[belldandy112]

in reply to: Having Surgery in two weeks, and am nervous!! #1073426

Only 24-48 hours? Cripes. Lasix surgery had me down for an entire week …!

[belldandy112]

in reply to: Having Surgery in two weeks, and am nervous!! #1073424

Are you back at home already? Wow, that was quick! Er … how was the hospital food, or did you hang around long enough to check it out? ” title=”Smile” />

Glad everything went well — best of luck during your recovery!

Melissa
Austin, TX

[belldandy112]

in reply to: Mea culpa … I didn’t introduce myself. #1072597

I will let you know what I find out tomorrow — I am anxious to get this resolved! It is a cosmetic issue to a certain degree. I’m in the interviewing process, and my concern is that potential employers will think that 1) I cry myself to sleep at night; 2) I don’t get enough sleep at night; 3) that I have a drinking problem; or 4) that I’m manifesting symptoms of an illness.

I mean, let’s face it … appearances count in the workplace. Even though this is not something I can "help," appearing tired/ill does not work in my favor. I know, I’ve been on the other side of the desk before, and I’ve heard interviewers say things like, "Her eyes looked tired … do you think that she’s a heavy ‘partier?’" That’s the last thing that I want!

I do notice that whenever I fall asleep with my head elevated, I don’t seem to get as much puffiness. Also, whatever side I end up on, that’s the side that’s going to typically be affected. Allergy drops have helped eliminate the urge to itch, but not all of the puffiness. I’m anxious to see what the Graves eye specialist says tomorrow. My eye doc told me that chances are this can be controlled with oral steroids or direct injections into the site. Keeping fingers crossed!!! ” title=”Smile” />

[belldandy112]

in reply to: Mea culpa … I didn’t introduce myself. #1072595

Mamabear — Thanks so much for your support. Yes, it was a big disappointment; I believe that in a good marriage, spouses should do what it takes to support their partner in times of sickness, and to focus on making sure that everything is done to ensure that partner’s health, safety, and happiness. My ex-husband gave me many clues, even before the last straw, that he wasn’t too concerned with me. He was insistent on us having children, and wanted to make sure that our children wouldn’t be "damaged" by my disease (e.g., mental retardation, other congenital issues). Hello! How ’bout considering if it’s a good idea that I have children to begin with? Would it put my body be unable to handle it, given my particular symptoms? And, if we did become parents, would be be willing to pick up some serious slack if I got sick? I think that’s a good place to start, but the answer to all of those questions was "NO." So … well … some people cannot love that unconditionally.

Ski — This whole eye thing is a mystery. My primary eye doc couldn’t find any swelling or pressure from behind the eye. When I suffer a severe allergic reaction, my eyes will sometimes "puff" shut, and I have to get a steroid injection to make the swelling go down. This is exactly what this looks like. Only this time, it hasn’t abated. If I gently tap the area, it feels like water retention; sometimes it extends down toward my cheeks in small red striations. It gets much better in the evening, after I go for a run and drink a lot of fluids. I don’t dare wear eye make-up, because just touching the area with eyeliner makes the entire area itchy, and next thing you know, I have half-moons on my cheeks from rubbing.

At any rate, it looks horrendous, and that the people who know me are making comments tells me that it’s obvious to them, too. I intuitively feel that these symptoms are more than just allergy-related, and that this is a Graves issue. There’s no other explanation.

[belldandy112]

in reply to: Bad Thoughts #1073180

daniadot, I hear you on the cognitive behavior techniques. I did a short round of cognitive therapy, because I wanted to avoid anti-depressants if I could. The knowledge of what caused the panic and the fear, and knowing that it was just another "symptom" really helped. I had a very good cognitive-based therapist, too. It didn’t take months and months of therapy, BTW, just a couple of months once a week. Becoming dependent on drugs such as Zanax — which is highly addictive, BTW, and can cause seizures on withdrawal — was a big concern for me. But, I did use it on a p.r.n. basis, and once I learned to contain the fear and panic — you might say that I was able to "intellectualize" it — life was a lot easier.

But just know that I did share the same thoughts and feelings. I do not consider myself a fearful person, so to experience fear and panic on such a primal level is very disturbing. ” title=”Sad” />

Melissa
Austin, TX

[belldandy112]

in reply to: Some Random Questions about GD (can’t find answers anywhere) #1072603

I ((heart symbol)) beta-blockers. My GP told me the in a few days, all of the really bad symptoms that I was experiencing would go away quickly, and he was spot on. Once my heart rate slowed, BP went down, the "sweats" went away, and the panic attacks abated, I felt very secure with the actual treatment for Graves. Methimazole permitted me to put weight back on — my primary complaint — and this meant far less pain and difficulty sleeping at night. But those beta-blockers were my "woobie" in the first few weeks. They really did help me, at least.

[belldandy112]

in reply to: Mea culpa … I didn’t introduce myself. #1072592

Thank you for the warm greetings, new friends.

I think that there should be a topic alone for unsupportive people in our lives that quickly get winnowed out. My ex-husband moved us to the arctic against my endo’s advice, and I paid the price. My ex is now in Saudi — he’s a dollar-chaser. Dealbreaker. Can you imagine the poor quality of care that I would have received there? Women are not allowed to go to the doctor without a male relative in tow, and because of the culture there, doctors cannot give thorough exams, if it means touching a female in a "forbidden" part of her body. Sure, there are little "clinics" in the free compounds where the ex-pats live, but that doesn’t do me too much good if I got sick and needed immediate treatment.

You find out very quickly what people are made of when you have this disorder. Sometimes it will break your heart.

[belldandy112]

in reply to: Some Random Questions about GD (can’t find answers anywhere) #1072599

I can only respond to 3).

Before going into the paralegal field, I trained as a concert pianist. Beta-blockers are commonly used by performers to inhibit the adrenaline rush that accompanies feelings of nervousness prior to getting on stage. Little known fact, eh? But it’s true. There were certain doctors that students on the performing track were sent to for this very purpose.

I took Atenonol (never can spell these meds right) a long, long time before I had Graves, but only on an as-needed basis before performances. It steadies the heart rate and eliminates tremors and sweaty hands caused by excessive adrenaline. The reason why I could not get shot therapy for allergies was because if I had a bad reaction to an injection, epinephrine — which causes an adrenaline surge — would not have been successful.

That I know of, beta-blockers do not affect the hyper-functioning thyroid in any way.

Melissa
Austin, TX

[belldandy112]

in reply to: Surgery in Two Days #1072674

Aside from persistent allergy stuff, I haven’t been sick once since diagnosed with Graves — not even when I lived in Alaska, and lemme tell you, that is the arctic, LOL! Biggest problem there was food poisoning, as the meat and produce weren’t as fresh as they are in the states. But I don’t think that counts. I did get more yeast infections (sorry to be graphic, men), and that was irritating.

[belldandy112]

in reply to: Anyone that tried natural methods/diet? #1073677

Cathy — thanks so much. I’m making a trip to the drugstore tonight, so I’ll do my research before then and see what I can come up with. This is a helpful place to start. ” title=”Smile” />

[belldandy112]

in reply to: Surgery in Two Days #1072671

((Hugs)) and best wishes for Wednesday, Lorrainydaz.

I know it’s scary … surgery always is. But just think … by the end of this week, it’ll all be over with. ” title=”Smile” />

[belldandy112]

in reply to: Anyone that tried natural methods/diet? #1073675

On the topic of Vitamin D … both my endo and neuro have suggested that I start taking this as a supplement. Is there any way to find out how much I should be taking (daily), and are some brands of vitamins better than others?

My B-12 was chosen by my endo, so I didn’t have to think too much about that. I’m 5’3", 115 lbs., female.

Thanks!

Melissa
Austin, TX

[belldandy112]

in reply to: Emotions- Woman #1074549

I never had a problem with anger, but rather, sadness and a feeling of anomie (feeling very distant from other people). It seems (particularly during "that" time of the month), I become very sad about events in the past that I can’t change. I cry at sentimental movies, t.v. shows … reading a Hallmark card at the grocery store makes me weepy.

I don’t know how Graves affects personality/mood, really … I don’t understand the intricacies of it that much. But it seems to me that my tendencies to become more sentimental, sad about the state of the world (or people and my relationships with them) was amped up considerably. I learned very quickly to avoid media that might upset me — or people who might upset me — during that time.

Oh and I never had hormonally-induced food cravings before Graves. Now, it’s out of control. If I want macaroni and cheese, nothing is going to keep me from it, and if it’s not in the house, I’m not going to eat until I go out and get it. Usually, it’s a very specific food craving, such as a banana split, and one time, it was shrimp cocktail (not very convenient). ” title=”Smile” />

[belldandy112]

in reply to: Anyone that tried natural methods/diet? #1073673

I realize that I’m weighing into this late in the game, but … oh well.

I too am a pill-o-phobe. I dislike putting anything into my body that I don’t have to. BUT … I respectfully disagree with holistic treatment for Graves, especially given that there are serious cardio components that go along with this disease. No amount of meditation or exercise is going to get your resting heart rate down to where it should be during a "hot" phase except for beta-blockers or similar. As a runner, my resting heart rate is extremely low, but during Graves, there’s no way I could get it down to a normal rate.

That said … I believe that there are things that we all can do to [i:32vmdg56]mitigate[/i:32vmdg56] Graves symptoms. I know that I [i:32vmdg56]should[/i:32vmdg56] cut caffeine out of my diet, but sorry, not gonna — my first cup is the highlight of my day, and it’s all downhill from there, LOL. But … I exercise and do yoga, and this kept me off anti-anxiety medication (I had panic attacks). This also kept my joints flexible, muscles strong, and basically kept me "coordinated." I truly believe that if I hadn’t been in top athletic form when I got this disease, I would have been in a world of hurt.

And simple logical things, such as … gosh, [i:32vmdg56]don’t drink alcohol! [/i:32vmdg56] I don’t drink, period. Imagine how alcohol affects the system of someone with Graves. Especially those who are trying to manage their weight. For anyone who is trying to fight off a few pounds, Graves or no Graves, cutting out alcohol is the best thing that you can do for yourself. It distresses me to talk to people at my gym who eat right, work out every day, and yet they can’t seem to lose that last 15 pounds. Simple answer, it’s because they drink socially on the weekends and have a beer when they get home. Has anyone else cut alcohol out of their lives entirely?

A lot of the things that are "natural/holistic" are simply common-sense, when you think about it.

[belldandy112]

in reply to: Graves and B-12 Malabsorbtion? #1072635

Dianne,

Thanks so much! I am really disappointed that my endo didn’t take the time to talk with me about this. I suppose that if there’s no change in my B-12 levels with my next labs, I’ll go for the injections.

I’m not sure if this is in any way related to autoimmune diseases, but I have crippling allergies. Hives, difficulty breathing, continuous post-nasal drip, etc. There’s something always blooming here that makes me nuts. And because I can’t take shot therapy (because I might have to go back on Atenonol (sp?) in the future, it has to be managed with medications. Most of which have their own little side-effects as well, and honestly, nothing completely gets rid of the symptoms.

I am really concerned, because I have never had this show up on my labs, and my diet should be very good — I eat plenty of red meat and B-12-rich foods. If I have to take injections, no big deal. There are far more painful things to endure! ” title=”Smile” />

Melissa
Austin, TX

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