[iGeek]

#1176538

AzGravesGuy wrote:

lisamac wrote:

i know i sound selfish but its taking its toll on me watching my hubby going through this is awful…… xx

Hardly! GD affects spouses as much as it does the afflicted. There is no shame in feeling this way. I hope the surgery provides some respite for both of you.

The whole reason I joined this community is because my wife has had graves for 6 years, we have never had her levels balanced out, and we even had her thyroid removed last year. This disease is killing us. I am with you @lisamac. It takes a tremendous toll on us spouses. Last year alone I had to work 300 hours of overtime to cover everything, and I have medical insurance! Due to her being unable to work (sleeping for 14 hours and being completely exhausted while she is awake) and raising our 3 little kids has made life…. well I personally think everyone involved should get a flipping medal.

Hang in there, I hear that things get better, and I have read many posts that confirm that.

[Kimberly]

#1176539

@iGeek – I’m so sorry to hear that your family is going through this. Hopefully, your wife’s doctor is taking her symptoms seriously and doing everything possible to get her levels balanced out (and to rule out other possible conditions). If not, a second opinion might be helpful. A good place to start is the “Looking for a Doctor?” thread in the announcements section of the forum.

Using some form of T3/T4 combination therapy might also be worth a discussion with your wife’s doctor. It’s somewhat controversial in the medical community, and some patients actually find that it brings back a return of their hypER symptoms, such as hand tremors, rapid heart rate, insomnia, etc.. However, we hear from other patients swear that this is the only form of replacement hormone that gives them relief from hypO symptoms, and there are a few studies trickling out that seem to support this idea.

Wishing all the best for your and your family.

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