[Ski]

#1065833

Hi Chris,

The short answer is YES, we’ve experienced those same symptoms, and yes, we’ve returned to health. This is a perfect illustration of how it can get when we go undiagnosed for a long time ~ things just spiral downward and begin to include MANY more symptoms, each weirder than the last.

The depression you feel may have to do with the emotional impact of coming to terms with having a chronic condition, and that’s completely normal too.

Now here’s the thing ~ getting the levels back to normal is not all that needs to be done before you feel well. All the time that you were feeling awful, your body was deteriorating in small ways. Bringing your levels to normal is only the beginning, that’s the first time your body has been in balance since you began to be hyperthyroid, and the healing can finally begin. Getting to the point where you felt so awful didn’t happen overnight, and it won’t go away overnight ~ but it WILL get better, I promise you.

Diagnosis, as you’ve found, is the most important element. Remember that your body has literally been under assault, and you need some real R&R before your body will even remotely resemble the body you remember. Learn all you can ~ this is a great place to start. We’re glad you found us, and I hope you begin feeling better very soon. Try to look for TINY improvements each day, and celebrate those. Know they will add up, and know that one day you’ll find yourself having lived a full day without even thinking about Graves’. It will be a while, but one day you’ll be there.

[ddetrolio]

#1065834

Chris I totally understand where you are now.

47 male and learned I had GD last March. Prior to it I was having trouble sleeping but did not know the issue until routine blood work at my GP (a place I had not been in some time) showed problems on two tests witht he TS and T4 levels.

My endo has not started me on medication yet but that has to change soon.

Sweating and dealing with temps is all too common to me now. The loss of enjoyment it things I did before is so major and there are foods I use to enjoy which no longer have appeal.

I have reduced dinner out by over 70% but since I am not a good cook I also am not always eating the best but trying like hell and working with people to do it.

It is difficult to get the mind and the body to work together while you are working to balance the levels I have learned and hope to have mine there soon.

But just know we are all going thru it and talking about in my case has helped.

I can be tired a lot (like tonight) or cranky or just not interested in talking. Other nights I have full energy boosts.

We can all get to the balance poing we need in time but getting there is not half the fun, but we will do it ” title=”Smile” />

[bluewave]

#1018586

I’m a 42 yr old male, and near the end of Jan, 2010, I was found to have hyperthyroidism. I was started on Methimazole and Atenolol. Follow-up tests a couple wks ago showed the cause to be Grave’s. Labs were taken a week ago, and the Dr (Endocrine) increased my dosage.

Anyway, I was wondering how sick others felt before being treated. In Dec 2008, I was feeling great and was able to work out moderately with weights every other day, but from Feb 2009, I became very sick. For about the next year, I got weaker and weaker. I was always hot, and just couldn’t tolerate any heat. I experienced lots of nausea, especially in the mornings and after any stress, but it could last for days. I had little appetite from Feb 2009 through Dec 2009; then, I suddenly began starving. My legs had become extremely weak. I was dizzy often. I felt nervous, shaky and miserable. I had at least 3 episodes of my body shaking very badly, w/ no apparent cause. My heart would palpitate, beat hard, etc (but it has done that on and off for yrs). I had frequent loose bowel movements. I lost 15 lbs, which I did not need to lose. I was exhausted, but could not sleep well. It has been absolute hell for over a year — like having a woman’s morning sickness, along w/ weight loss, weakness, heat intolerance, heart beating oddly, etc. Has anyone else felt so sick? Has anyone experienced nausea from Grave’s? It stopped being such a major problem just before starting treatment, but was a major one for months.

Every symptom has improved recently, some more than others, and I’ve gained back some of the lost weight, but I don’t feel like I did back in 2008 yet — not by a long shot. While most symptoms have improved, I’ve now developed some of the mood symptoms — suddenly feeling very depressed at times. And, about 5 wks into the treatment, I began daily feeling like I was very wired, but it would exhaust me. I did not feel that way the during the past year — I was just weak and sick. Have any of you returned to feeling well, or close to the way you did before developing symptoms?

Thanks.
– Chris

[Madame_X]

#1065835

I found out I was sick about Election Day 2008. I presented with a heart rate of well over 100; my GP told me I was dehydrated and to go home and drink lots of water.

I tried this for a few days. Did not feel any better and drank enough water to fill Hef’s pools 10 times over. When my heart rate hit 150 and was climbing, I took myself to the hospital — in there, they found out I had Graves.

[kristenb]

#1065836

I felt pretty normal… Except I lsot 10-15 lbs from Nov -Jan.. which is the holidays and I usually put on 5 lbs and my hair was fallign out and small clumbs at my hair dresser. I was also pretty weak. I am a rock climbing, and I couldn’t even do beginner stuff

I thought I was dying of cancer! But NOW just 3 months after treatment, my hair isn’t falling out and I gained the weight I lost back ” title=”Very Happy” /> I feel much better and am getting strong again!

[susanne13]

#1065837

I also had most of those symtoms: high heart rate (120) and blood pressure (170/90), hair falling out, tired but "wired", very, very shaky and tremors! The shakiness sounds a lot like what you had, I would get out of the car and feel a weird sensation go down my legs! I went from running a half marathon in May 2009 and a ten-miler in October to barely having the strength to run at all. And I had crazy heart palpitations and I felt as though my heart would beat out of my chest (what lead me to the ER where I was diagnosed). Plus I DID (and still do) have weird stomach issues – nausea included. I definitely still have bouts of depression and feeling down. I have been on my meds for about two months and so many of my symptoms have gotten better, but not all of them. It took me this long to get back to running regularly but not nearly as fast or far as before. As someone else said, there is SOME improvement every day, even if we can’t see it. Best of luck to you!!!!!

[susanne13]

#1065838

Ug, I forgot the SWEATING! Even in Winter, I would sweat profusely and always have to explain to people "I have heat issues" because I guess it IS stange to be in a tank top in 30 degree weather and STILL be sweating ” title=”Very Happy” />

[gatorgirly]

#1065839

Hi Bluewave,

It’s honestly hard for me to determine whether or not the treatment is working (began in February 2010) because I’ve had some a random assortment of symptoms for many months now, that I don’t remember when they began. As soon as I was diagnosed and researched the symptoms of Graves, it all made perfect sense. For a while I thought I had a tapeworm because of how much I could eat without gaining weight and without being satisfied, and the embarrassingly frequent bowel movements had me convinced. I too deal with the feeling that I’ve drank three cups of coffee, but am exhausted all day every day. My line of work (PR) is stressful and leaves me working into the night and often on weekends, but I have bills to pay and can’t even think of a change of careers right now.

I also thought I was pregnant a few times, because of the "morning sickness". No actual vomiting, but unbearable nausea whether or not I ate.

As for mood, I am not myself. I’m newly single, and that has helped me become even happier than ever, but I do get depressed every time I think about the seriousness of Graves and the number one implication it has had on my life = not being able to work out. As a 25 year old female, this has caused me great angst and feeling bad about my body, which is average but flabby and loose whereas until a few months ago, I had the typical former gymnasts’ body. Petite build, could stand to lose 5-10lbs, but muscular and toned. I think this is the root cause of my bad moods on most days. And I have to think that not being able to work out, which releases endorphins, is also affecting my mood. I try to do as much as I can through light walks, low-impact yoga and getting plenty of sunlight. Have you tried any of these work-arounds?

I wish you the best!

[bluewave]

#1065840

Thanks to all for your feedback.

This made me so sick for so long, I was just wondering if others had such bad experiences. Looking back, I’ve had the heat intolerance and heart palpitations for several years, but I never reported those to my Dr. since for me, my feelings of being sick weren’t the heat or heart problems, but the weight loss, nausea, loss of appetite and weakness and tremors. I think it misled the Drs, as I didn’t mention the heat or heart issues; I just focused on the nausea and weakness. Since diagnosis, I’ve seen videos on youtube of a young lady w/ GD who also had bad nausea, loss of appetite and subsequent 50 lb weight loss. I did get a major appetite after 10 months of nausea, though.

After reading the symptoms of GD, I see I have nearly all of them, except for bulging eyes (at least not yet, and hope never). I am reassured to hear the muscle wasting is common, as my legs got soooo weak, as did my whole body.

My Dr is very good…Johns Hopkins grad w/ 30 yrs experience. I switched to him after my first labs by another Dr showed hyperthyroidism. The new guy saw me, reviewed my labs, said I had GD and was very, very hyperthyroid. He scheduled a visit for 3 wks for more labs ,but ran them just days later when I called and said I was getting worse again…he called the next day and increased my dose of Tapazole.

All symptoms have improved, but it is slow going. Dr’s seem to think all the GI symptoms could be from GD and want to hold off on any GI tests until meds can have time to work. I still get nausea here and there, maybe from the meds, but the frequent trips to the bathroom are the one symptom that has completely gone for many weeks now.

Thanks again.

[Beth41109]

#1065841

Hi Bluewave,
I’m sure there are more knowledgeable people about graves on this list…I’ve gotten help here, but I thought I’d try to give a little back…

Depending on how long you had the Graves just getting your thyroid levels down is only going to be the start of getting better…

I believe your muscle wasting tells you about your heart health..your heart is the muscle that was most beat up by the Graves…not only was it wasted away it was beat like a horse into a gallop by the excess thyroid hormone…

Now that you know what the symptoms of hyperthyroidism are, tell your doctor how long it has been since your first symptoms appeared and discuss the possibility of getting an echocardiogram…

I was in undiagnosed heart failure for about a year, including 5 weeks of acute decompensated heart failure…AFTER I got a diagnosis of hyperthyroidism…doctors cannot tell be looking at you how sick you are…they can’t hear what your left ventricular ejection fraction is with a stethoscope…

So don’t hold back…if you feel really bad ask for some heart tests…24 Holter monitor and echocardiogram…nausea can be caused by heart problems…

One more thing having insomnia, trouble sleeping, or even discomfort lying flat and especially if accompanied by more copious nighttime urination are heart signs not to be ignored.

Beth

[Author]

Posts