[beauty2010 August 20, 2012 at 4:56 am Post count: 23]

#1059297

Hi
I have had one episode of Graves in 2007 and I posted earlier this year because although my labs were OK I had graves symptoms and after treating myself with carbimazole they went away. I got into trouble with my endocrinologist for treating myself and eventually my family doctor took me off the carbimazole.
I guess that because I treated myself as soon as I got symptoms there was no time for blood work to change and therefore nobody really thought I had a relapse of Graves at all and it was all anxiety
Problem is that for the past four weeks I have had anxiety, a sense of being unable to keep still, massive heat intolerance. Yesterday my pulse was 120 to 130 even though I was not particularly anxious but it is down again today. I have lost half a stone.
I am sticking it out to see if blood levels will eventually change and at least I can prove its not all in my mind! Does anyone have any thoughts. Has anyone else had symptoms before their blood levels have changed? I am feeling pretty lousy and just wanted some support. I don’t want to bother my friends as I think they are all sick of hearing about my problems!!!! A friend in need is a pest!
B

[KimberlyOnline Facilitator August 20, 2012 at 9:56 am Post count: 4294]

#1173942

Hello – If your symptoms have been going on for 4 weeks, and *especially* with the rapid heart rate, a new set of labs should help you shed some light on what is going on.

I have heard of patients experiencing hyper or hypo symptoms as their labs were trending either *up* or *down*, but the only way to know for sure what is going on is via lab results.

Bringing a documented list of your symptoms (especially the rapid heart rate) will hopefully get your doctor’s attention so that he/she can help you figure out what is going on.

Take care!

[beauty2010 August 24, 2012 at 1:40 am Post count: 23]

#1173943

Hi
Thank you for your support.
I had bloods done 5 days ago but have not heard anything back. I presume they are OK
I am still feeling very ‘warm’ with intermittent palpitations (pulse rate 90 whilst resting in bed). I have started to have a burning feeling in muscles of upper thighs and am weak.
I can’t concentrate very well and am p’d off with it all.
I am going to keep going until either the bloods change or they do not – in which case there must be something else wrong with me!
B

[snelsen August 24, 2012 at 7:43 am Post count: 1909]

#1173944

Pester them for your labs. Have a talk with your doctors. ATD’s may or may not be the choice for you, but in any case, there are many serious health implications for you, including feeling terrible, if you are hyperactive, and have untreated Graves. Discuss with them if you should continue with ATD’s (i realize you are off them now) or you should consider RAI or surgery.
Shirley

[beauty2010 December 21, 2012 at 3:50 am Post count: 23]

#1173945

Hi
Just updating re the previous post.
After I last posted in August, my symptoms gradually reduced and my labs were OK.
However, for the past four weeks or so again I have had rapid pulse (over 100), lost half a stone, anxiety (I feel as if all my family are going to die, etc) and reluctantly got my bloods done again, because I was convinced they were going to be OK. My TSH was undetectable and T4 was 32. I still feel dreadful.
GP put me back on Carbimazole and propranolol.
It is really funny because I have had these symptoms in Dec 2011, March 2012 and August 2012, and the symptoms have been self limiting and the bloods have been OK
Then I have had exactly the same symptoms this time (which have not gone away) and the bloods are off.
I am sure that it the previous episodes were related to this one, but I guess my endocrinologist will say that the previous episodes were mental health (anxiety) and this one Graves
I am convinced that they are all related to each other.
Really wierd. Does anyone have any advice?
Also, does anyone know what the recommended treatment is after a relapse.
Many thanks for all your help. PS – it is the end of the world today anyhow
Bxx

[KimberlyOnline Facilitator December 21, 2012 at 9:11 am Post count: 4294]

#1173946

Hello – We’re all fellow patients here, not docs, so I can’t tell you what was going on if your labs were normal while you were experiencing significant symptoms.

One thought, though, is that some patients feel better at the top, middle, or bottom of the “normal” range. So just because your doctor says your levels were “normal”, that doesn’t mean those levels were *optimal* for you. It’s helpful if you can get copies of each set of labs and compare where you are on the lab tests with how you were feeling.

If you have a relapse after a round of Anti-Thyroid Drugs, you still have all three treatment options available to you: ATDs, RAI, or surgery. You can read more in the “Treatment Options” thread in the announcements section at the top of the forum.

Take care — and keep us posted!

[shaylee43 December 22, 2012 at 7:03 am Post count: 23]

#1173947

I agree with Kimberly, my labs were at the high end of normal for T3 & T4 and the low range for TSH. I started keeping a journal of my symptoms and how I felt when I’d get labs drawn that way I could go back and match them to the lab results, it helped me and my endo immensely. Hope you feel better soon.

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