[PolishTym]

#1171360

I had some wicked tremors for awhile. Sometimes I had to use my left handle to stabilize my right hand while writing. The methimazole reduced the shakes, but my surgery made a dramatic difference.

It was a GP’s nurse who first noticed my tremors while taking my pulse. The GP thought it was just some inherited tremor. Too bad the GP didn’t think of Graves’ at the time.

[Gina]

#1171361

Oh I hate the tremors! Mine is in both hands and sometimes I just shake all over in general. Someone hugs me and they say they can feel me shaking. I write quite often or at least I used to.

How did you feel before and after surgery? No complications, right?

[Bobbi]

#1171362

Gina: You are currently “choosing” the most dangerous option: doing nothing. By doing nothing you continue to be hyperthyroid. None of our treatment options are as dangerous to our health as remaining hyperthyroid.

We all know how difficult this decision is. I am sending you hugs. But PLEASE do not put this decision off any longer. The best thing that happened to you was getting a diagnosis. You have the ability to get well again by choosing a treatment option because our treatments work.

[snelsen]

#1171363

Gina! While you are obsessing and worrying about what treatment to take, PLEASE begin your ATD’s and take them faithfully. Do not skip doses. Why is this important? For the same reason that our pancreas knows how much insulin to produce. But, when a person has diabetes, they have to TAKE insulin, to supplement the insufficient amount insulin that is not being produced. Just like you may end up taking thyroid supplement, thyroxin, for the rest of your life. It is essential for LIFE. On the other end of the spectrum, if a person takes TOO MUCH insulin, that also is a very serious situation. And the action taken if there is too much insulin, is to give dextrose. You will be so amazed at how much better you will feel. But it is more that feeling better. Equally important is that your whole body is in “overdrive,” and this is very harmful.

Really, Gina, you could be hurting yourself for the rest of your life.
You hate the way you feel. You know something is terrible wrong with you. You do not want to live like this. The sooner you begin to accept that in all probability, you will remain like this without beginning your treatment, the better off and safer you will be.
We are so very fortunate that enough is known about Graves’ so that we DO have options of treatment.
I am not being a drama queen. This is really the way it is.
None of us liked this at all. Who would? But we would like it less if there were no treatment, that there was no chance that we would feel like ourselves again. And we can.
Look at my Graves’ and TED history at the bottom of my post. Parts of this time have been hell. I could hardly wait to take those pills, and know I would not have to be sick and feel terrible the rest of my life. It was affecting my marriage, my job, my school and my health.

At least we have choices. There are many illnesses that have no answers and no cure at this time. Continue to write on this website, get support here, and take your darned ATD’s. You will see how much better you begin to feel.
Then you can make your decisions about what treatment you want, and you will be in a much better position to consider this after you are no longer hyper.
Shirley

[Gina]

#1171364

Bobbi and Shirley, thanks for caring and I called my Endo’s office yesterday to let him know I decided on the ATD’s for now. He has not returned my call yet. I’ve been looking at ME choosing a treatment option as a negative. Thanks to you two I am starting to see it differently. I had my aortic valve replaced and there was no other option. I wish there had been because that was rough… I’m on Coumadin (blood thinner) for the rest of my life and sometimes other medication interfer with that. I sure hope ATD’s isn’t one of them…

[Gina]

#1171365

I just called an Endo’s office to make an appointment for a second opinion. My appointment is May 9th. I should be able to wait that long right? This one specialises in graves’ disease.

[adenure]

#1171366

That’s great!!! 😎 Here’s to a good appointment; make a list of questions and concerns to bring with you so you don’t forget anything.

Alexis

[snelsen]

#1171367

Gina, so nice to hear from you. That is very good news. Glad you are taking this action! You are “one of us,” and you have a ton of new friends!!! You are NOT alone in this!
I don’t imagine you could get an appointment much sooner, but I suggest you consider calling back, telling them you have this appointment, but you did not mention that you have untreated Graves that has been diagnosed, and you are in the hyper stage. Gina, what is your pulse rate now? Ok with the beta blocker? If you say that, you might get an earlier appointment. Be ready for the fact that the voice who answers the phone, may not be medically trained, so I suggest asking to leave a message for the endo, and/or ask to speak to his nurse with the same message. If you prefer, I suggest you ask them to call you with any cancellations to see if your schedule would fit taking that appointment. That is a long shot, though, for the time scheduled for your first appt will be longer than the time for you subsequent appts. Maybe we can help you develop a list of questions to go with your list of questions!
Shirley

[adenure]

#1171368

I agree about calling everyday to see if there is a cancellation. That’s what I did with Kaiser. There never was one, but one day I got a very nice lady who suggested I ask for an urgent referral (I didn’t realize you could do that!). So, I told my primary my symptoms and she put in the urgent referral- losing a pound day (which was actually happening) probably got me in fast as she had prescribed the beta blocker for my heart rate (although I didn’t take them bc I hovered around the 90’s most of the time). The endo’s office called that day and got me in I think it was 4 days later. The faster you’re on a treatment plan, the better.

Alexis

[Gina]

#1171369

Shirley, that would be great for some of you to help me with the questions list! Thanks so much for offering. I did mention to the new Endo’s office I was recently diagnosed with graves’ but did not tell them I was in the hyper stage and that I haven’t stared treatment. I called the 1st Endo’s office to request a copy of my blood work and uptake scan to take with me to the new Endo.
My heart rate has been staying around 85 to 90 since I’ve been on te Beta Blocker.

Alexis, I didn’t know you could ask for a urgent referral either. Nice to know that. I too have lost alot of weight with this but not a pound a day! Geez, thats alot! I lose about 5 to 8 lbs. a month.

[Gina]

#1171370

As soon as I finished my last post, I called the Endo’s office and told them I am hyper and haven’t started any treatment yet. I may get in to see her on the 2nd of May instead of the 9th. Thanks so much for all your help.

[adenure]

#1171371

Awesome! Yeah, the pound a day thing started after about a month of being hyper; it didn’t last more than a week, as I got into the doctor and started my medicine.- I had lost 13 lbs. in 2 months. I didn’t eat anything for 2 weeks except Ensure because I had NO appetite. Believe me, I wanted to eat, but the nausea from just looking at and smelling food was so intense and I felt like I was going to gag anytime I put food in my mouth. All I could do was drink Ensure. So, that didn’t help matters! Glad to be eating again & I’ve gained 6 lbs. back in the last 6 weeks on the methimazole, so I’m happy! Truth is, I don’t need to gain anymore hee hee!

Alexis

[Gina]

#1171372

I needed to lose weight. I am 5 foot and I did weigh 204. I was just as round as I was tall, lol. I sure don’t want to gain weight back but my Endo said I’d gain about 10 lbs. for sure. I can handle that but I love being not so over weight, lol. I weigh 139 now. The losing weight was the ONLY good part about all this although I wish I didn’t lose so much due to illness.

[PolishTym]

#1171373

Gina wrote:

Oh I hate the tremors! Mine is in both hands and sometimes I just shake all over in general. Someone hugs me and they say they can feel me shaking. I write quite often or at least I used to.

How did you feel before and after surgery? No complications, right?

What finally led me to the surgery decision was I got really cold and was shaking all over. It didn’t last an excessive time, but it was enough for me to move from the anti-thyroid meds. The tremors had already made photographing really hard and I had mostly given up on it even with the meds. I see you’re in Ohio, which fortunately has some pretty large medical centers, but I don’t know about their endos.

After the surgery, I had no problems. In part, because I went to a great surgeon. He had me take a thorough physical from a doc who specialized in these physicals, and he felt confident to go ahead. I had to be careful moving around too much, and for about two weeks I was very, very cold.

[Gina]

#1171374

PolishTym, thanks for the reply. I get what you mean about photographing. I can’t even take an ordinary every day picture without it being blurry.
Yep, in Ohio and yes they do have some large medical centers. I’m not to far from Cincinnati so if I chose surgery thats where it’ll be. Glad your surgery went well.

[Author]

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