[Anonymous July 10, 1998 at 4:50 pm Post count: 93172]

#1050262

I prefer hyper. At least I got things done — I could stay up past 8 PM, so I got a lot of knitting, quilting,etc. Got to work early. Even could do some exercise, although I tended to get winded. I went on 17 business trips and 4 personal trips last year when I was hyper, and although I didn’t like all the business travel, at least I could do it.

Hypo I sleep ALL THE TIME!!! Gained 20 pounds as soon as I went hypo.I’m really out of shape, so exercise is harder than before. Takes me minimum of an hour to get out of bed in the morning. When I was hyper, I got to work (25 miles away) between 6:45 and 7:30 every day without an alarm clock. Now, it’s unheard of for me to be here before 8. I switched away from the job that required so much travel, and I have no desire to go anyhwhere (except for November when I’m going to Maui for 9 days to lie on the beach).

[Anonymous July 10, 1998 at 6:09 pm Post count: 93172]

#1148834

Would I have chosen the same treatment again? (I went with drugs — methimazole) I ask myself that a lot. Realistically, yes — my Graves was caught very early and was very mild (thanks to a doctor who apparently routinely checked my TSH at my annual physical, even though I never knew he was doing it.) In my situation, I had a real good chance of the ATD’s working, and RAI seemed too extreme.

HOWEVER. . . I think I might have waited to undergo treatment. I gained a bunch of weight in the couple of years before I was diagnosed (is there such a thing as pre-Graves?). It might have been nice to lose some additional weight before starting the ATD’s. My heart rate was not dangerously elevated, and I wonder if my hypo stage would have been easier if I had gone into it 25-50 pounds lighter. I know that my mental outlook would be better.

I wanted to start the treatment quickly because I wanted to avoid eye symptoms. It was only after I started treatment that I learned that eye symptoms can happen regardless.

I received some information in the mail last week from one of the Thyroid Associations (don’t remember which). In discussing treatment options, they list 4:

— Drugs
— RAI
— Surgery
— No treatment

I think in my case delayed treatment would have made my life more pleasant.

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