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in reply to: Graves’ Rage #1174947
I can relate as well. I’ve been so irritable lately, and snap at the least provocation. Even my poor cats get pushed off the bed in anger (gently) if they wake me up too early. I just feel like punching something. The feeling comes and goes.
I asked my endo about my heart palpitations today (in spite of being currently hypO with current labs) and he said that with my heart rate being normal now, the palpitations (which also come and go) are probably a result of my hormones being up and down over the past 6 months, and my worrying about the sedation side effect I have had on Methimazole. So it could be in my head as well as my body, but also very real.
I hope you find some answers soon about what’s going on.
Take care,
Amyin reply to: Saw Endo this morning–off Methimazole! #1175213Thanks, Kimberly!
He saw me on his lunch hour. Surprised he wasn’t crankier than I’ve been lately!
He also said that I could have Hashimoto’s thyrotoxicosis, but the treatment is the same. Out with my thyroid. I’ve probably forgotten some of what he told me what with my brain being half gone, but I posted as soon as I got out of his office.
Now to start my work day. Will get very sleepy in about an hour due to Methimazole, but I can handle it knowing I’ll be off it now. He said putting me on PTU (I remember something else! lol!) would most likely cause the same sedative effects of MMI, so he doesn’t think it’s worth trying. Me, either.
Amy
in reply to: I am so COLD all the time! #1175159Hi, Shirley–
Im so sorry you’re going through this! Have you had your hematocrit checked lately or your white blood cell count? Being anemic can cause feeling cold, as can an underlying infection. You probably already know this, but thought I’d bring it up.
I usually feel my best when the temps outside are 80. Which doesn’t happen much here in Seattle. Im sure our recent cold, wet weather just makes how you feel even worse.
I wish I had more ideas for you.
Take care, Amy
in reply to: Endo appointment with a new doctor, WOW!!! #1175150I’ve been on Methimazole for 2-1/2 months. Started at 10mg and then dropped last month to 5 mg. Im seriously thinking of surgery (don’t want RAI) soon, because I’ve felt so sedated and tired since starting it. My reaction seems unusual. It’s helped with my hyper symptoms (which were mild). I don’t think I’d ever make it to remission on ATDs and since I have Hashimoto’s as well, that skews the picture. So that’s my odd story.
Amyin reply to: New lab results #1174850So true! Thanks for the encouragement, Kimberly!
in reply to: New lab results #1174848That was fast! My endo can see me next Tuesday the 20th! What a relief!!! Can get through the next 4 days knowing I might be feeling better sooner than later. YAY!!
in reply to: New lab results #1174847Hi, Kimberly,
I went in and got my labs drawn today: TSH, Free T4 and CMP. I had called to see if it was okay to come in, but didnt get a reply, so just went in, since its near where I work. My endo’s office will see if he can squeeze me in Tues the 20th instead of the 30th. I hope so. But just getting the labs done was mentally a relief for me. I have been at the end of my rope with this.
Thanks for your reply. I’ll post when I find out anything more.
Amy
in reply to: New lab results #1174845Hi, Caro–
Well, the palpitations went away on their own after a short while. Today I was so sleepy at work from the Methimazole, I broke down and had a cup of caffeinated tea. I’ve avoided caffeine the past few years. I was buzzing around work for a few hours, more agitated than anything else, but no palpitations.
Still feeling cold. I get my labs drawn next Friday and see the endo the next Thursday. I want to get off the Methimazole. My quality of life has gone downhill since I started it back in September. Sleepy all the time when awake, and sleep too much when asleep, but also don’t sleep well, and I’m only on 5mg/day! So might be looking at RAI or TT sooner than later. But I have lots of questions before that.
I guess patience is a necessity, but I’m not a very patient person!
Hope things get better for you, too.
Take care,
Amyin reply to: Graves and Menopause? #1175040Kimberly wrote:Carito71 wrote:My Endo told me that Hashimotos and Graves is all one disease and that they are the two ends of the spectrum. He is the first one I hear say this by the way.Hi Caro – This is an area that is a subject of some controversy. Not all docs support this, but we did have one presenter at our 2011 conference in Boston who said that he would prefer to see the term “Autoimmune Thyroid Disease” used to cover both Graves’ and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. It will be interesting to see if future research can shed some more light on this!
I find it interesting that Graves seems to dominate over Hashimoto’s. Or at least on this site, where Graves is the majority issue. I wonder how many Graves patients have turned hypo due to Hasimotos (without being on ATDs)? I myself would rather be a tiny bit hyper than this awful day-long sleepiness and fatigue from Methimazole. But bringing that issue up in a couple weeks with my endo.
Amy
in reply to: Graves and Menopause? #1175037Hi, Vanilla Sky,
I have both Hashimoto’s and Graves, although currently the Graves antibodies are dominant. I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s back in 2009. I was not hypo by lab values, but had every symptom of hypo, and had for decades. My endo tried to blame the symptoms on peri-menopause, but I said no way I’ve been in that for 30 years! So he tried me on a small dose of Levothyroxine and I felt fantastic for about a year or so, then was diagnosed with Graves.
My FSH has been menopausal for a couple years and I’ve finally reached the one-year mark of no periods. Not sure I trust it with my thyroid being out of whack, though! I was on the pill for about 5 years to deal with perimenopausal PMS mood swings, and was told to stop it when I turned 50 due to a family history of breast cancer. I’m now almost 55 and things have gone smoothly, but it went smoothly for my mother as well, so probably genetics at work there. I actually had night sweats while on the pill and once I stopped they went away. I get occasional mild hot flashes, but most often they occur between 10 and 11pm at night (when I’m still at work, so I use a fan at work.)
This past week I’ve had some symptoms of PMS (breast tenderness is one) but I’ve had that before and then don’t have a period. I would say my hot flashes and quasi-PMS symptoms are more due to menopause than thyroid.
I definitely want to ask my endo more about have both Hashi’s and Graves. He says it’s uncommon and makes it more likely I’ll need RAI or TT. Now on Methimazole, which I hate. It’s hard when we’re women and have all these different types of hormones muddying up the picture.
My endo treats diabetes as well, not just thyroid. I have no idea what percentage of his patients are thyroid. I’m going to ask him at my next appt in 2 weeks.
I hope you can get things figured out at the Cleveland Clinic and you can get some relief. I’ve heard nothing but good things about that place. Wish we had something like it here in Seattle!
Take care,
Amy
in reply to: New lab results #1174843Thanks, Kimberly!
I don’t see my doc til the 29th, so definitely calling him Wednesday. Will have no time tomorrow. I’m noticing heart palpitations off and on again on the reduced dose, although my resting pulse is not above 80, I feel a little anxious, too. But still sleepy and fatigued. Sheesh.
I definitely need to get this figured out. Thanks for letting me know about how quickly ATD’s work.
Amy
in reply to: New lab results #1174841I forgot to add that Although I stopped losing weight now that I’m on Methimazole, I’ve only gain a few pounds back. I’m still a few pounds underweight (I’m talking my high school weight) and I’m now 54) but I’m also wearing a size 8 pants, which is pretty small for me. A 12 would be a better size. It’s sort of fun to be thin, but it’s not healthy for me to be this thin. I just bought the size 8 today because all my other pants just hang on me. Usually when I’m hypo I gain weight pretty easily, but I’m not. So I’m confused about that, too.
Amyin reply to: New lab results #1174840Thanks, Kimberly!
I’ve been on the new 5mg dosage for 2 weeks and don’t feel any better in terms of the sleepiness, and fatigue. So I’m not sure if its hypo symptoms (I don’t remember having daily sleep quality issues when hypo) or that I’m not tolerating any dose of Methimazole.
I also thought I’d be on Methimazole for a lot longer than 6 weeks before going from hyper to hypo. I thought it took a lot longer. I think I’ll see how I feel the next couple if days and then get my labs drawn again. Would it help to get my Graves and Hashimoto’s antibodies drawn to see where I am with those?
I feel so frustrated and confused, but at lm in good company here at least.
Amy
in reply to: Week 6 of methimazole #1174775Thanks, Cheezitluvr! It nice to know we’re all in the same boat here. Thank you for the encouraging words.
Amy
in reply to: New lab results #1174838Hi, Catstuart–
Thank for the article. I don’t think my TSH is suppressed, though. It’s definitely gone up from being unreadable to in the normal range with the Methimazole. Aside from being cold, I can trace my feeling bad to the day I started the Methimazole. Even with the dose cut in half now, the symptoms are the same. Felt better being hyper, really, aside from the increased heart rate and palpatations, which didnt get troublesome until late this summer. I felt alive at least. Now I feel like the life has been sucked out of me. I see my endo at the end of November, unless I can’t stand it any longer and I’ll ask to come in sooner.
Amy
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