[Anonymous]

#1020128

My 3 1/2 year old grandaughter informed me a few years ago…and I wondered why a man on the trolley had said to me that morning ” You have a beautiful eye”…when I looked in the mirror I was shocked! I looked like I could be Marty Feldman’s mother….What was happening to me?? I had been taking synthroid tabs for 9 years. I went through a rough time with a personal relationship and stopped taking them for 18 weeks (which is not recommended). When I finally got back with the doctors, they were not helpful at all.I had to have a very costly orbital exam, and was told I did not have any tumors but that I might have glaucoma, still no mention of Graves’ disease. It was not until I moved to Oregon in May of 2006, that I found an endocronologist that specialized in thyroid related diseases. After a thorough exam & many tests, it was determined that I had Graves’ disease. He explained what was going on with my eye, and why my vision was fading fast. ( I thought I was going blind), We discussed various treatments, settling first on prednesone ( I was not thrilled at the aspect after remembering the anabolic(sp) steroids that athletes bulk up on and remembering that two famous football players died from brain tumors as a result in taking them). He explained the difference but was very blunt about the dangers associated with prednesone, and the side effects that I might encounter…starting out with 25 mg. after one year I am finally down to 4 mg for 2 months, with another reduction after that…and the beat goes on…. well, I have to say my eye is greatly improved in size but the vision is still blurry, and on top of that, as a bonus, I got the weight gain ( try going from 118 up to 179) instead of the one weak chin I used to have, I now have 7 of them. Jowls, I think they are called. I have alligatored skin, if my skin was orange my face would look like a pumpkin ( my grandson is scared of me…”Gramma you have a big fat face”) I don’t have the buffalo hump
( thank you, vitamin D & calcium) but I have everything else. It’s bloody awful. I’m a mess….my personality has changed, I used to love to read & write, I can’t stand driving anymore ( panic attacks), I’m dopey & mopey, stressed & depressed, tired & haggard & not even married to Merle. Is life ever going to be good again??
(betzblue@centurytel.net)

[Anonymous]

#1076063

You have been on the prednisone for quite a while, and it does have significant side effect possibilities as you have found out. I think you need to wait until you have weaned off of it, and let a few more months go by so that your body has a chance to adjust to being steroid free. It is highly likely that the mood issues, as well as the weight issues, etc. will prove to have been caused by the steroid.

I did not go on steroids for any length of time, and my eyes improved after the hot phase was over, and with my synthroid providing me with appropriate hormone replacement, I can tell you that we do get our lives back. It just takes way too much time for some of us.

I hope you can hang in there and be patient. And I do hope that you see improvement soon.

Bobbi — NGDF Online Facilitator

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