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Hello Alyk,
To me, your #s look to be within normal range. How were you feeling 2 years ago when you had the baseline labs done? You said they are no that different but now you are having symptoms so, did you have symptoms 2 years ago? What did your ultrasound say? Was your thyroid enlarged? Did you have nodules?
I agree that looking at the TSI, TPOab, and other immune related thyroid tests might give you some answers. I don’t think I would want to stop Rx if the TSI was elevated.
Have you had other labs done to make sure nothing else is going on that could be causing your symptoms?
10mg/day sounds very minimal to me but that is b/c I’m on a 30mg/day. 10mg/day even though small, could have still caused your #s to get lower but there is no way to tell as you mentioned.
Are you taking a beta blocker for your racing heart/palpitations? I know that having a fast heart rate was making me very anxious.
What did your Dr. say about your new #s?
Caro
KRCole,
Hello! I’m so happy that you have come to a decision about your thyroid. It is a good feeling, I’m sure, knowing that you now how a plan.
I’m also glad it is all happening fast for you and that the surgeon will work on both the mass and the thyroid at once.
I too have another autoimmune problem … Celiac. I was told by my Dr. that one autoimmune problem made it more likely to having more than just one … such as GD.
I’m sorry the beta blocker is keeping you short of breath. My first beta blocker wasn’t working too good for me and it had to be changed to a different one (from Propranolol to Metoprolol) and now things with my heart are going better.
I’m so very happy for you that your mother is there by your side and helping you through all this. My dear mother helped me through so so much when I was first diagnosed. She lives in a different city but makes sure every day that I’m doing well. Thank God for our wonderful mothers
Please keep us posted. We’ll keep you in our thoughts and we’ll be thinking about you on Aug. 7th.
Smiles,
CaroHello!
I’ve read all of your comments. Very interesting. I’m currently on the Methimazole 30mg/day. I’m on my 6th wk of treatment.
I have a quick question. I noticed you talked about taking T3, T4 but being controversial or something like that? May I ask why? Is it actually T3/T4 or do they call it something else? What is the Rx name? I’m asking b/c a friend on my husband told us the other day that he has been diagnosed hypo and has been started on T3 and T4. He couldn’t tell us more b/c he is very new at it but told us that it was not synthroid … ????
Thank you for any information on this.
Caro
Welcome to the forum Jess.
I’m so glad you found us. Here you will find people to talk to about Graves (GD) and get good information. The people are great too
I have to say they helped me a lot when I needed it most.I’m new here too. I joined in early June when I was diagnosed after having to be taken to the ER with a fast heart rate. I’m very blessed to be taking the medication now for I was starting to get very sick. I’m taking medication not only for the thyroid but also for my heart.
Please do see a Dr as soon as possible. Untreated hyperthyroidism/GD is very very dangerous. Like you were told before, you can end up in a coma or worst. Are you on any medication at all for it? If you are on medication that is another good reason to see a Dr as soon as possible. One has to be monitored closely when on the medications and labs have to be done periodically. I have been on the medications for a little bit more than 5 weeks and just last week did I start feeling more like myself. So yes, there is hope that you will get better but you have to see a Dr to get started on the best treatment for you. Like Kimberly said, please do it for your little girl.
Please keep us posted. I wish you the very best with all of this and I hope you start to feel better soon.
Caro
Hello GLo22,
I’m so glad the Rx has started to lower your #s. I’ve been on Methimazole for 5 weeks and 2 days myself and a couple of weeks ago when I had labs, my #s had lowered just a little bit. I have labs again in 2 weeks and I’m hoping that we can see more progress. I do feel the change now. The first 3 weeks were awful for me. I felt like I was getting sicker instead of getting better but by the 4th week I started to feel more like myself. My next appt is also in Aug. and I’m so hoping that the Dr can see a good enough change to lower my dose. I’m on 30mg/day so it is kind of high. Congratulations on your progress. Please keep us posted. I’m looking forward to reading what the Dr. tells you since I’m too trying to continue on the Rx (if it is working for me).
Caro
That is tomorrow, right? I will not be able to make it but I wish you all the best while there. Maybe you can let us know how it went when you get back.
Have fun!
CaroHello VanlsleGal,
I see. I haven’t had a TSH Receptor Ab done. Or at least I don’t think I have. I had the TPO Ab but I don’t think is the same thing. I’m sorry to hear you have come out of remission twice already. I think I remember reading here when I first joined that the TSI has to be low when stopping the medications to increase our chances of staying in remission. I read the other day thought that some researchers believe that it is not just with medications that can help achieve the remission. They believe is the actual state of being euthyroid that helps the body heal the immune system so that can also, they believe, happen with surgery. Well, I wish you the very best on your time off. Keep us posted.
Caro
Thinking about you and your son and hoping that all went well with his surgery.
Caro
VanlsleGal,
You mentioned you are not a good candidate for remission. I wanted to ask you, where your TSI #s looked at when you went on remission before? Is that what the Dr is basing his/her information about you not being a good candidate? I’m asking because my goal, if the Rx works for me, is to work towards remission but like you, I’m on a high dose of Methimazole. I take 30mg/day. My TSI is 237. If I may ask, what was your TSI when you accomplished remission? You mentioned that your antibodies were high. Is the TSI what you are referring to? I have SO much to learn!
Caro
Hello. Welcome to the forum. I’m Caro.
I’m so sorry to hear that you have ended here because of you diagnosis of GD but I’m happy to read about your positive outlook. I do feel it is a blessing having been diagnosed and having an answer to why you have been feeling sick. You can’t fix a problem unless you know what it is … right?
I’m new here too. I just joined in early June when I was diagnosed after having been in the ER with tachycardia. I’m currently on Methimazole 30mg/day and I think it is the right choice for me right now. My thyroid ultrasound showed zero nodules and as per my last Endo appt, it is 2 grams, which I believe is the size of a normal thyroid (I have to ask him about this at next appt). My lab work shows that there is nothing else wrong with me.
You have two situations going on. On one hand you have the mass which could be (hopefully it is not) cancer. On the other you have hyperthyroidisim, which if left untreated can cause serious damage. I guess the best solution is having your Dr.’s help you decide how to approach both at the same time keeping in mind which of the three thyroid treatments is a lesser risk in your case. As far as the thyroid treatments, all 3 have their risks but your Drs should be able to tell you which one has the least risk for you since you will have the mass removed as soon as possible. Did the Dr. say they could do both surgeries at the same time? Did they think all three options where the same for you as risks went? Did they have an opinion as to how to proceed? I just keep thinking that with RAI you will feel sick at first because the thyroid will take time to die off (if it dies off on the first treatment). The Rx route also takes time to heal. I’ve started week 6 on the Rx and just last week did I start feeling more like myself. The surgery I have been told is not done until the thyroid #s are normal but there are ways to make the surgery happen even if they are not normal. It is a tough decision but I think your Drs. are the best ones to help you make a decision.
I’m so glad you have your mom on your side and that your Drs are aware of what is going on.
Please keep us posted on your decision. Best wishes!
CaroHello. I’ve read all of your updates. I’m so sorry your wife has moved out.
GD can make one feel very very unhealthy and frustrated but in all honestly, I personally feel that it is probably the “last drop” as they say. In other words, the disease, like anything else that causes high emotions, such as a new baby, cancer, etc., will only intensify what is already going on in the relationship. Having said that, it could be that your wife already felt the way that she does now but that the disease experience along with other events has allowed her to actually act on it. The getting sick and completely changing ones personality to the point to seeing other people and wanting a divorce reminds me of how a person would act if bipolar. I have read about GD affecting ones memory but I haven’t read anything about one acquiring bipolar like behavior, though I may be wrong since I’m so new with GD.
You mentioned that you have older daughters and I’m assuming you have been married for a while. I’ve read and I have also been told by friends who are psychologists, that divorces tend to happen at certain times and one of those times is when the children are grown and moving out of the house. In those situations divorce some times happens because it is at that time that one of the parents feels that it is safe to move in the direction they have maybe wanted to move towards for some time but had not since he/she was afraid of how it would affect their young children. I’m not saying that is the situation in your case but it is something to think about. It can also be that the courage was just not there and being sick has made her think about what she wants her future to be like.
Since she has moved out and has asked for some space, I personally think that as long as she is seeing her Dr and taking her Rx, that she should be given the space and time she has asked for. After all, she is a grown adult. I think I remember reading that she is seeing someone else though? In that case, I think I personally would just want to move on and let her take care of herself. That is just me though since I’m of the opinion that there are some lines that just should not be crossed in a marriage.
I wish you the very best healing from all this. We’ll be looking forward to your updates.
Caro
Welcome to the forum.
Congratulations on lowering your #s. I’m still on the Methimazole so I haven’t gotten to were you are yet.
You mentioned that you are off the Rx. Are you on remission then? Did your Dr. tell you? Did he check your TSI? Just curious. I’m looking forward to getting there myself
