Forum Replies Created
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Hello Shakira7,
I’m sorry to hear you are having some problems. If you are taking the Methimazole, it can affect the liver and when the liver is affected you can bleed easier so I would definitely call the Dr. Whether is the Methimazole or not, blood in phlegm should be reported if it is not a one time event. It happened to me once but only once. It could be nothing, such as dryness but better safe than sorry, right?
Please keep us posted.
Caro
Shakira7 … its me again
I had an elevated TPOab last year. At the time my TSH was within the normal range though on the low side of normal. I was told to check my thyroid periodically. In Feb of this year I had my TSH tested again and again it was within the normal range (low side of normal). Late May I became tired and in early June I had to go to the ER with tachycardia. At the ER they ran TSH, fT3, fT4, TSI, and TPOab. All results pointed towards hyperthyroidisim. Since my TSI was elevated I was told I have Graves’ D. I have been on Methimazole since then.
Caro
Hello Shakira7,
Its me again. I left you a message at your other post (liver enzymes) earlier.
I’m allergic to gluten and therefore I have to follow a gluten free diet. Now that I have been diagnosed with GD I have done some research and have found out that since both Celiac and GD are autoimmune diseases they can happen at the same time. Some times people are diagnosed with GD and later on develop Celiac or vice versa. In my case, the gluten allergy was diagnosed first. I have also read that there are some people who feel better just from following a gluten free diet. I personally think that it is worth the try. It can’t hurt. Now a days there is gluten free food everywhere. There is gluten free (GF) bread, GF pizza, GF cereal, GF pancakes, GF waffles, GF cookies, etc. Plus, rice, vegetables, fruits, meat, fish, chicken, dairy is all gluten free. I think you will find these links interesting:
http://www.celiac.com/gluten-free/
http://www.celiaccentral.org/thyroid/
As far as keeping a healthy weight, it is like everything else you eat. If you eat GF pizza you are still going to have to watch your calories. With GD we have a period of restriction as far as to when we can exercise (I was told not to exercise while hyper b/c I was loosing a lot of weight by just breathing) but once you are given the okay to exercise you can try keeping a healthy
weight that way as well.I enjoy being gluten free and I’m very glad that there is so much GF food out there that I can eat anything I like. The one catch is that I have to cook a lot of it at home but when I go out I eat vegetarian or look for the GF dishes. Where I live there are gluten free pizzerias but I don’t eat there b/c I’m unfortunately allergic to yeast as well. But … I make very delicious GF pizzas at home. By the way, if you decide to try the gluten free diet, soy sauce contains gluten so go with tamari sauce instead.
Wish you the best.
Caro
Hello Shakira7,
You are not alone, I too had elevated liver enzymes. Here is a link to my labs …
http://www.gdatf.org/forum/topic/42893/I have felt very frustrated myself regarding the liver enzyme #s. I have done some research and the liver enzymes can be elevated for several reasons. (1) hyperthyroidism (2) autoimmune hepatitis, which sometimes can happen with other immune related diseases such as Graves’ (ANA, SMA tests are used to try confirming this) (3) Methimazole. Also, (4) viral hepatitis.
I’m very happy that my liver enzymes have finally decreased, even though I’m on Methimazole. My General Dr. is pretty sure that they were elevated due to the hyperthyroidism b/c all other tests came back negative. She is confident that once euthyroid for a while that all #s should get better/normal (my glucose and cholesterol were also elevated for the first time in my life).
I too had elevated liver enzymes in the past years ago but the Dr only ordered an ultrasound. Looking back at my TSH, the #s were always within the normal range but on the low side of normal and fT4 and fT3 was never done. I too wish these other tests would have been done and I could have been started on the Rx earlier. The truth is though that my Rep Endo ran a TPOab test last year which came back positive and nothing was done about it because I didn’t have any symptoms (or so we thought) and my TSH was within normal (though it was low). Little did I know. The good thing is that we are getting the treatment now and that we are getting closer to being healthier, right?
You stated that you are left with RAI and surgery but Methimazole might still be an option, like it was and is for me. At one point my Dr started to get worried but now the labs are normal. He even said “you can live without a thyroid (with Rx) but can’t live without a liver”. Hopefully I continue to have the Methimazole option for I would like to achieve remission without having to have RAI or surgery. Have you started Methimazole yet? My liver enzymes started to drop as soon as I started treatment. They dropped slowly but they dropped. Talk to your Dr. and go over all of your options thoroughly. Once again, check out my labs to see the history.
I wish you all the best.
Caro
adenure wrote:I’m doing okay, Caro. Headaches aren’t as frequent, but still a bit of an issue. I just don’t feel 100%- kind of frustrating. But, I’m only 3 mo. out so I’m going to give the Synthroid a few more months before deciding if I want to try the pig hormone. Not sure what to do there as I don’t feel terrible, but not great either. I am going to start getting acupuncture though! I get a free session to try it, then once I get the referral, a year’s worth (as many sessions as I want) for only $15 for a 1 hour session (my copay). Pretty cool. So, I’m hoping the acupuncture does good things. When are your next labs?Hello Alexis. How wonderful that you will soon start acupuncture. Please let me know how it goes. $15/1hr … not bad. You mentioned “my copay”. Is that really your medical copay for it? Are you able to use your medical insurance for it? I want to be able to use my med. ins. for it but I don’t think I can. If it is your med. copay, how wonderful that you are able to do that.
I completely hear you regarding not feeling 100% yet. I’m the same. My labs were last week. I’m hypo and I’m frustrated about it because my next Dr.’s appt was supposed to be last wed but the Dr. had to cancel and they have re-scheduled me for until the 2nd wk of Oct. What frustrates me is that I talked to the nurse right after the cancelation and she said that she would try talking to him about my labs to see how to proceed. She hasn’t called me back yet (1 wk later). I have developed headaches and I don’t know what from. It starts around my ear and goes to the back of my head where it turns into a migraine. It is so frustrating. I know it can be anything … hypo #s, allergies, anything. I’m like you, I want to feel well again. Its been since June since my thyroid problems started and it can get very frustrating at times. I’m trying to stay positive though
It could be worst, right?If I may ask, how do you describe your headaches? Is there something that triggers them? I noticed yesterday that mine might be triggered by washing my hair. I was doing just fine yesterday. I washed my hair with hot water and next think I know, the ear thing started, followed by the headache/migraine.
Check out my labs. I posted them not long ago. Thanks you for asking
http://www.gdatf.org/forum/topic/42893/Let me know how it goes with the acupuncture. I’m very hopeful that it will make a difference for you and that soon you will be headache free.
Caro
Hello WWWI2,
I started Methimazole in June at 30mg/day. In June I lost 10lbs due to the hyperthyroidism. In august my dose was lowered to 10mg/day because I was no longer hyper but had become hypo. Since then I have gained the 10 lbs back but not much more … I’m still hypo. I also have started eating the same amount of food I did before I became sick. While I was sick in June, I was eating double the protein in order not to loose too much muscle.
I guess it is different for everyone. Eat healthy, try to achieve a healthy weight for your height, exercise when the Dr. gives you the okay so that things can be easier for you.
Caro
I’m so sorry to hear about this Shirley. Please keep us posted. You are in our thoughts.
Caro
Hello Alexis,
How are you doing? I was thinking about you today because I have developed a headache during the last couple of days. Are you feeling any better? I’m hypo now and so it might be related to that. The weather changes are also affecting me I think.
I have known of people taking Synthroid and having minor surgery with versed and propofol as relaxation medication (not general). Definitely check with your Endo/Dentist. I hope all goes well with your dental work.
Smiles,
CaroHello LillyL,
I’m sorry to hear that you are now hypothyroid. I’m taking Methimazole and I’m also hypo. I was hyperthyroid in June and my Dr. started me on Methimazole 30mg/day. This made me hypo after 6 weeks. He changed my dose to 10mg/day more than a month ago because I was hypo but the labs I had done last week show that I’m still hypo and that my TSH is a lot higher now.
Click here to check out my labs:
http://www.gdatf.org/forum/topic/42893/I was supposed to see my Endo today but my appt got canceled. Now I have to wait 3 more weeks and I’m a little bit frustrated because even though they canceled my appt, they did not tell me what to do about my labs. It is very frustrating waiting to get euthyroid. How did it go on Friday? What did your Endo tell you?
Smiles,
CaroHello Amy,
I’m so glad you have gotten some answers from your Dr. I was splitting my Metoprolol (beta blocker) and I told my Dr. about this and she suggested getting me a prescription for 25mg instead of 50mg. So that is what I’m doing now. I started with the 50mg b/c my heart was going 124 bpm but now that the Methimazole has lowered my thyroid hormone enough for me to even be hypothyroied, I’m on the 25mg.
I’ve started walking. I used to walk miles before all of this but when I became sick walking was no longer an option for me. With my heart rate being so elevated and loosing weight so fast, my Drs told me to wait. I actually went walking a couple of times before they gave me the okay (walk around the block) and I felt sick afterwards. Now is not so bad so I’m building up to walking like I used to.
I wish you the best with splitting the pills. I hope the changes will help you feel better soon. Take care of your heart (it is recommended to keep it between 60-90 pbm when at rest – the beta blocker will help you with this).
Caro
Robboford wrote:Hi Caro,
Congratulations on your Liver numbers. Can be really scary being elevated, took mine 11 months to get out of the danger level and back to almost normal, they still closely monitor it though. Hopefully your next set of labs will show a raised WBC. How are you feeling being officially “Hypo”? Hopefully things will return to normal so you can continue on with life in general. Please keep us updated.
Cheers, hugs and kisses
DebbieHello Debbie,
How are you?
Thank you!! I’m happy with my liver #s but scared about my WBC. So your liver enzymes were also elevated? I’ve read that the elevation can be due to being hyperthyroid and some people can even have immune related hepatitis.
Well, now that I’m “hypo” I feel tired but it is a different tired than the tired feeling from being “hyper”. Now, even though I’m tired, I can do more stuff and it is more bearable. So overall, I feel better. I did have a headache the last two days, something that hadn’t happened in about 2 months. The weather is changing and my allergies start bothering me but yet again, it can be related to being hypo, right?
My fT4 is not that far away from the normal range, so I guess that is good even though my TSH is very high. I think my eyes have gotten a little bit swollen at night though. They have looked a little bit puffy in the mornings. Maybe they have always done that and I’m just now noticing b/c I’m more aware trying to make sure that if any TED comes up that I can tell the Dr. Maybe it is allergy related. So many maybes …
I hate Graves. I feel like I’m always waiting on another symptom to come up out of nowhere. I try not to worry though but I so want to feel normal.
Anyway, thank you for visiting my post and for asking.
Hope all is going better with you.
Smiles,
CaroNaturenut wrote:Thank you for posting this. My husband was just diagnosed last week and his numbers are higher than yours, but I am hopeful the meds will adjust these issues. May I ask…are you on Beta blockers also or have your symptoms not included the heart palpatations. My husband is a triathlete and is in denial about “slowing” down until he “stabilizes” Did you experience weight gain in this dosage of M? Thanks in advance for any advice you can give this wife about embarking upon this journey with my hubby. Blessings!Hello Naturenut,
Welcome to the forum. I’m glad you found us. I’m sorry to hear about your husband but the medications have helped many and hopefully soon your husband will start feeling better. It took me about 3 weeks to start feeling positive changes so tell him to hang in there.
To answer your question, yes, I’m on Metoprolol. Tachycardia was the symptom that got me on the road to being diagnosed. I had to go to the ER early June with tachycardia of 124 bpm. I was given propranolol but since then my Gen. Dr. changed it to Metoprolol. I was having to take the propranolol 6 times a day and it kept my heart going up and down. The metoprolol keeps it constant. I started on a 50mg/day and I’m now down to a 25mg/day.
In June, when I was diagnosed, I was very sick and I lost 10 lbs in one month. At my last Dr’s appt, 3 weeks ago, I was told I have gained the weight back (I had to eat a lot of protein at first to keep from loosing muscle). As of right now, I’m where I was before getting sick as far as my weight goes. I’m hoping I don’t have to gain any more weight for where I’m at right now is my ideal weight for my height.
My advice to you and your husband is to hang in there. Give the medication time and have his Dr. monitor his liver enzymes and his white blood cells along with his thyroid (ft4, TSH) regularly (mine have been checked every 4 weeks). Also, have your husband give himself time to recuperate. I was told not to exercise at first b/c my body was needing my energy to heal. Now that I’m hypothyroid, I have been given the ok to exercise again.
Thank you for reading my post. If you have any other questions let me know. Please keep us posted.
Caro
Hello LillyL,
I hear you. At times I feel sad and wonder, “why me?”. This disease is so unfair and can get anyone down. I try to get rid of the negative thoughts as soon as possible and concentrate on something positive. I even watch stories of other people who have to experience worst diseases. It helps count my blessings when I see videos of others and how strong they are even after so much.
I agree with Kimberly when she says:
“building some “down time” into your day to focus on activities that bring you joy and give you energy is helpful. Examples might include meditation, gentle yoga, walking, reading, watching funny movies, or attending a live musical or theatrical performance.”I like to also watch funny movies and go to the movies so my husband and I find the time to do so. I also like to read the Bible. All these helps me and I know it is different for everyone so you will have to find the things that help you.
Also, like Kimberly said, having our hormones out of balance can really play a big part on our emotions so talk to your Dr. Make sure you are getting the necessary treatment to get your #s balanced.
Hope you feel better soon.
Caro
Hello Shirley,
I’m late to your post …
but I want to wish you a quick recovery. I know it has been tough so far, with the pain and all but I’m very hopeful that things will start turning around for you soon.Please keep us posted. Stay strong. I’ll come back to see how things are going.
Smiles,
Caro
