[Anonymous]

#1020229

I have Graves’ and I never thought my thought process would clear up. It has and I have been able to go back to almost my pre Graves period.

So I have been a free lance editor for many years now and I have been a staff editor for a publisher.

It seems I have been nominated by some of my authors for best editor on the Predators and Editors site this year. Voting goes until 14 Jan.

Stop by and check them out.

http://www.critters.org/predpoll/bookeditor.shtml

Jake George

Sage Words Services

Editor: Books edited in 2006

The Last Gunfighter

Rough Justice

First Communion

There Really Was An Elfego Baca

A Bottle Of Plonk

Blue Corn Woman

The Freedom Element

Jake George
On-line Facilitaor
NGDF

[Anonymous]

#1076429

Jake,

Thanks for the encouragement. I can’t help but get a little scared when the focusing slips in and out at will. I know that my abilities to focus, which you need to do multi-tasking, is one of the reasons that I have survived downsizing so many times. Yesterday was just a bad day. Work is horrible right now. I’m usually the person that keeps others going when it gets tough.

I’m also not real comfortable with doing RAI, but I really want to get on with my life and this is the best route to go.

[Anonymous]

#1076430

Hi,
I was diagnosed with Graves Disease back in October, and posted a couple of times but not recently. I didn’t want to think of myself as “sick”. I have been taking PTU and am feeling tired to the point of wanting to sleep all the time. I work 12 hour shifts at the hospital and am taking Chemistry. I find I have many days that I am having trouble studying. I understand that the emotions is sometimes part of Graves, but I feel as if I’m on a roller coaster. One day I’m very sensitive to anything anyone says and feel on the verge of tears, and the next I feel “fairly normal”. Lately, I have noticed my hands swelling and my face feels puffy, but doesn’t necessarily look puffy. Most of the time, I really don’t feel very good. Is this because of PTU or just Graves symptoms? Will your levels be up and down and could this cause the “roller coaster” effect I’m feeling? Before I started the PTU, I was actually feeling better than I had in several weeks, and now I’m back to trying to make it through the day. Also, I am gaining weight faster than I expected. Any suggestions on how to deal with the weight gain? I’m wanting to study for my Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing starting this summer, and I’m beginning to wonder if I’ll be able to handle it. I understand the basics of Graves disease but not sure what’s happening now. Thanks for any help. Feel as though I’m “whining”, but I felt I could express myself here. I can’t get in to see my endo until middle of April, so I’m trying to find ways to deal. Thanks

[Anonymous]

#1076431

Hi –

I wanted to share with you that I was having the same symptoms on the PTU and then had some blood work drawn and turned out I was way hypo, once my endo adjusted my meds I started feeling much better. Maybe this is the case with you. Are you seeing an endo? I found that my GP was not as good at tinkering with the doseage as my endo was. I hope this helps and that you get your energy back soon I remember how that felt and it was not fun. Oh one more thing I found out from this board that they put you on a high dosage to start with and then you need to go to a maintance dose after you calm down. I was put on a very high dose 2 pills 4 times a day and then actually went down to 2 pills a day! I would call your endo right away.

[Anonymous]

#1076432

There are many people who feel just fine while on one of the antithyroid meds. I was not one of them. I felt awful while on PTU, despite having “normal” levels of hormone. I talked with my doctor, stopped the drug and had RAI, and I never, ever felt as bad, or had the types of symptoms that I had while on PTU. So, I think it is at least possible that, like mine, your body does not “like” the drug. People do have adverse reactions to individual drugs that others can take just fine.

It is also possible that you need to get your levels checked to make sure that you are, indeed, at normal levels of hormone on your current dose of PTU. One of the things to keep in mind is that our disease is caused by antibodies. Antibody levels can rise or fall for no well-understood reason, and so, yes, we can fluctuate in our needs for PTU or methimazole(the other antithyroid drug). As long as you retain your thyroid, your hormone levels can go up and down significantly enough to cause a need to change your medication. It is the reality of this disease. None of our treatments are able to control antibody levels. The antithyroid drugs simply act as a chemical barrier to the production of thyroid hormone, and you need to get the dose just right. But when antibody levels rise, you can become hyperthyroid again (even while on the drugs) and if the antibody levels fall you could become hypothyroid (because the drug is impeding the creation of hormone from iodine).

If you find out that your levels are normal, and that you should be feeling better (not worse), then you need to discuss your options with your doctor. IT is possible that the other antithyroid drug could work for you; or that another treatment option would be preferable.

Weight: a part of the weight we lose while hyperthyroid is muscle mass. We especially lose muscle in the large muscles of the legs, arms and chest. This is BAD weight to lose. For one thing, losing it makes us weaker, and reduces our stamina. Additionally, muscle weighs more than other tissues but burns more calories than other tissues — even at ‘rest’. So having strong muscle is important for our metabolism — we can eat more, without gaining weight. When we get back to normal levels of hormone, over time the muscle tissue starts to come back towards normal. It is, however, “mushy” muscle until we have been able to strengthen and tone it. Weight issues typically take a bit longer to regulate after treatment than we would like.

The bottom line is that after the body has had sufficient time to heal from being hyperthyroid, from being sick, you should feel like a normal person again. And you should expect to be able to pursue the studies and the career that you have settled on. But “being” hyperthyroid is devastating to the body, so some time is needed to heal. It typically takes some months for us to throw off the effects of being hyper.

I do hope you are feeling much better, and soon.
Bobbi — NGDF Online Facilitator

[Anonymous]

#1076433

Thankyou Bobbi and standingfirm,
I appreciate your replies. I am seeing an endo, but unfortunately, she is out and I can’t get in until middle of April. I have, however, made an appt with my internist for today and will discuss how I’m feeling with him until I can again followup with the endo. The information has helped, and hopefully I can decide what the best course of action is after I talk with him. I don’t want the diagnosis of Graves to be an excuse or crutch, but I have realized that I was going the other direction and trying to ignore symptoms until they began to get the upper hand. Thanks

[Anonymous]

#1076434

Hi Gran,

Make sure to get your blood tested for thyroid hormone levels. Even if your endo is out of town, there should be someone available to read test results and adjust your meds accordingly. Your internist can easily read the test results, since you’ve already made an appointment there. You do NOT want to remain out of the normal range, and waiting a month at this point is not acceptable.

~Ski
NGDF Assistant Online Facilitator

[Anonymous]

#1076435

Thanks Ski,

[Author]

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