[Kalty]

#1060137

Hi. I’m new here. I’m new to hyperthyroidism, too. So far I just have the blood work and scan done. Everything indicates hyper. The first test result was .006, and that’s all I have to go on until I see the endo in a month or so.

Can you help me make sense of some history?

In 2003, I spent a few days in hospital with chest pain, racing heart and dizziness complaints. They did blood work, but I don’t know if they checked the thyroid. No heart problem found.

In 2004, I had a problem with pins & needles and muscle fatigue and weakness. They found – not sure what this is called – overly jumpy reflexes. They did a brain MRI and diagnosed MS.

Sometime after that, GERD showed up.

Then the all-over itching started with my toes and worked its way up, eventually. Still, the itching is worst on my legs and feet, especially my shins and tops of my feet. My skin looks normal.

Exactly a year ago, I developed ringing in my ears.

Last month, the itching was so bad that I made an appointment. No answers. Then the racing heart and extreme muscle weakness hit hard again. The whooshing in my ears is so loud that I usually can’t hear the ringing now.

I know that you can’t make a diagnosis, but I’m wondering if that history is similar to yours. I can’t find any clear information about the all-over itching and pins and needles.

Also, is GERD caused or aggravated by hyperthyroidism?

I would love to ditch the MS diagnosis. I’m probably the only patient the doctor has ever seen react so positively to the lab results. I thought these symptoms were an MS flare that looked like it was going to stick.

Thank you for any help you can give me.

[Kimberly]

#1180680

Hello and welcome! As you noted, we are fellow patients here, not docs, but hopefully, others will chime in with their experiences.

I have heard stories from others who have experienced GERD and itching while they were hypER. On the “pins and needles” issue, the one time we usually hear about that is patients who are post-thyroidectomy and are experiencing low calcium levels due to damaged parathyroid glands. I’m sure there are numerous other causes as well, though.

Hopefully, the specialist can point to you a more definitive diagnosis. In the meantime, can your primary care doctor run Free T4 and T3 tests for you? These are your actual thyroid hormone levels and should give you a better picture of what is going on. (TSH is a substance produced by the pituitary that tells the thyroid how much hormone to produce). If he/she can order antibody tests as well, (TSI and TRAb are both associated with Graves’) then you would have that information already for your visit with the specialist.

Also, if your general practitioner calls another office directly, that can sometimes help cut through the waiting process. Another option is that you can ask to be placed on a cancellation list if your schedule is somewhat flexible.

[PattiMeg]

#1180681

Hi Kalty,
Just a quick reply to your question on itching. It was the awful itching that finally got me to the doctor 2 years ago and was diagnosed with Graves. The insomnia, fast heart beat, sweating and anxiety was something I thought was “stress”. But the itching got so bad I had to wear pajamas under my clothes to go to work. The endicronologist that I saw initially said that the itching was not related to the Graves; but I spoke with another doctor about it and she said that when the heart rate is elevated there is an increased blood flow to the skin which can cause itching.
I ended up having RAI and the itching went away. The itching was awful. Even now if I get an itch somewhere it brings back those awful memories.
I hope you get things straightened out and are back to feeling well soon.

[Kalty]

#1180682

Thank you for responding. I forgot one thing. Pain in an underarm area. Is that part of the hyperthyroidism picture?

[Kimberly]

#1180683

Hello – I’m not familiar with underarm pain as one of the classic symptoms of hyperthyroidism…but perhaps you will get some other responses here. I would mention this to your doctor, just to be on the safe side.

[sharon01]

#1180684

I am new to this site, diagnosed with graves eye disease in March, put on steroids in February, first round did ‘ok’…… then in May optic nerve pressure went up and put back on steroids, not doing well at all this time, started at 30 mg, tapering down to 15 mg, very nervous, anxiety depression, had thyroid totally removed in April, antibodies were still high last blood blood work, very scared I will not get through this, my eyes look awful and tear all the time, moon face from steroids, but the anxiety and depression are the worst, on Xanax, seraqauill and Lexapro, nothing helping much….. so many doctors, but no one seems tso help….. does anyone else out there, feel so helpless, like they are never going to get better….. I need some kind of support, before I loose my mind

[Kimberly]

#1180685

@Sharon01 – Hello and welcome to the forum! We have many posters here who have been great success stories with thyroid eye disease, although it is certainly a VERY difficult road to travel, especially while the disease is in its active phase.

Dr. David Granet from UCSD Shiley Eye Center, who presented at our 2012 conference in San Diego participated in a study on thyroid eye disease and noted that “We found levels of depression that rival cancer and AIDS.” He went on to say that “not looking like yourself hit people even worse than double vision.”

If you use the “search posts” function in the top right-hand corner of the screen, (you have to be logged in first) you can search for terms such as “OD”, “decompression”, “TED”, etc., you will find posts from other patients who have been through this process.

You might also post your story in a new thread with “TED” in the title, as some of our posters only read specific thread titles that relate to their own experiences. The “New Topic” button is towards the top left-hand side of the screen, just above the announcements section of the forum and just below the green butterfly. (You do have to be logged in and on the screen that lists all the different threads to see it).

Wishing you all the best…please check back and keep us posted on how you are doing.

[karenz516]

#1180686

Hi Kalty, it sure seems like you have been suffering for a very long time. I began my journey last December and was diagnosed with Graves on 12/6/12, I had RAI on 12/14/12. I too had a heart rate of 180 bpm, insomnia, severe anxiety, fatigue, and itching. The itching drove me crazy too. Long story short, I am 8 months post RAI and my numbers are within range and I am feeling alot better. Kimberely is right, you need the Free T3 and T4 tests, have him also test your magnesium and Vitamin D levels.

Good Luck and keep us posted on your health!

Karen

[Kalty]

#1180687

They did bloodwork after the first that gave the .006 result. I’m guessing that it was the test you mention.

Vitamin D was tested for by the neurologist about 2 years ago. That level was 6, if I remember right. He prescribed a very high dose early this year, and that’s when I really started having the worst trouble with my legs. Because it happened at the same time, I blamed it on that crazy high dose.

Vitamin D causes acid reflux, so I avoid it. I need to at least do a quick Google search on the effects of D deficiency. Thanks for remending me about that.

Getting on the cacelation list is a very good idea. So simple, but I’m not thinking clearly, I guess.

You guys are great. Thanks so much.

[Kalty]

#1180688

Ack, one more thing. Swollen lower legs, ankles and feet. I don’t recognize my own feet!

Could one little gland cause all this nonsense?

Anxiety – apparently I run naturally calm, but I’ve felt like a teenager again, with the fluctuating moods. I used to be cold all the time, now I’m warm. I chalked all of that up to my age and natural changes we experience in our 50’s. even my increased appetite – someone once told me that it would increase when I got older, at least my sweet tooth would. How is anyone supposed to know what’s normal?

[Kimberly]

#1180689

I would mention the swelling in your legs to your doc as well. The swelling is common with hypO, but every patient is different, so definitely worth getting checked out. (And there can also be other potential causes that you will want to rule out).

[Author]

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