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  • ewmb
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    Nicole,
    If you are on methimazole you need to be seeing your doctor possibly more than once a year. You need to have your levels tested to make sure they haven’t changed and also your white count and liver enzymes. I think when I was on methimazole I was told at least every 6 months when you were on maintenance. I know there are probably different ideas on that but I’d ask.

    ewmb

    ewmb
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    Post count: 484

    Great news! Enjoy it.

    ewmb

    ewmb
    Participant
    Post count: 484

    Thanks Krystal,
    Today was better. I am trying to cope and my family’s been great. My husband did the grocery shopping tonight and made dinner. I will get there I know. I am now using Christmas as my next goal for feeling better. It’s so far away that surely I will feel better by then. One day at a time and sometimes one hour at a time…….

    ewmb

    ewmb
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    Lacie,
    Levoxyl is what’s called a brand name generic. It is made in the US by King Pharmaceuticals and has FDA approval. The generics that you should be concerned about are the ones that don’t come from a manufacturer that is consistent in it’s manufacturing practices. Your insurance company has something called a drug formulary or listing of what it will pay for and how much the co=pay should be for certain drug. For instance on my insurance I would pay $10 for generic synthroid whether it was levoxyl or an unnamed generic. You should be able to see this formulary on line. If you can’t call your insurance company and ask them to send you a list. Levoxyl is a generic and Synthroid is the brand name in this case but they all contain levoxythyrine, the active ingredient. It’s complicated I know. I had to try and get the drug information center where I work to explain it to me. The real thing you want to know is how much it will cost you out of pocket no matter what it is that you will be on. You should decided this with your doctor but your pharmacist may be able to answer questions for you in a more timely manner depending on what your question is. Go to the about thyroid.com website done by Mary Shomon and she has great information on the various brands of synthetic and natural hormone, T4 only, T3 etc..

    I wanted to be on levoxyl because it did not contain the inactive ingredient that probably caused my rash but Synthroid did. The dyes are also inactive ingredients but they seem to follow the different dosage levels across the board from what I can tell. You have to check each drug separately for what inactive ingredients are in it. The only thing the FDA requires to be the same in a generic is the
    "active" ingredient. Synthroid actually contains some different inactives as the BRAND name than LEVOXYL being a brand name generic.

    Hope this helps some,
    ewmb

    ewmb
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    Post count: 484

    It’s not abnormal for you to feel really hyper right after your RAI. If you already had the BB in hand I don’t think it’s odd that you are taking it today. You might want to keep track of your heart rate and your feelings if they don’t calm down over the next few days. You will have a time after the RAI starts to really do it’s work that you may even feel worse. SKI here on the BB refers to it as a dumping of extra stored hormone. You can search for her past posts on this. If you feel worse and worse I’d definitely call your endo. Again they should have explained this to you before you took the RAI. Did they give you any kind of paper work to bring home? I had a packet with information on my dose and how long to stay away from people etc.. It also had info on what you might feel etc.. including things like stomach upset for some people, salivary issues for some, headaches for some etc.. The symptoms you mentioned sound like what you were probably feeling from your hyperthyroidism before you had the RAI. I’d worry if you get new symptoms that don’t go away.

    Take care and take things easy.

    ewmb

    ewmb
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    Post count: 484

    Hi,
    He should have given you a timeline of when you can start doing things again. My instructions were just to stay clear of people up close, no sharing dishes, beds or bathrooms for two days and not to cook for people. I don’t see why you can’t clean up some if you feel like it. I didn’t feel good after mine so I was in a chair for several days. Call the doctor if you’re not sure.

    ewmb

    ewmb
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    Michelle,
    I would ask for a referral to an Endo. You have a right to see a doctor who specializes in this area and a second opinion. Check with your insurance or coverage and see if you even need a referral. Sometimes you don’t. I started gaining weight while on ATDs and eventually went hypo on them. Since then I went off all ATDs to see if I could stay in remission and didn’t. After about 10 months of no ATDs I had RAI. During that time and since I’ve done nothing but gain weight. I know how you feel……. It’s so discouraging to think that you aren’t in control of your body at all. I know they say you have control over what goes in your mouth but that’s only possible, I think, when you are mentally stable and I don’t feel that way yet. In fact on my replacement hormone, only two weeks, I feel more out of control mentally than in a long time. I’m pretty sure that it will resolve itself but it’s a pain to go through.

    I am just trying to make sure that I still do the smallest things I can to keep on track. I do my stretching every morning and am trying to make sure I drink enough water. I bought a small exercise set of pedals, the kind that just sits on the floor. I sit in a chair and pedal that now when I think of it. I am up to 12 minutes. Sounds sad but when you haven’t really exercised for several years you have to start somewhere.

    Keep on trying to get to an Endo for that second opinion. Your health is worth it.

    ewmb

    ewmb
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    Kimberly,
    Sorry to hear about your job situation. That stinks…….. I am trying to get WW at work on the way for more people at my job. If I can do that I might go back myself. I’m not sure I can start that again until I get my levels under control. Mentally I’m just not ready I guess.

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    ewmb
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    Thanks Bobbi,
    I am supposed to go back at four weeks to have blood drawn. I am glad to know that the T-4 is being converted right now. I am hoping that some of my problems are that I had a short period a few days ago and am having another one right now. I had this same thing happen when I went hypo on my ATDs at one point. I will keep on toughing things out because there is no other real choice at this point. I just have to have a little whine now and then because I am low on patience…………. Helping my daughter with chemistry homework tonight has worn my brain out too!

    It’s always nice to get the facts and someone else’s experience. I know I am on the other side of the mountain now and have come a long way. I will keep your story in mind when I get my next test results. I guess I don’t really care what the numbers are as long as I can start to cope again.

    Do you know if having my BP start to go up is part of being hypo? It has been fine for a long time and now sometimes it just shoots up, but doesn’t stay up. It feels like my body can’t regulate things.

    ewmb

    ewmb
    Participant
    Post count: 484

    HI,
    Read back in the posts if you have the time. A lot of us who ended up doing RAI were hoping that ATDs would work. Some of us were allergic, had remissions that ended etc.. Since a good number of us just had it done recently I think you are seeing a lot of posts about it. I think it’s great for those who can get it to work with the numbers and the sense of wellness. I just never felt well even when my numbers were good on ATDs. Glad to know that you are doing so well. Keep feeling better.

    ewmb

    ewmb
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    Post count: 484
    in reply to: RAI #1068232

    Hi,
    I had RAI about 4 and a half months ago and even thought it’s been hard I am glad that I did it. I asked lots of questions here and got great answers. You can click on my name on the post listings and you’ll get to see all the things that I’ve asked or written back to other people in regards to RAI. I started taking my hormone replacement about 2 weeks ago. It’s all a process that can be very frustrating but it’s worth it to get healthier again and have a better quality of life. Go ahead and cry and get upset now if you need to. It really helped me to just get out the feelings instead of holding them in. You can take OTC pain relievers for the sore throat and neck. Drink, drink, drink and suck on something or chew gum a lot. It will make things easier in a few days. You made a good choice. Don’t second guess yourself now. You will get better.

    Hope you feel better tomorrow. Take it easy on yourself and don’t push too hard for the next week or so. Change for the better is coming. Keep thinking that.

    ewmb

    ewmb
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    Post count: 484
    in reply to: went to new endo #1068236

    Glad to know that you feel better. Keep on asking questions. It sounds like this new doctor is a better listener.

    ewmb

    ewmb
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    Post count: 484

    Krystal,
    The levoxyl doesn’t have exactly the same inactive ingredients as synthroid. You can google the name of the drug and usually the company will have the listing of the chemical actives and inactives there so you can compare words even if you don’t know exactly what they are. I’m sorry that he was so uncaring yesterday. That seems silly to discount the fact that your problems with your lips started when you started the medication. I hope that your puffiness will go away soon. Buy a little pill cutter at the drugstore. It’s much easier and safer than a knife. I go ahead and cut about a weeks worth at a time so I don’t have to cut each day.

    ewmb

    ewmb
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    Post count: 484

    I named my daughter Anne with an E after Anne of Green Gables one of my most favorite stories ever. My husband and I wanted to go to Nova Scotia on our honeymoon 25 years ago but couldn’t afford it. I will get there one day. My father in-law has been and said it was really beautiful. My husband and I met when we were at school in Chapel Hill. In fact I had my RAI there at the hospital. My endo is based there. Where do you live on the island? We all need to get our passports so we can make sure we can come up next time we want to . Last time we didn’t need them. My kids just got their Canadian citizenship cards after about a year. They hold dual now. Glad to know that haven’t had any trouble getting to a doctor but sorry about the long time on a diagnosis. That isn’t unusual at all with Graves from what I have heard here.

    Hope you continue to feel even better tomorrow.

    ewmb

    ewmb
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    Post count: 484

    Laura,
    I have a cat but don’t think he’s been wanting to bother my eyes since I’ve been sick for about 2 years. His vision isn’t very good since he was bitten by a poison snake when he was younger though. I only noticed that my eyes were puffy right before I went hypo about 4 months after my RAI in May. That has under my eyes and has disappeared in the last few weeks. Where do you live in Canada? My husband is from Ontario but moved when he was really young. This is a great place to get answers to what other people have gone through. Hope that you continue to feel better.

    ewmb

Viewing 15 posts - 181 through 195 (of 442 total)