[flora]

in reply to: Graves disease and tinnitus and/or hearing loss? #1183829

Hi scanders,
While not something I’ve run into yet, I have seen this on the forum – try “Search Posts” and you’ll find some posts on it … hope it resolves for you soon!
-flora

[flora]

in reply to: Runners with Graves? #1183679

Great to see your post today, Carrie – stable and running a half marathon on Saturday – WooHoo! Good for you (and thanks for the encouraging news!)
– flora

[flora]

in reply to: New Graves’ Diagnosis #1183809

Hi Kimmy,
You’ve found just the place for support and encouragement, just when we need it most. Reading your post, I know that many of us are nodding our heads, recognizing the very symptoms and feelings we experienced in those first long weeks after our diagnosis. For me, I pretty much had to crawl through the 10 weeks plus, after starting my ATD (including that empty feeling of like watching life through a plate glass window, or something like that). But Kimberly’s tips will help, and you will feel so much better in a while – and maybe sooner than I did! So I’ll add my welcome aboard, too, and please keep us posted as you go along.
flora

[flora]

in reply to: On ATD two years-plus? #1183743

Hi Maryl,
So glad you stopped by to share your experience with ATD. Recently, my doses have been adjusted downwards (at 22.5mg per week now), and it’s my hope that we’ll continue to slowly edge closer to ATD-free – especially where I slide into hypo territory every few labs, even on these lowering doses. I’m noticing annoying joint pains (shifting around – shoulder, hip, feet!) – maybe from slipping hypo, or a side effect of Tapazole (?) I wonder if getting to remission would take care of these …. Good for you, Maryl, and thanks again for dropping in!
flora
PS: Too bad about our having to avoid salty foods – dulse is a favourite treat here in the Maritimes, and I miss it – heavy salt content and all !!!

[flora]

in reply to: About 14 months post TT and still working on meds #1183736

Hi Sara – My own experience has been that a bad year seems to have triggered my Graves (starting late summer 2012), and since then, ongoing stress, stubborn viruses and other challenges seem to make the journey pretty disheartening at times. Someone here wrote that “this disease hates stress”, and I think they’re right! Thank heavens for the caring support we find here – sending lots your way,
flora

[flora]

in reply to: On ATD two years-plus? #1183741

Thanks, Warrior Friends – just hearing from others who’ve been on this same trail a while, helps us “cowgirl up” some, doesn’t it? Thanks for your encouraging words, and I hope you’ll soon get past the bumps on your path, too.
@ Kimberly – so glad to hear you are MM free, and all the best for continued success!
flora

[flora]

in reply to: Today I was told I have Graves Disease and feel lost #1183599

Hi amyh – I’ll add my “Welcome” to Kimberly’s, and let you know that a couple of my symptoms were not on the usual list for Graves either …. Among other things, I did have high anxiety and felt warm and sweaty, but instead of having a big appetite, mine just walked off the stage entirely. I actually had to force myself to eat (what my doctor called “disciplined eating”), which is not the usual Graves way at all – most of us were hungry all the time. Hope you’ll be feeling lots better, very soon.
– flora

[flora]

in reply to: Methimazole …how long can you take it? #1183617

Hi Alisa – It’s been 2 years now on Tapazole for me, as my doctor continues to tweak my dose in search of a sweet and settled spot for my levels to be. With the dose changes, I have slipped a little hypo, then headed back toward a little hyper, then back and forth again, and so on. He has been gradually reducing my dose (presently at 22.5mg per week), and is in no hurry to switch to another treatment option at this time. Except for some joint/muscle pain, I have experienced no problems with Tapazole either, and am hoping to go into remission at some point. Keep us posted as we all journey along together, on this great forum.
– flora

[flora]

in reply to: How long for muscles to heal and rebuild? #1183595

Thanks, Kimberly – like you, I hope others with shifting levels, whether due to dose changes in their ATDs or in their hormone replacements, will chime in, too. It’s encouraging to hear that aggravating symptoms (in my case, mainly muscle and joint pain – hips/legs) do subside, after a time, once healing happens. I’m just wondering if the process can take a while (always longer than we would like, I know!). So glad you got there so soon! Yes, it’s frustrating that TSH is the benchmark here. Doctor has requested FT4, but the lab will not provide it, unless TSH is out of range – not helpful to people like me whose TSH keeps moving around mainly within the range! Hope to hear from others, with experiences like mine, with how long it took them to feel less than 100 years old again

[flora]

in reply to: Eye update #1183568

What a wonderful update to read!! Soooo happy for you, as you get another milestone behind you on this journey of ours. Good for you, Girl! Lots of us chasing down the Goldilocks doses, too (MMI, Synthroid, whatever) – stick with us -we’ll get there!
flora

[flora]

in reply to: Just an update. #1183324

Hi Ladies,
Bumping this up just to see if anyone has caught up with Boomer – some Boomer Humour would be great about now, as another snowstorm moves in on us! It would be good to hear from him, and hear how goes his Graves journey…
– flora

[flora]

in reply to: Just an update. #1183322

There’s just no saying it any better than that, Graves Warriors! Thanks for perspective, Sue, and continued success along the journey!
flora

[flora]

in reply to: Just an update. #1183320

Wow, Sue! So great to read about how well you’ve been feeling – and as Etta James sang it – AT LAST!! I’m still on the rollercoaster – not the Big Dipper kind anymore, thankfully, but still feeling those small changes in levels. (I’m thinking about changing my screen name to “sensitive hot house flower”, but with this crazy disease, it’s likely already been taken!). Wish we could make contact with Boomer, too – he has no idea how much he helped so many of us in the Class of 2013 …
Again, good for you, Sue – I’m getting closer, too!
flora

[flora]

in reply to: Just an update. #1183317

Hi Barbra and Sue –
I’ve been hoping Boomer will come on by with his fantastic brand of humour and optimism, too – if you reach him, please add me to the list of those wanting him back to the form! Will be good to know how he’s doing,
flora

[flora]

in reply to: Old (ongoing) question: WHEN to take T4 #1183347

Hi Ladies,

I’ll add a Happy New Year to you, too! May this be the year of steady levels and sweet spot doses, at last! I’m in the ATD camp of “when levels fluctuate, I feel it” – even with pretty small fluctuations, and even if still within (or really near) the normal ranges – talk about being one sensitive hot house flower!
We’ll get it right yet, Girls!

Flora

[Author]

Posts