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  • ely2009
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    Post count: 199
    in reply to: Is it a bad day? #1070098

    Julie,

    i know exactly how you feel – been there, NEVER want to go back. I hated the anxiety of not knowing what’s a terrible, frustrating symptom of graves vs. what I should really worry about. I remember lying in bed at night, trembling and heart racing, just trying to catch my breath. I sometimes didn’t believe that I was going to make it through the night. I worried constantly about a thyroid storm. Check out my post panic attack vs. thyroid storm because hyperm replied to it with a very vivid description of her thyroid storm. And it really helped me sort out what i was feeling.

    It really does get better. The meds take time. When I was where you are, people kept telling me to be patient and I knew in my heart it would get better – but I wanted it better – NOW! It’s a very slow process of healing and you will begin to see improvements – just a little at a time. I promise you one day you’ll realize that your entire day wasn’t consumed by Graves and it will surprise you. I started to judge my life in weeks – like last Tuesday I …. and this Tuesday I feel a little better. It helped me stay a little more positive.

    Hang in there.
    Emily

    ely2009
    Participant
    Post count: 199

    My family camps a lot and I have noticed that the smoke does irritate my eyes. I don’t know that it harms them in any other way than making them dry. My only eye symptoms so far are dry, red eyes. i do try to stay out of the smoke and one evening when we had a particularly smoky fire (from wet wood) I wore my sunglasses. Also – LOTS of preservative-free drops.

    Emily

    ely2009
    Participant
    Post count: 199

    Lauren,

    Have you read The Thyroid Solution by Ridha Arem? It goes a lot into the emotional side of Graves. It was very helpful to me.
    I’ve only been dealing with this since December of 2008, so I CANNOT imagine what you have been going through all these years. My relatively short exerience with GD has seemed to last forever. I’ve said many times before that the emotional part has been the hardest. I just wasn’t myself. I’m sorry that I don’t have the answer for you – I’m fairly new to this and just figuring it all out. But I’ll say ba prayer for you. I dod read somewhere that PTSD can occur after/during GD. I found that interesting, not good, but interesting. That just shows how this disease can affect that part of our brain.

    Hang in there,
    Emily

    ely2009
    Participant
    Post count: 199

    I think you will feel better (at least less anxious) when you find out it’s "just" GD. For me, the worst time was before my diagnosis and while the endo was sorting things out. Once I knew for sure it became less scary – still sucks!- but easier to deal with. The beta blockers should help in the interim, with both HR and anxiety, while you decide. For me ATD at a very low dose have done the trick so far. It’s so overwhelming when all the info is presented to you and you feel so bad. I too am a mom (kids ages 5 and 9). It was scary for them when we didn’t know because I had no explanantion for my sudden change – from active to feeling lousy and not caring about anything. But they have been very patient and supportive. It’s definitely something that we are dealing with as a family. Life does get better.

    Good luck,
    Emily

    ely2009
    Participant
    Post count: 199

    M –

    So glad you’re feeling up to "life" again. I know what a big deal it is – even thought the things you talk about seem normal. I have spent the last 2 days cleaning out my attic – going through my children’s old clothes to pass down to my nieces and nephews. I wouldn’t have even conteplated that project a month ago – I could barely keep our current clothes clean. <img decoding=” title=”Smile” /> But it feels really good to get something done! Good for you. Keep looking towards the future and have a fun anniversary – you deserve it!

    Prayers and hugs,
    Emily

    ely2009
    Participant
    Post count: 199

    Wanted to say too, that I have so much sympathy for you. When I read your post I got a knot in my stomach. I remember being where you are and I NEVER want to go back there – it is an AWFUL< TERRIBLE place. I can hear the panic and anxiety in your "voice." Please believe that after proper treatment you will feel better – it’s so hard to believe when you feel so bad, but it’s true. that belief is what got me through a lot of days. <img decoding=” title=”Smile” />

    Take care,
    Emily

    ely2009
    Participant
    Post count: 199

    Justin,

    For me the emotional aspect of Graves was one of the hardest things to deal with – it was hard on my husband and kids as well. I just wasn’t the same person. Luckily, my family and friends were/are very patient and supportive. We all learned about it together and just held onto the hope that things would improve. With GD you look healthy, but feel miserable inside. It affects SO MANY parts of our bodies and it is usually not something people know about. All of those things make it hard to deal with.

    In a nutshell – I became sick at Christmastime(all the classic symptoms – bad tremors, anxiety, ADHD-like behavior, hot flashes, dizziness, etc) and was diagnosed in March. I was put on beta blockers and methimazole. If you look bak at some of my early posts, you will read that I thought I was losing my mind or that this would never end. I really did feel hopeless. I began to see improvement at the end of MAy and just in the last few weeks have not been consumed by Graves. I still have tremors and some other mild symptoms, but not as bad and not constantly. So there is hope – you will feel better; it just takes time.

    I remember how relieved I was to find this website and talkto people who REALLY UNDERSTAND. I was not crazy and I was going to get better!! What a relief that was. I don’t know how I would have gotten to this point without the info and encouragement from the great people on this site. So keep reading and educating yourself and those around you. My husband read some posts and was amazed at how much they sounded just like me. i think it was a relief to him to.

    Keep your chin up –
    Emily

    ely2009
    Participant
    Post count: 199

    I am not taking my beta blocker – been off it for a few weeks. When I first started weaning from it, I noticed an increase in symptoms (Ski called it a rubber-band effect). But after a few days, with my endo and GP re-assuring me that I didn’t need it anymore, i felt much better physically. I was very anxious about going off of it, but wanted to be off of it. Check my post about weaning from a beta blocker. I’m also taking a very low dose of Zoloft, which has helped with y anxiety. Now I feel like I can handle the physical stuff and not be so anxious about it.
    Keep your chin up.

    Emily

    ely2009
    Participant
    Post count: 199

    My endo said it could take 6 weeks or so for my symptoms to "catch up" to my labs. I’m just into the normal range and my symptoms have greatly improved, but some are still lingering (esp, the tremors). It’s hard to continue to be patient when it’s been such a long road already. But hang in there – you’re heading in the right direction.

    Emily

    ely2009
    Participant
    Post count: 199

    I’ve had the OK to exercise for awhile, but it really was a struggle to get back into it. I would walk with my kids to the playground and have to rest when I got home! Today I rode my bike about 10 miles with my 5-yr old (who just mastered a 2-wheeler) and when I got home I was just tired – you know normal "I have just exercised" tired, not "OMG, I think I’m gonna die" tired. I do notice my bike helmet bothering my neck though. I can tell my thyroid is still enlarged. But what a good feeling.

    I’ve learned to enjoy those small victories.

    Emily

    ely2009
    Participant
    Post count: 199

    What a good feeling! A step on the road to "normalcy."

    Congrats,
    Emily

    ely2009
    Participant
    Post count: 199

    Hi Mels,

    Sounds like you’ve have a rough time over the years. I’m so sorry you haven’t gotten to the bottom of it yet. It’s SO frustrating to try to live life when you are feeling unwell.

    I’ve never had my antibodies checked. I was diagnosed with GD through the uptake test. But I do know that I had lots of the classic symptoms before my TSH dropped below normal. I had to fight my GP to recheck my bloodwork several times because like yo I knew something was wrong – and not just lack of sleep or depression. I knew it wasn’t in my head.

    I’m new to this so don’t have many answers for you. but I wanted to let you know this is a great place for support.

    Emily

    ely2009
    Participant
    Post count: 199

    I had those too. At first I just had hand tremors (which I STILL have), then the shakiness moved to my whole arm – then stomach/chest area. It freaked me out of course. Only lasted a few days.

    Emily

    ely2009
    Participant
    Post count: 199

    Woodley,

    I don’t know my levels right now, having blood drawn today. I do know that 6 weeks ago they were heading in the right direction, so I’m hopeful. I do sometimes feel like you’re describing. i think even if you’re "normal", you’re body and mind have still been through the ringer and will take some time to catch up. I notice too that some days are better than others, and the good days are beginning to outnumber the bad, so I take that as progress.

    I try really hard to consciously try to have "good" days now that I’m feeling better physically. i also think back to how BAD I felt months ago and I made it through. That helps me emotionally.

    Hang in there.

    Emily

    ely2009
    Participant
    Post count: 199

    Wow – you poor thing! I’ve been on methimazole since March, but have not had any major side effects. Sounds like you are on top of figuring this out. Best of luck and hope you feel better soon.

    Emily

Viewing 15 posts - 61 through 75 (of 174 total)