[AzGravesGuy November 24, 2012 at 8:40 am Post count: 160]

#1173543

Kimberly, thank you for the PCIP info. I didn’t know that existed.

Nothing really exciting to report. My eye appointment was informative, but until I level out, my options are limited. Hopefully they will recede with time.

My dr has obliged to take over treatment at this stage from the endo I despise.

Weight loss has paused at 41lbs lost since Sept. 4th. I feel cold at times and that is a refreshing change from the constant hot.

Anxiety….gone.
Palpitations…..gone.
Rage…….almost gone.
Eyes…..not as painful.
My hair is starting to feel like hair again.

Energy level has dropped. Some days I can sleep 12+ hours and wake up feeling like I never slept. Some days if I can sleep 4 hours it was a good night.

Bloodwork next week!

[KimberlyOnline Facilitator November 24, 2012 at 1:50 pm Post count: 4294]

#1173544

Sounds like you are making good progress on most fronts…that’s good to hear!

Definitely keep me posted if you decide to check out the PCIP program further.

Take care!

Kimberly

[vanillasky November 24, 2012 at 2:36 pm Post count: 339]

#1173545

For what it is worth, I will tell you what my endo told me about us Graves’ people.

First of all, our emotions run high. We cry, we can become overly sensitive, overly emotional and just downright difficult at times. I have been diagnosed with clinical depression, but from what I’ve read, if you check the thyroid function of people in mental institutions, they all have either hypo or hyperthyroidism!

So we are not nuts. I have a tendency to read into people too much. I make judgments very quickly. Unfortunately, I am right most of the time.

I have a great deal of anxiety and they called it “Generalized Anxiety Disorder.” But now I’m wondering after talking with the doctor, if this is just Graves’ behavior?

He told me he has had people in his office that dress strangely, talk and are nonsensical, paranoid, have phobias, and told him that they do NOT trust him! So I hope none of us get to that point. We have to trust our endocrinologist if he like him.

I have taken Zoloft, Lexapro, Celexa, Paxil, etc, to no avail. Effexor gave me extreme sweating and hallucinations and vomitting when I withdrew. And the whole time, they should I was depressed? Amazing how this disease plays headgames and these doctors don’t take the time to really get to know the patient and treat them properly.

[catstuart7 November 24, 2012 at 3:49 pm Post count: 225]

#1173546

Vanillasky, like your post about the mental effects – I can’t stand them! Even if I’m slightly hyper my mind goes too fast, my thoughts get disjointed and disorganized, and the emotions are too intense. My first endo told me that her Graves patients drive her crazy…but backed off quickly and made it into a joke but I suspect she was serious.

AZGravesguy, still rooting for you! I hope your bloodwork is helpful. I’ve found that the deep long unrestful sleep is a hypothyroid symptom for me. When I’m hyper I have very light sleep, wake up easily.

[vanillasky November 24, 2012 at 9:27 pm Post count: 339]

#1173547

catstuart: thank you! I was just wanting to share what he had told me. He has opened up to me more than any other endo I’ve had.

He did give me his email address as he does to every patient. But he warned me not to email him everyday with how I feel. He said that would drive him nuts! LOL

He does, however, have people that email him every day! And he said it really gets to be a pain, but he takes everyone seriously. He seems to understand how this disease plays games with the mood swings and emotional being that we have. I think, for myself, I have finally learned why I react the way I do. And while all the while, I thought I was strange. Geez…………:rolleyes:

[AzGravesGuy December 1, 2012 at 9:49 am Post count: 160]

#1173548

New labs, 90 days post RAI:

Ft4: 1.5 (.8-1.7) NORMAL!

Ft3: 5.9H (2.0-4.

Tsh <.01L (.45-4.5)
I am on 10mg methimazole now once a day, beta blockers are still at max dose, but that’s a diffent problem, different doctor. No palpitations.

My eye pain has almost completely subsided. No more mmj for now.

I feel good but a little twitchy for lack of a better term. My weight didnt change this week. I hope to at least maintain the loss so far and continue it once I get on synthroid.

The Grave’s Rage has almost completely disappeared. Unfortunately, stupid people still populate the planet so I cannot let it all disappear. I am ok with a once a day flare up. I find humor in it now. Phoenix has some LOUSY drivers. Lol!

Vanillasky: When I think of all the time and money spent taking psych meds or sitting on a couch talking, thinking the anxiety was my issue ( GAD, PTSD, whatever the diagnosis was that warranted the pill of the month) I have to laugh. Congratulations on finding a dr that understands the effects of GD on the whole person, not just the thyroid. Good doctors, especially endo’s are hard to find. It was easier for my team to say I was crazy for 3 years than to do the book work. I have since fired them all.

Cat: I finally got 4 days of real sleep in and feel like a new person. Work stress has made my sleep issues worse. 4 more weeks of crazy then I can relax for the first quarter of 2013.

[AzGravesGuy December 12, 2012 at 9:51 am Post count: 160]

#1173549

Day 100 (or so) post RAI.

I feel 100% normal most days. I am still not on Synthroid but having more bloodwork this Friday to see if I am there yet. Every 2 weeks until I stabilize.

Off Methimazole.
Still on 50mg Atenolol twice a day.
Losing weight again! Now down 46 lbs since RAI. No more clown pants for me!

Next year is going to be the first “normal” year in almost a decade. I have said it before and I will keep saying it, shouting it from the roof top, I got my life back!

This is my second chance and I refuse to waste it.

I will post the new levels next week.

[KimberlyOnline Facilitator December 12, 2012 at 9:55 am Post count: 4294]

#1173550

Great news – thanks so much for the positive report!

[snelsen December 12, 2012 at 10:01 am Post count: 1909]

#1173551

Hi AzGravesguy!
That is wonderful! It has been so great to see you evolve over the past few months! You probably have done this, but take a look at your first posts! You have accomplished SO MUCH! Happy about the clown pants. I know that is a part of getting back the you whom you know. Just very, very happy for you.Your posts have been very helpful to others, hope you never leave completely!
Shirley

[AzGravesGuy December 12, 2012 at 3:28 pm Post count: 160]

#1173552

Thank you both not only for the encouragement but also for your help through this experience.

Shirley, I have evolved. I have gone from a scared, angry, anxiety riddled mess to someone I actually like. The healing from GD has affected me in many ways.

From the days when I wanted to scream all day to the days I didn’t want to live anymore. Hating myself and the world, not realizing it was GD causing it. I really thought I was crazy and I would end up institutionalized. The irrational fears, hair-trigger rage, clumsiness, inability to speak clearly at times, depression, mania, all of it.

I had no idea it could be the disease and my doctors NEVER made the connection, just threw the newest psych pills at it. RAI was my last resort of sorts because I could no longer live that life.

Reviewing my first posts brought the memories of that life, that person back. I wish someone told me then what I know now. I never would have questioned or delayed the treatment.( Although I probably wouldn’t have believed them then anyway. Irrational fear.)

They all said I would feel better after RAI. I had no idea the “crazy” would disappear too. Now I question how many people that are on psych meds actually just have undiagnosed or undermanaged thyroid conditions.

I am a completely different person. Thank you for noticing. I am amazed at and proud of the change. So much so that I am looking into becoming a Life Coach. I want to empower other people to get healthy and find their own positive perspective. ( Something the old me would never have even considered. )

The physical change is pretty nice too. I am not particularly tall so I look like a Weeble when I am heavy. I put the clown pants and shirts in the GoodWill box today. Good riddance.

[catstuart7 December 12, 2012 at 3:48 pm Post count: 225]

#1173553

Congrats AZGravesguy, so glad to hear you are feeling well and goodbye clown pants!

[AzGravesGuy December 17, 2012 at 4:07 pm Post count: 160]

#1173554

Thanks Cat! I appreciate it! I am a whole new me.

2 weeks have passed and I have new blood results. I was taken off the methimazole a week and a half ago to see what happens.

Tsh still <.01 (.45- 4.5) FT4 now 2.7H (.8- 1.7) was “1.5” 2 weeks ago FT3 now 10.5H (2.0- 4. was “5.9” 2 weeks ago

I am no longer in normal range for fT4. But I am only slightly elevated so I do not want to go back on the methimazole. (The nausea was really bad this last round. Splitting the dose made me nauseous ALL day instead of just half of it.)

The consistently high t3 is bugging me.

I am discussing this with my primary care dr tomorrow so who knows what he will recommend. If my levels are higher in another 2 weeks then I will have to consider more pills. Yuck. Until then, I refuse to dwell on it.

[KimberlyOnline Facilitator December 17, 2012 at 4:34 pm Post count: 4294]

#1173555

@AZGravesGuy – Hope you get better news in 2 weeks, but you are smart to NOT waste your energy worrying about stuff that might or might not happen. I wish I was better at that myself!

[AzGravesGuy January 12, 2013 at 1:11 pm Post count: 160]

#1173556

Sorry I have been a ghost lately. January is trade shows and travel time, but I had a wake thrown into the mix this year. Nothing like staying busy!

4 months post RAI:

I feel great!

Tsh is still <.01 (.45-4.5) fT3 is 3.2 (2.0-4.

fT4 is .8 (.8-1.7)

So I am “normal” but still taking 10mg Methimazole once a day. I have been advised to cut it to 5mg and retest in a few weeks.

This is the best I have felt in years. No regrets! Still no weight gain, just maintaining the initial loss. My eyes have receded 90% and are discomfort free. I guess looking like Marty Feldman might NOT be in my future after all. Lol!

My neck has transient soreness. There is thyroid tissue still palpable in my neck, but it is very small. Every time my neck hurts it gets smaller and my lymph nodes go crazy for a few days. Then a week or 2 will pass without incident.

I hope I can start cutting down on the Atenolol (50mg twice a day for the last 7 years). I have atrial fib from something else, but the hormone imbalance aggravated it for sure. I see the cardiologist in a few weeks, have to remember to ask her about tapering down.

So far so good! I will keep you updated as soon as anything significant happens.

[catstuart7 January 12, 2013 at 4:10 pm Post count: 225]

#1173557

I’m so glad for you AZGravesGuy!

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