[grekson]

#1019801

I have a flue now for a few days.Because I also take methimazole and clorezepam to sleep at night I am concerned that it might not go away.My hyperthyroidism is very extreme.I am very concerned.What can I do.I do want my thyroid gone surgicaly as soon as possible.

[DianneW]

#1074155

I remember having flu-like illnesses more often when my thyroid levels were either too high or too low, but I did recover within a reasonable period of time. It might be different for you, but at this point I think you should be sure your doctor knows this is happening. I suspect you’ll be told not to worry, but he may want to do tests to make sure your white cell count is okay since you’re on methimazole.

I certainly understand your frustration at feeling ill and wanting treatment that will put an end to being sick. You’re still in the early stages of ATD treatment, and you may find that in two or three weeks more you start to feel significantly better as the effects of the drugs begin to benefit you more. When that happens, you’ll be in a better position to make a reasoned choice between all three treatment options and you might want to look at all three again when your body and brain aren’t under attack by excess thyroid hormone; when you aren’t in a hurry to make any choice because you don’t feel well. If you still feel at that time that surgery is your best option, then you’ll probably be happy with it long-term.

In the meantime, take good care of yourself. I hope you’re getting lots of rest. Are you able to take time off work for the flu, and do you have people in your life who can help you at home?

Best wishes,

[grekson]

#1074156

I did not take methimazole today and I don’t know if I will tommorow.Tommorow I am gonna try to get surgery refferal.I feel I need more immediate treatment.I want to at least be unconscious for a few days.The drugs anyway make me feel like I am deterriorating.At least surgery will lower my thyroid levels quicker.Drug treatment takes forever.Remember my ths levels is .006.

[Ski]

#1074157

I’m not sure how quickly you will be able to pursue surgery ~ you don’t want to rush into this without knowing who is doing your procedure, and anyone worth their salt may be booked up for a while. In the meantime, give the methimazole a chance to bring down your levels ~ or at least switch to PTU ~ but don’t leave yourself untreated. It is guaranteed to get worse if you stop trying to treat it. As a matter of fact, I’ve heard of surgeons refusing to do surgery on a patient who is very hyperthyroid. It increases the chances of experiencing thyroid storm.

[grekson]

#1074158

So I am another junkie then.The surgery I might not even get because my neck isn’t thick or has anything particularly protruding and yet I have very enlarged thyroid.I was also thinking about buying a sort of illegal type of Benadryl.They make it in Russia and it’s very strong.My mom used to give me a pill of that when I did have flue in years past.It makes you sleep more and it is cheap.We are originally from Russia.

[grekson]

#1074159

Alright Im sorry I wrote like that but now I have temperature for 4 days especially in the eve.What is best under the circumstance to take?

[DianneW]

#1074160

Grekson, what you need to do is take your methimazole and let your doctor know what’s going on. If you’re caring for yourself you won’t mess with OTC meds without talking to your doctor first.

I’m sorry you have the flu, as I know how miserable that is. Do you have someone to help you out? Sometimes some chicken soup and TLC is worth a lot more than the kinds of things you’re talking about. I’m sending you some over cyberspace.

It’s really not good to still have a fever after four days, and you should check with your doctor in case it’s not just the flu. I’m serious, and if you were my son I’d be stern about this! The next post you make I want to hear what the doctor said!

Take good care,

[grekson]

#1074161

Had temp of 36.9 C.I wanted to take Centrum A To Z in addition to Methimazole.However I decided against it.The Endo that I seen recently prescribed 5 pills a day.I deceided not to take that many but I do take Methimazole and Clorezepam for sleep.I want to get something better for sleep.Also my mom is against RAI due to horror radiation stories like Chernobyl.She talks about it with people.It maybe a great struggle to get that pill even if i am 37.Can someone maybe talk to my mom.Our number is 718 434-7122.Her name is Anna.She speaks Russian as well.

[Ski]

#1074162

The radiation you get in a typical dose of RAI is about equal to a long day in the sun. It may help your mother to understand that thyroid cancer patients receive far, far more than we get (sometimes a hundred times more), and it is still not considered to be more dangerous than the cancer it is used to treat.

Many of the horror stories are reproduced on the internet, with outright lies and misleading pictures (in other words, pictures whose origin is NOT what is claimed in the site), so be careful while gathering information ~ you want to look for seals such as you find on the GDF site, indicating affiliation with medical boards and watchdog groups.

RAI has been used for a very long time ~ as a matter of fact, my uncle was treated with RAI in the early ’60s. Patients have been followed carefully precisely because of the age in which the treatment began. The "presumptions" of ongoing danger to the patient just have not proven out over time.

My mother-in-law was similarly against RAI ~ in the end, I know it’s easier said than done, but it is YOUR decision. If you are comfortable with it, convincing your mother isn’t really necessary, though I understand your wish that she be more comfortable with it than she is, at least.

[grekson]

#1074163

You are right but I still rather someone talked to my mom about this.

[DianneW]

#1074164

I will be glad to call and talk to your mom. I can also send her some written information about the safety of RAI if you want to send me your address by private message.

Right now I’m more concerned that you aren’t taking as many methimazole pills as your doctor prescribed, because that is what will help shrink your thyroid and help you sleep at night. It will also bring down your temperature and heart rate. Every pill you miss delays the time when you’re going to feel better.

It’s understandable that if your family is from Russia, worries about Chernobyl would make anything that has to do with radiation seem scary. It was a horrible accident, with people nearby suffering terribly. Still, I was just reading about that yesterday and it’s amazing how few problems people have had who were exposed to large doses of radioactive fallout, which had amounts of radiation much larger than people receive with RAI. International studies of the matter concluded that there has been no increase in birth defects, and no increase in cancer rates (with the exception of thyroid cancer). Not only that, animal wildlife is flourishing in the area known as the "dead zone". There is also no evidence of widespread birth defects or problems in the wildlife.

If your mom can’t be convinced or if you still have reservations, then surgery is a good option. Keep in mind that you should be able to normalize your thyroid levels by staying on the methimazole if you take the pills exactly as your doctor prescribed. If you’re not going to do what your doctor advises, you’re much better off to have the surgery or RAI. It’s dangerous to remain hyperthyroid.

I hope you start to feel better and are able to sleep. I get the idea you’re having a really rough time and wish there was something more we could do to help, but in the meantime, I’ll call your mom.

Best wishes,

[mamabear]

#1074165

I am sort of confused here…

How old are you that your mother has a part in what your treatment is?

You have the flu which is in itself something that is a viral infection will not be fixed by over the counter medicine. It has to come out of your body on it’s own just like every other virus that we might get in our lives. It has to run it’s course.

The only thing you can do for the flu is to try to make yourself feel better and that would be try to take some over the counter medicine to help you through it. Drinking hot tea helps (chamomile tea helps with sleep), drinking plenty of fluids like gadorade, orange juice and water will help keep you hydrated. The better hydrated you are the better you feel. But this flu is going to have to run it’s course IF this is truly the flu.

If this is not a true flu virus and your are feeling these flu like symptoms due to your thyroid you have to go see your dr. and tell them what is going on.

BUT you wont get any better with your thyroid if you miss a dose or don’t take the medicine. Someone wrote that if you are very hyperthyroid you might not get the surgery because a dr. wont do it on someone who is very hyper. They are right and if you dont take the medicine you wont get better and wont see a difference.

It takes time for that medicine to work and weeks or months to see results in some people. The more hyper you are the longer it will take to see a difference. I understand that you want surgery to have a "quick fix" but even doing the surgery which a dr. might not do anyway wont help your symptoms immediately. It will still take time for your body to go back to it’s pre Grave’s disease state. Either way you are going to have to be patient with this and do the right thing and take your medicine and try to let it work the way it should. I know it is hard and it is sooooooooo unfair to think that you have this and you want it gone and no one can help.

You need to speak with dr. about your symptoms, if you had a fever then this might very well be the Flu and you have to wait it out and get better. You can read about the flu on Click on this link. Since you have graves disease it might take you longer to feel better and get over the flu but not taking your graves disease medicine wont help you get over the flu. THe flu has to run it’s course and your graves disease is a separate issue.

If your mom is not understanding this she should speak to the dr’s about your Graves and tell them to write it down for her so she can refer to it. She should call the nurse or dr’s there and if they aren’t giving her the answers she wants then she should ask again or seek a different dr. for you if you are a minor. There might be a comminication problem if she doesn’t speak english every well maybe you can talk to dr’s and translate to her what they are saying.

Lots of fluids and rest will help. If your graves disease is causing you to have insomnia and therefore having problems resting you might want to talk to dr. about a prescription cough medicine that is stronger so it can help you sleep.

If you are thinking of buying or taking ANY medicine that is not prescribed by your Doctor please please speak with him first about it. Your care for your graves disease is serious and taking a medicine that your mom bought some where else isn’t a good idea unless you speak to your dr. about it.

keep us posted. prayers and hugs

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