[InGodWeTrust]

#1059774

I discovered that I have Graves’ disease during the Fall of 2010. My endocrinologist told me that I just have to take medication and the Graves’ disease will go away. So about a year ago all my labs were perfect, but I feel awful. With normal labs and atenolol, I feel better in some ways. I have more energy and sleep better. But my heart beats too hard every night, i have double visions, I have a loss of appetite, and last December I instantly lost 15 lbs. I tried to eat more and gain some weight. I could not do that because it makes my heart beat much faster and have bad diarrhea. My throat is often sore and I feel weak. I begin to feel fearful that I won’t feel well again. My endocrinologist said that if I still have symptoms and my labs are normal then it was not from my thyroid. I feel so discourage.

I decide that I could not stand this anymore and I don’t want to waste my life. I am only 23 years old and don’t want to feel this miserable.

Do you have any suggestions? Do you recommend RAI or removing my thyroid?

[Kimberly]

#1177423

Hello and welcome! I just posted some comments on surgery in this thread:

(Note on links: if you click directly on the following link, you will need to use your browser’s “back” button to return to the boards after viewing, or you will have to log back in to the forum. As an alternative, you can right-click the link and open it in a new tab or new window).

http://gdatf.org/forum/topic/43336/

The process with RAI is similar, except that you have to wait to go hypO (which can take around 6-18 weeks) before starting on replacement hormone.

Keep in mind that we are fellow patients here, not doctors, and can’t give medical advice, but I’m wondering if your doc also prescribed an anti-thyroid drug (methimazole, Tapazole, or PTU) in addition to the atenolol? Beta blockers like atenolol can give you some temporary symptom relief, but they do *not* treat the underlying hyperthyroidism.

If you might be interested in getting a second opinion, we have several different physician search sites included in the “Looking for a Doctor?” thread in the announcements section of the forum. It can also be helpful to get hard copies of your labs so you can see for yourself where your levels are. You know your body, and you *know* that something is off, so please be persistent until you get the attention and the care that you deserve! It’s certainly possible that the symptoms are due to something other than the thyroid…but you need to find a doctor who will help you figure out what*is* causing these issues!

Take care – and please check back to let us know how you are doing!

[InGodWeTrust]

#1177424

Hi, thank you for responding so quickly. Right now, Im taking 2.5 mg of Methimazole and 10mg of Atenolol. Thank you for the information. Im planning to see my endocrinologist this Friday. Ill ask her more questions about doing the second opinion. Also, Im planning to see my primary doctor next week and I will ask her for advice or send me to different endocrinologist.

Thanks!

[kataso]

#1177425

InGodWeTrust wrote:

Hi, thank you for responding so quickly. Right now, Im taking 2.5 mg of Methimazole and 10mg of Atenolol. Thank you for the information. Im planning to see my endocrinologist this Friday. Ill ask her more questions about doing the second opinion. Also, Im planning to see my primary doctor next week and I will ask her for advice or send me to different endocrinologist.

Thanks!

Hi there. I was wondering if your sore throat ever went away. I havea hyperthyroid and am on 7.5 mg of tapazole. My throat is now sore every day. I wondered if anyone else had the same symptoms.

Thank you!

[Kimberly]

#1177426

@kataso (copied from my other post):

Hello and welcome – This needs to be checked out ASAP with your doctor. (Literally, as soon as you read this post, I would call your doctor’s office!) These symptoms can indicate a rare, but serious side effect of the meds that severely deplete white blood cell count. Your doc should order a WBC test for you; also be sure to ask if you need to stop the meds until the results are back.

[kataso]

#1177427

Thank you so much. I did see the doctor right before I posted this and she is not concerned about the sore throat at all and believes it must be related to something else. She said to stop taking the tapazole and get blood tests in seven days so I guess what is what I will do! I stopped taking it Tues. However, my heart rate is rapid – 100 – 108 now since I stopped taking it. I put in a call to the Dr. to see if my heart rate could increase so quickly. This was a major symptom that alerted me to my hyperthyroid. I have not heard back yet.

[kataso]

#1177428

Thank you so much. I did see the doctor right before I posted this and she is not concerned about the sore throat at all and believes it must be related to something else. She said to stop taking the tapazole and get blood tests in seven days so I guess what is what I will do! I stopped taking it Tues. However, my heart rate is rapid – 100 – 108 now since I stopped taking it. I put in a call to the Dr. to see if my heart rate could increase so quickly. This was a major symptom that alerted me to my hyperthyroid. I have not heard back yet.

[Raspberry]

#1177430

Hi Kataso, the blood test to see if your white cells have plummeted (which would possibly be the side effect the sore throat indicates) needs to be done now – in seven days off the tapazole it is possible your cell count will recover and the the blood test will reveal nothing, you’ll be put back on it and go through this again. Do you have any other doctor to consult? Could you go to an walk-in clinic and request a simple CBC test which would reveal if your white blood cell count is okay?

ETA – and yes stopping the tapazole will have results very quickly. My heart rate speeds up very fast after only one day if I miss doses which only happens rarely!

[Kimberly]

#1177429

Agree with Raspberry that it’s important to push for White Blood Cell testing now. The medical guidance recommends doing this testing as soon as you have the onset of symptoms like sore throat, rather than waiting.

You can check out the guidelines here; it’s page 604 of the original journal article or page 12 if you download as a PDF:

(Note on links: if you click directly on the following link, you will need to use your browser’s “back” button to return to the boards after viewing, or you will have to log back in to the forum. As an alternative, you can right-click the link and open it in a new tab or new window).

http://thyroidguidelines.net/sites/thyroidguidelines.net/files/file/THY_2010_0417.pdf

[kataso]

#1177431

Thank you so much. I am awaiting the results. This forum is just amazing – very informative. So glad I found it! Thank you again so so much!

[Author]

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