[flora]

in reply to: Stressed and needing a pep talk … #1182880

Thanks everyone, for the encouraging words – trying hard to celebrate the occasional good day along the way, and to remember that it’s a marathon, not a sprint. I read that here, early in the going, and it seems to sum things up. I did talk to the doctor’s office, and they will order my Free T4 and T3 next time – hope the road is a little less bumpy soon – great to hear from you all in the meantime.
Flora

[flora]

in reply to: Stressed and needing a pep talk … #1182877

Thanks Kimmysue, Raspberry and Kimberly for your replies.
@ Raspberry – yes, we have national Medicare here, and perhaps that’s why only the TSH is routinely followed. I have a friend who is a technician in the Nuclear Medicine lab in the local hospital where the tests are run, and it was she who told me that Free T4’s are only provided when the TSH is out of range. (The range for normal TSH here is 0.4 to 5.25, but she mentioned that consideration is being given to widening them out).
@ Kimberly – thanks for the link to the American guidelines. I have printed it off to carefully read it, and will ask my doctor if we can take a look at the Free T4 and T3, when I see him in early September.
In the meantime, I’ll take all the support this wonderful forum provides – with much gratitude.
Flora

[flora]

in reply to: Would you believe: Shingles! #1182741

Hi Barbra,
Just a quick note of encouragement from a fellow Shingles Survivor. I, too, went through the “what could this burning rash on my forehead, and on my scalp be?” stuff. Although fortunately, my case was mild (just those two sites), it was still no fun, and those hideous black crusty scabs that formed, never failed to stop anyone I was talking to, in mid-sentence, if the wind blew my bangs off my face
Finally, after what seemed forever, they went away, leaving me with just a faint “pox mark” on my forehead – which I conceal with my bangs! Hope yours clear up soon, too.
Flora

[flora]

in reply to: stress question #1182558

Hi Christy,
I, too, can relate to the apparent link between stress and Graves. For me, an increase in one, almost always brings on increased misery in the other. About this time last year, I posted a “plea for help” on this wonderful forum about this very problem. If you search my posts for “Can stress set you back?”, dated May 6, 2013, you will find the encouraging replies that I received from our friends here – they might help you, too.
All the best,
flora

[flora]

in reply to: Still chasing Goldilocks dose of ATD #1182495

Thank you so much, Kimberly, Raspberry and Ski – time for me to be patient once again, waiting for things to settle as we close in on my best dose. It’s also good to know that just being in the Normal Range, doesn’t necessarily mean that you are at your spot. I am lucky to have a doctor that takes into account how I am feeling, as we work along together with tweaking my Tapazole – also lucky for the encouragement I find here. Thanks again!

Flora

[flora]

in reply to: Still chasing Goldilocks dose of ATD #1182492

Thanks, Kimberly …. Another question, please – at risk of being a Question Box today . The normal range for TSH here is 0.4 to 5.25. But can you be in the range, but still in need of small dose adjustments to get to the spot where you feel just great … I have dropped to 2.04, which is still in the normal range, but my hyper symptoms have crept back in. Just wondering if the whole range is considered the sweet spot, or is the sweet spot a pretty specific place within the range, which of course will be different for everybody – in my case, maybe a little higher than where I am now. Thanks as always for your help!
Flora

[flora]

in reply to: Do you wonder if others have thyroid issues? #1182253

Hi Raspberry,
My experience was the reverse – I was the one other people were wondering about for years, with my bulging eyes, shaky hands, and anxious ways. When I finally got diagnosed, everyone said they “just knew it!” Now, like you, I notice signs in people around me, too, and if they’re relatives or close friends, I’ll mention it. As everyone around here says, you do feel so much better, once things are in hand.
Flora

[flora]

in reply to: How long for effect from methimazole #1181927

Hi and Welcome to this wonderful place!
For me, I felt pretty terrible for about the first 9 or 10 weeks (even worse, when my doses of Tapazole were changed along the way). But at around Day 65 or 70, I began to notice such welcome improvements that I had thought would never come – my anxiety decreased; some energy and stamina returned; muscle and joint pain subsided; “digestive matters” normalized; and the “happy” that had been completely drained out of me came back. It has taken several months to get to the normal ranges (at 5 mg per day, down from 15 and then 10), with a lot of patience, and support from the people here, required along the way. You’ll get there, too, one option or another.
Best,
Flora

[flora]

in reply to: Where are all the TT’ers? #1181876

Hi Sue –
So glad to see your post, and that you are feeling better! I’m in the winter blah’s phase, too – blaming it on those short dark winter days up here – but at least we’re past the solstice. Like you, I’ve been missing our “Class of 2013” posters (Boomer, Momof5, many others) and hope they come back soon. I’d like to hear how they are doing. I’m still in the ATD group, but TSH is in the zone, and I feel so much better than those early days last winter – thanks to the doctor,and the support I find here. All the best,
Flora
PS: Hope you and our Forum Friends spotted my New Year’s greeting recently!

[flora]

in reply to: Just for Fun – The “Off Topic” Thread! #1177864

I came back to this thread to thank everyone who has encouraged me this year, on this new and unexpected journey. From those frightening first few weeks, to “in the TSH zone” for 3 months now, your support has been priceless – with special thanks to “Momof5” Carrie, “Sue and her Zoo” Sue, LaurelM, Gabe, Stymie, Vanillasky, Boomer, Shirley, and of course, Kimberly. Your knowledge and experience has carried me through it all. Thank you again for this warm and wonderful place. And all the very best to you in the New Year – Flora

[flora]

in reply to: Newly diagnosed with Graves #1181466

Hi Shell1967 –

I’ll add my “Welcome”, too – this is a wonderful place to visit, to share and to learn. I came on board last Spring when, after months of wondering what could be happening to me, and absolutely no “happy” left, I got my diagnosis at last, in March. Although I started my ATD on March 5th, I had to pretty much crawl through the next 10 weeks, before I began to feel better. But, my Tapazole finally kicked in one late Spring day, and the light that everyone here assured me really was at the end of the tunnel, finally appeared. Since then, my doctor and I have been making dose adjustments – sometimes a little too little, and sometimes a little too much – but we are getting there. The swings are gradually ramping down in amplitude, as we get nearer to “my” dose. It’s been an interesting journey thus far, and I’m so grateful for the encouragement of our “Forum Friends”. Yours will be, too.
With healing thoughts,

Flora
PS: If you find me under “flora” in the User List, you can read about my experiences – hope it might help.

[flora]

in reply to: Joint and muscle pain/weakness on ATD #1180634

Thanks very much, Kimberly – I’ll wait until I settle in the Normal Range for a few weeks, then, before taking on too much. Dose adjustments have swung me up and down over the months, but hopefully we are coming close to stable. Once there for a little while, I’ll start back (even though it’s tempting to get going now!)
– Flora

[flora]

in reply to: Joint and muscle pain/weakness on ATD #1180632

Hello everyone,
I have noticed recently that others, too, are experiencing joint/muscle pain on their Graves journey, so have bumped this thread up, in case it might be of some encouragement. Sometimes just hearing “Me too” helps a little, along with chats with sympathetic doctors.
As for myself lately, after slipping hypo (TSH went to 39 over the summer), my Tapazole dose has been adjusted back downwards, to where I am now on the high side of Normal – at least I respond well to the ATD! Doctor and I hope to get to my Goldilocks dose before too long. Just wondering, though, how long is the wait, once stable in the Normal ranges, before I can get into activities like dance, long trail hikes, etc.? Weeks? Months? I know we shouldn’t do too much, too fast, but I would like to hear about how others have managed returning to favourite exercise activities ….
Thanks, as always,
Flora

[flora]

in reply to: Update, another test, numbers good, still on track for remission. #1180638

So happy that remission appears so close at last – all the very, very best!
– Flora

[flora]

in reply to: Joint and muscle pain/weakness on ATD #1180631

You know, I seem to remember reading in a post not long ago, that our condition hates stress – hoping that once things get sorted out in our family, much of this “feeling like 105 years old” stuff will subside. In the meantime, thank goodness for horses and dogs, good friends – and this forum!
Flora

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