[Anonymous]

#1020190

I am hyper and trying to figure out something. If I understand correctly, I won’t be feeling better until my thyroid gets back to “normal”? If that takes 6 months, then I will start getting back to “normal” (I understand a few more months after that for the extra hormones). Also, my numbers are dropping back to where they should be slow, but I seem to be having more sign of being hyper than when I started. Is this normal or is it because I am paying more attention? It was found that I have developed Graves somewhere between Oct. to Dec 2006

Thanks,
Julie

[Anonymous]

#1076278

Hi Julie,

Well, let me start by saying that you should start feeling *better* as soon as your thyroid hormone levels come down out of the hyperthyroid range, but feeling “normal” is harder to pin down.

Remember that your body is damaged by hyperthyroidism, potentially in every single cell. That makes it easier to understand, because once the hyperthyroidism stops, it isn’t as if the cells can just return to operating normally. There is healing to be done, potentially in every cell.

So, once your levels return to normal ~ which may take six months or may take longer, depending on many factors ~ you still will have a period of time where your body is healing before you can expect things to be back to the way you remember “normal.”

Still, the intervening time is not going to be miserable. You are circling the target, if you will, getting ever-nearer, so the trend is improvement. You won’t be feeling horrible and then one day feel great.

Are you on ATDs, or did you have RAI? The time table for reaching normal can vary between the two, because the process is a little different for each.

Oh, and you should know that symptoms of hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism sometimes overlap ~ in other words, we can feel the same symptoms in either extreme. Anxiety, sleeplessness, even accelerated heart rate, can be symptoms of either. The only way we can truly know where our levels are is to have blood drawn.

I hope you improve a little each day until you feel well!

~Ski
NGDF Assistant Online Facilitator

[Anonymous]

#1076279

Ski,

Thank you for your reply. I and taking Tapazole and on my second increase, only 40 mg. Go for latest blood work on Wed and Endo on the following Monday.

I think that most of my problem is that I don’t look “sick” and don’t feel “sick”. Just got a lot of other things going on. The hard part to remember is this takes time, and that is not me. Get it done and get it done now type person.

Thanks for being there.

Julie

[Anonymous]

#1076280

Hi Julie,

I hear ya! I think we’ve all been that type of person (do it now!) ~ until we have to face the music with Graves’. Maybe it’s some kind of karmic reality check, I don’t know.

In any event, just realizing that’s the case can be helpful. Accepting it is quite another thing.

~Ski
NGDF Assistant Online Facilitator

[Author]

Posts