[lauren]

#1018955

Thank you beautiful people who replied to my desperate post the other day.

Im really sorry but I dont have the time right now to reply to your comments and questions but just to let you know Im plodding on. Feeling better physically, but who knows how long that will last as it changes all the time. My energy levels are good and I feel very alert ( no brain fog anymore and my hair is growing a teeny weeny bit) but Im still very depressed and anxious about everything and feeling agoraphobic. I dont feel at all like the normal me, even though i function in a normal way, I guess. ( but cant cope with full time work or socialsing)

Sometimes I wonder is its nothing to do wioth my Thryoid and that my mental health is actually all to do with my personality, life circumstances, stress, dissapointments etc etc. It so hard to explain all my psychological symptoms, they fluctuate and can be very disturbing.

Anyway, just to recap. Have had Graves diagnosed for 11 years, on ATDS all that time, never really stable except for about four months. Lots of things happened in that time obviously. Also think i had Graves a long time before diagnosis.
Anyway became very unwell, more mentally than physically 2 years ago and my world collapsed.
Came back to NZ and had RAI in Jan 2009. Went Hypo quite quickly, then took replacement and went Hyper then crashed into HYPO hell quite qucikly after that. It took about four months of Hypo to finally get my levels within normal range and I understand that you do not get well immediately. Diane and Ski have told me that many times and that it can take along time to recover. Its just that I feel embarassed telling people Im still not normal ( like friends, Doctor and even on these sites) when my results are so good. I also feel like I cant even reassure myself when Im freaking out or cryinng uncontrollable that it is or was ever my thyroid and that me feel even more frightened.
Im currently on 135mcg Thyroxine daily have been on that dose for about 8 weeks.

Anyway, Im having blood tests taken weekly and last week,

they were; FT4 = 15, tsh 1.6 and FT3 4.6 (cant remember ranges off top of my head, but i did put them on my last post)

this week: FT4 = 18, tsh .90 and FT3 5.2

Are these stable yet? would these small changes affect me in any way either physically or mentally. Also at what point do you start tweaking the meds to suit you properly. Ive been discharged from former private Endo and he has left me in the care of my GP ( who knows nothing about Thyroid and is more concerned about my mental health and anti depressants, which im on and i seriously wonder if he ever beleived any of the emotional symptoms were thyroid related) .
I am however going to see a new ENDO/specialist at a public hospital to get a complete checkup but I am a waiting list.

Just wondering what to do next….am starting to give up the notion of ever being the same person again and being able to cope in the "real world" again and that makes me feel so lost and desperate.
Oh someone asked about my female hormones, well I get Horrendous PMS for 10 days before my period by my period is regular ( every 28 days on the dot) and im still ovulating Ive had my hormones checked and Im not even perimenoapusal.
I ahev got low ferritin and iron ( but am taking my iron a long way away from my thyroxone ). My cholesterol is high too (great!!!)

anyway,
thanks for listening. Am trying to keep going…buts its a lonely and scary ride.

[mamabear]

#1068079

lauren wrote:Am trying to keep going…buts its a lonely and scary ride.

Hey It’s only lonely and scary if you don’t grab hold and scream for the ride ahead. Grab hold of us and we’ll help you! Roller coasters don’t have to be scary….they CAN be fun.

Graves’ is like a roller coaster ride. Once you figure out what it is, you go with it and try your best to smile. Once you smile on a roller coaster you always want more of it. So take a friend and enjoy it! If we think of it that way we got it beat!

I got your PM, you are so welcome. I’ll PM you later.

SMILE- It’s contagious !

[mamabear]

#1068080

lauren wrote:Im having blood tests taken weekly and last week,

they were; FT4 = 15 (range: 10-20), tsh 1.6 (range: 0.3-4.0) and FT3 4.6 (range: 3.0-6.0)

this week: FT4 = 18(range: 10-20), tsh .90 (range: 0.3-4.0) and FT3 5.2 (range: 3.0-6.0)

I am posting this with the ranges from her other post just so people know what they are.

Lauren I am not sure of the test results but I can assure you that someone will be by with some insight. It seems that all of the levels are within the range but I’m not sure when it comes to hypo.

” title=”Smile” />

[npatterson]

#1068081

Dear Lauren,

We are here for you for the duration of the ride–and it may be a rough one.

Thyroid levels and mental health are inextricably bound up to each other, both hyper and hypo. Your numbers may be fine right now, but they seldom reflect how you feel, both mentally and physically, on the "inside where it counts.

The fact that your levels are changing on a weekly basis indicates they are not stable. You need an endocrinologist, and hopefully that person has treated a number of people with Graves’ and knows that we are not all easy to manage.

You need someone to talk to in a therapeutic way – TRUSTED doctor, TRUSTED friend, or (IMHO) a TRUSTED counselor–one that understands, or is willng to learn about, Graves’. I have sent mega amounts of information to many therapists over the years.

Take care,

[mamabear]

#1068082

Lauren,
Did your old endo give you a reason as to why he thinks you no longer needed to go to him?

Do you have your records from him ? If not please call them tomorrow and get them to send you a paper that you will have to sign and sign it and mail it back or go the office if it’s close and do it. Tell them you want ALL copies of your records not just of your labs. IF they say that you have to pay for them, tell them "do I have to pay for them if I request that they be sent to a different dr."? If they say no, then once you have established that this new dr. is ok, have them mail it there.

Personally I would start from scratch with this new dr. and not have him tainted by any nonsense the old one was giving you. A fresh start might be in order, a clean slate that doesn’t have anything about any mental issues, or depression issues. YOU can tell him what medicines you are on and tell him that your dr gave them to you. Tell him you feel strongly that your issues are related to your thyroid not be stable, even though it is within limits it fluctuates way to much.

Call the new dr’s office a few times to see if there is anyone who canceled. Yes there is a waiting list but you never know. Another good reason is so you get a feel for the receptionist. A GOOD receptionist is a huge key factor in a good dr’s office. If she is nasty and fast with you on the phone, that might indicate that the dr. is overbooking and she is at her wits end. A receptionist that is willing to be fast but talk to you like you are human and you can hear it in her voice that she is kind IS the kind of place you would want. If he has a good reputation and the front desk staff is fast and not so nice, you might want to try it anyway. Not many people talk highly of dr’s so when someone does it is a big something to me.

I have to admit that the front desk staff make it or break it in my book. But I am very very picky about who I see. I only surround myself with dr’s who know my name and smile when I ask how they are. Oh yes I make it a point to ask the front desk staff how they are doing and also ask the dr as well when I see them. You can judge a persons nature when they answer that.

You are on a road that we will help light the way for. It’ll be hard but it wont be impossible. ” title=”Very Happy” />

[Author]

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