[cathycnm]

#1075264

Madame X – Wow! To me, there is nothing more stressful than changing jobs esp when this is not totally by our choice. I started taking classes when I was first being treated for Graves – and it was such a stressful time.

It is a time when you will need to maximize your supports, for sure. Those may be family, friends, church a club and/or a pet. One of my lessons from my experience is how apparent it was to people like my faculty advisor that I did not have enough support to deal with job stress, school and illness all at once. I don’t know what supports you have – but make the most of whatever you have and do all you can to enlarge that circle of support around you. Easier said than done – I know – but maybe take a small step each day to grow your support system. I, personally, know it is more difficult if you need to bring in a paycheck to eat and pay rent – and family is geographically distant. The more support, generally the less stressed you will feel and that will, most likely, help you have less symptoms.

The psychologists are finding that staying positive actually helps the brain to build support systems. So if you can do all you can to find small positives throughout the day – that may actually help open the door to new opportunities.

As far as your symptoms – be sure you are keeping a diary and letting your doctor know about your symptoms. Right now, getting well is a huge priority – one doctor apt a month is not asking a lot. You are worth it – sometimes when we leave an unhappy workplace we may question that. Remember – all of this is treatable and you will feel human again. We are here for you – to help and support you through this.

[Madame_X]

#1019956

I am three weeks diagnosed with Graves.

I didn’t think anything of it when I went to get out of bed and I got dizzy. I brushed it off until I went to retire for the evening.

I was dizzy when I went to lie down and my heart rate was increased.

I went to my doc the following morning; he diagnozed dehydration and told me to go home, drink a lot of fluids and take it easy.

After three days and 14+ pints of water, my symptoms were going nowhere. Neither was my heart rate.

I somehow stuck this out until Sunday night, the 2nd of November — I went to lie down and my heart rate was 100…then 120…

At that point, i took myself to an emergency room.

They gave me meds to slow down my heart, did two EKGs and admitted me. By that time, my heart rate was over 170.

In the morning they decided it was either a prolapsed valve or Graves. When they got my bloodwork back, guess what the diagnosis was.

They released me when my heart rate went down to 88 (it is usually 80 or so when I am resting).

I’ve seen the endocrinologist; he upped my meds (this was Monday) and I’m having a difficult time getting by.

I still get winded when I walk a distance and the muscle weakness is still there. I have a rough time climbing and descending stairs.I also don’t have as much energy as I did.

I am also trying to find a job. I was under a lot of stress the final year I was at my last position (I got laid off in August) and I don’t know what to say to an employer even if I start a temp job — I prettymuch have to regularly see my doc and my guess is I will have to see him at least once a month until my meds are regulated to what they should be. Temp agencies get cranky and cross with you if you take off a day for something like a doc’s visit.

This is a worry, too — and I still don’t know how I am going to fare once I do get back to work.

Prior to the dizziness and increased heart rate, I had no symptoms that to me were indicative of something being wrong — for about a week before the dizziness, I’d wake up and go "whaa…is it warm in here?" I thought I was under too many blankets. I lost some weight, but I attributed it to a bad period I had in September where I was pretty sick and headachey the entire weeki. I didn’t feel like eating much.

I’m finding it difficult to cope. I guess I will have to take it day by day.

[Ski]

#1075265

Hi Madame X,

You’re right, you will need to take this day by day. If it helps to know this, you may not have to have full-up doctor’s appointments once a month ~ if you can get a standing order for lab work, you can probably handle this initial phase by having blood drawn when you need to (talk with the doctor about how often that should be, and what criteria you should look for in order to go "off pattern"), and have a phone conference with either the doctor or the nurse to discuss any dose changes that may be necessary.

You have been under attack by excess thyroid hormone, and some say it can take up to six weeks just for the excess to leave your bloodstream, even though you are taking meds to reduce it, so be patient. I understand that’s difficult, given your job search, but you can at least be comforted in the fact that you have a firm diagnosis and you are under active treatment. Many Graves’ patients go much longer before finally getting the right answer. So you are on the right path. It’s a LONG path, no question. I don’t want to sugar-coat it, because that won’t do you any favors.

Take it VERY easy on yourself right now. Do not overdo physically, you will regret it. And please don’t feel as if you’re being "lazy" when you must be still. It’s all about returning your body to a healthy state. For this most difficult period, try and find the things that really fulfill you, satisfy you, at your deepest levels. (As long as that isn’t running marathons! ” title=”Very Happy” />) For some it’s hot baths, for others it’s funny movies, or painting a picture ~ I think you take my meaning. Taking care of that side of you will help you heal because it keeps you in a more balanced state overall. On the flip side of that, limit any activity that feels draining, that sucks energy from you.

Stick around, read up on Graves’ treatments (we’ve got many recommended books that you can find at your local bookstore or library), and keep asking questions! You can find some great information on old posts, too.

Welcome to the club you never wanted to join, but now you’ll never want to leave! ” title=”Very Happy” />

[Madame_X]

#1075266

Maybe I should have known better — I worked in the lab for a kazillion years and I should have known the symptoms. Ah, well…

Today I had a pretty good day. I actually went to the store, got some groceries and came back without getting winded.

[cathycnm]

#1075267

Yea!!!!! Each day brings hope.

I think we all have a blind spot when it comes to our own health and well being!!!! I know I do.

[Madame_X]

#1075268

I am still wondering where the first doc got the dx of dehydration.

As it was, I never should have let it go as far as I did — two days later when I still felt the same, I should have called him and said "I am not feeling any better; what do we do about this?"

One of the cardiologists in hospital told me "you’d be surprised how many people ignore the increased heart rate and thus, burn their hearts out."

[cathycnm]

#1075269

Madame X – You know, when I first went on the daily injectable med for my osteoporosis (correlates with time of my first Graves symptoms, too), I noticed my bladder felt irritable and my urine looked like it had particles in it. In the next few months, when I was up 5-7 times a night, it was often feeling the need to urinate with these changes continuing. Almost a year later my bone scan shows little improvement – I go to an endo and get worked up. This is when they found Graves. They also found too much calcuim in my urine. I believe the combo of the med, the Graves and the supplements was a good part of the problem – I was basically flushing all my supplements down the drain!!!! I felt so dumb – I lost a year on the osteo med. If I had said something about the urine symptoms – it might have been caught sooner and my bones would have had more time on the meds without being worked against. I guess we are all in some denial when it comes to our own health.

Dehydration is pretty easy to diagnose – even dipping a urine specimen gives strong evidance that this is going on. That may be where he got that idea – that or a blood count maybe. Sometimes just looking at skin – because it gets a little like a basset hound when we are dry. Cathy

[Author]

Posts