes the sheets are wet with perspiration too. I am emotional and cranky in the morning. I have the most embarrassing hot flashes in public, my face turns bright red and I am burning up. I was out yesterday and they told me the heat was broken down in Macy’s and I never even felt it. I am so hot! It’s a lot like being hyperthyroid. I know I’m not hyperthyroid because the bloodwork is fine. But my fsh is so elevated, it indicates ovarian failure.

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