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in reply to: graves is a psychosomatic disease #1072111

hey kam – I am going to ask my hubby to read your thread and reply. We have had a really rough time too because of all the roller coaster emotions. My endo helped him by asking how he was and how are the mood swings etc…

M x

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in reply to: blood pressure #1072048

me again!

Yeah I have never had any probs with my BP until I was first daignosed and then post partum. All the way through pregnancies etc.. my BP was perfect! My BP did shoot up for a while but started to come back down with the anti-thyroid meds. Do you have a practice nurse? Maybe they could check it again for you? Also where you anxious at the time? You know the "white coat" syndrome?

For your sake I would ask for it to be checked again – no use in worrying.

Take care and feet up!

M x

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in reply to: Graves and workplace dynamics #1072040

Ok let me try and get this right – their is a staff member who you are senior to trying to get your job and making life difficult for you?

I know what you mean about once being able to carry so much and then as you call her Mrs Graves – I call her Mrs Thyroid came along and Wham there goes your stamina, clear thinking, memory the lot! I had a similar situation but with one of my assistants! I am not wanting to sound like I am bragging but this is how it all stemmed! I moved up the career ladder rather quickly I got a senior position in 2 years in stead of the usual 3 – 5 years and one of my colleagues unwittingly made a comment saying (highlighting that some people had been talking about me )"oh you got that position and you had only been qualified for 2 years and were off for a year of that on mat leave! HELLO!

Anyway I got a further promotion and moved over to a different department and there was one of the assistants who was there from when the team was established and really struggled with her position in comparison to others around her with senior positions. Now I am never one to through my weight around and never have pulled rank in any form as I always tried to apply that we all have a job to do and are part of a team. Anyway most of the staff members have a problem with her but because I was unwell when I went into this post with GD she must have noticed a weakness there and tried to pick on me. Because I was feeling so rubbish most days I was just letting it float over me. I mentioned on here before about how when out of character I mentioned that I was exhausted she replied "oh you young ones don’t know what tiredness is" Well my ferratin was only 4 so I took great pleasure in going into work the next day and informing her!

Anyway it came head on when I (as a part timer) would leave her a list of patients to visit and would come back to work on the Tuesday and she hadn’t seen any of them – so then it resulted in me looking unprofessional and my patients complaining that they were only having treatment once a week! Then one patient who was lucky to have a visit from her because the physio had asked her too told me she was talking about me and said’ Oh she hasn’t been well for a long time etc.. now I had 2 miscarriages in 6 months and yes I took a few months off – I was grieving! As I drove back to work I realised that if I had been feeling better in myself this would never have came to the stage where she was deciding the priority of my patients needs for rehab and also that she was disclosing private and confidential info to my patients about me!

I very diplomatically made my rank clear and put her in her place with regards to what her job was and also that it was my decision to disclose any personal info about myself etc…. It had to be done! I also put the onus on her by stating that as I had documented in the notes (which are legal documents) that she was to visit on set dates and carry out the treatments I had instructed that she could be held responsible if a complaint came in from a patient or family member! Also that I was going to start documenting that the treatment hadn’t been carried out by assistant as instructed by senior member of staff as I was going to cover my own back!

Its not a nice situation and I agree that this condition can result in you loosing your spark some days and it takes longer to try and get through things but if you have your facts right and feel that she is up to something I would liase with your boss and stress these points diplomatically.

Good luck
xxx

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in reply to: thyroid storm vs. panic attack #1072060

Emily,

You use my expression! I just want to feel normal too – its rubbish when you feel as ill and as low as this but believe me you will get through it! I took my TS post partum so try not to worry.

The anxiety which comes with this disease is terrible. My midwives were cracking up with me as I was convinced (after witnessing my sister in her home have a massive heamorrhage after her twins) that I was going to heamorrhage after the birth of my last little boy – to the point where I was never off the toilet and calling the hospital constantly. It was all irrational but I genuinely couldn’t help plus the fact there was something wrong in that department and I was in hospital 4 times after my little one so I do know how you feel. Anxiety is a horrible condition and unless you have had it then people just think you are crazy.

You will start to get some control over your health again once your bloods start to settle down – in the meantime lean on us!

M x

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in reply to: blood pressure #1072046

Yes high blood pressure is common – however what is your normal pressure? That would seem high and it would be best to get it checked out.

M x

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in reply to: thyroid storm vs. panic attack #1072057

I know the experiences you are having and what Dianne explained too as I am having them just now and had them when I was first diagnosed – they are scary and horrible!

However, I knew the difference straight away – I felt critically ill and knew I needed to be at the hospital asap – whereas with the symptoms before I felt so ill but could get through the day with them.

Its always best to be wary of these things though but worrying about them doesn’t help – as I said I just put the piece of paper away as i knew how anxious I was getting over it and had to think "well if it happens there is nothing I can do but just try to get through it and let the medics do their job" My mum has a great expression which helps me "Let go and let God" i.e let Him deal with every moment and just trust in HIM and I had to do that and even every day at the moment I have to think about that saying!

Take lots of care and I hope there is an improvement in the bloods as at least you know there is some kind of progress.

m xxx

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in reply to: thyroid storm vs. panic attack #1072055

Hey,

Panic attacks – horrible. Its funny as like you when I was first diagnosed and given a piece of paper saying "THYOID STORM WARNING SIGNS" I started to read and to be honest almost passed out with the panic – so that little piece of paper was put into my sock drawer and not thought about – but like you it frightened me. I have had panic attacks for years and they are no joke.

I did have a TS and there is a huge difference. Like Dianne said some people are perhaps very overactive and have horrible symptoms. I had a running tachycardia for days before the storm took off – my heart rate wouldn’t settle even in sleep and I had a tremor so bad it looked as though I was a heavy drinker.

My symptoms with the TS were;

Tachycardia – racing! heart rate between 166- 200
what felt like massive palpitations as though my heart was going to burst.
excessive sweating – you would have thought I had thrown a bucket of water over me
uncontrollable tremor
chest pain
diarrhoea
I was crawling on the floor while my mum called 999 –
and then finally collapse at home.
My blood pressure was very low and my heart rate escalating. They thought they were going to have to shock my heart.
I collapsed again in the hospital and awoke with the resus team around me.

I appreciate that panic attacks make you think you are dying but with a thyroid storm you are to ill to panic if that makes sense? Days before I said to my hubby that I felt as though I was going to collapse. If in doubt get it checked out but for me it wasn’t a matter of wondering – I became critically ill and my only option was dial 999.

My endo said my levels went from going off – perhaps air borne to going into orbit in the space of days! My GP said she hadn’t seen levels go like that since her days as a student. So yes your levels go crazy
HTH

xxx

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in reply to: graves is a psychosomatic disease #1072108

Hey,

Its true what Dianne is saying as my endo has really helped my hubby through the whole "emotional roller coaster" and highlighted that the divorce rate for people with GD is relatively high. I had depression in the past and after the thyroid storm (yeah most of you were there to support me) I went almost on the verge of "CRAZY!" I called the counsellor I worked with and she highlighted that she had worked with someone with GD from diagnosis to operation and had some understanding of it – however, she highlighted to me that although I would perhaps calm down on the phone to her for an hour – I could put the phone down and off I go again

My endo actually highlighted that yes I was going off my head as my levels were raging and stated that in fact if I had murdered someone while my bloods were like that I would have gotten off ” title=”Wink” /> ” title=”Confused” /> not sure if that was reassuring or not.

Billy you sound as though you are having a rough time and this disease does this too you. Its true that it could have been lurking for a while before it all went off the scale. I was undiagnosed for a year and my marriage was under a terrible strain as I changed personality completely. I was at my GP 4 times saying how ill I felt.My eldest little boy was 10lb 3oz and they kept saying "oh you have just had a big baby etc". The day I went in and said that my eyes were blurring with rage and I was afraid I was going to harm my husband was the day she done a TFT.

Its early days you have just had a terrible shock to your system and the fact (like me )that you are so young and expect more of your body is very frustrating. Its good to have an open mind about body, mind and spirit but in the meantime if you have to take 27 pills to stop you feeling awful and going into another storm – well it would seem a small price to pay. I remember saying I would take poison if it helped.

hang in there and keep posting – you will get tremendous support from everyone here!

M x

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in reply to: Chest pains #1072094

hmmmm.

Is there a specific place on your legs where they are sore? Itchy? Red? swollen? When you have pains in your chest do they come suddenly or is it after moving around?

I have had chest pain for a while now but they say its because of my heart rate etc but they are subsiding now!

Ok – my advice would be to get it checked again and mention the calf pain. Don’t want to panic you but deep vain thrombosis DVT (after lots of experience of working on medical wards with patients with this condition) is coming to mind and it needs to be checked. It could also be gastric and there is no correlation with the chest pain and leg pain – but better safe than sorry.

You are having such a horrible time of it!

M c

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in reply to: graves is a psychosomatic disease #1072105

I would have to agree strongly with the advice on here that this is a PHYSICAL illness although most definitely results in psychological elements if let untreated. My GD was brought on by the birth of my first little boy. It is a very serious condition and is not something that should be left untreated.

Stress to the body does not always mean psychological stress but also physical stress – like someone mentioned the flu or in my case child birth. I know a lady whose MS was flared up by having extreme sunburn!

It is true that stress is an umbrella term which can result in causing a lot of conditions but I also accept the fact that genetics in my case is the key player. After years of requiring iron injections and B12 for a double aneamia which was life threatening at one point – my mum all of a sudden started to become very ill and it turned out she had heamatomachrosis with a ferratin level of 1088 (normally they couldn’t get it above 4) – all of a sudden this gene kicked in and the GP’s were baffled! We have now all been tested.

[hyperm]

in reply to: Something in on my eye? #1072090

Could me an ulcer on the eye – sounds similar to what my cousin had. Def get is checked out!

M x

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in reply to: My story Graves and the thyroid storm #1072122

Billyb,

I can completely sympathise. I was diagnosed 4 years ago and then with my last pregnancy everything was very calm then afterwards I started to feel unwell very quickly. My GP said her heart stopped when she seen my results as they had went off the scale – however on the Friday I had to go to a&e as i had tachycardia they let me home and on the Sunday I collapsed after feeling the worse palpitations of my life – like you said as though your heart was going to burst through the sternum. I was very afraid as I had a feeling it was a thryoid storm and like you they thought they were going to have to shock my heart and my blood pressure was VERY low as though I was internally bleeding. I am a health professional so was really in a panic when I heard what was going on! I then was allowed after much persuassion to use a commoded at the side of the bed – the next minute all my machines and ECG’s the lot started to beep alerts and I had telemetry on etc.. the next thing I knew I was being lifted into the bed and I heard them calling for someone to contact my husband – then I went out again. I came around with machines everywhere and I what I knew to be the "crash team" resus team around me.

Its a very traumatic experience and I can completely appreciate how you feel. I went into AF too and its horrible. To be honest with you I have lost all my confidence and don’t want to go out incase I take a palptiation. My heartbeat in the ambulance was 166 and rising in the hospital it was over 200 but they couldn’t give me beta blockers because I am chronic asthmatic. The ECG stickers etc… kept sliding off as I was sweating so much etc…

If you need to chat then don’t hesitate – its a very traumatic experience and I know I have some form of post traumatic shock syndrome as I have flash backs and can’t watch any medical programmes as it really frightens me! I have 2 little boys and am frightened to be left alone in the house- I take my phone even to the toilet with me ” title=”Wink” />

Hang in there! Once they get your levels sorted you WIll start to feel better. I am happy I am having my thyroid removed as I NEVER want that to happen to me again!

Take lots of care and give yourself time at least now you know what it is and they can do so much with thyroid treatments…You have survived the worst possible situation! ” title=”Wink” />

M x

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in reply to: Diazepam – possible withdrawals? #1072129

Hey Cathy and Nancy – thanks for the advice! I know I seem to beat myself up over everything and try to be superwoman! My MIL is over from Japan and is shocked at how much I try to cram into one day or panic over something (trivial to her) but when you are over anxious with GD – well its a HUGE issue

I am just trying to take one day at a time and really cut back on the diazepam as some days its knocking me out and I can’t function like that with 2 children in the house. However, I agree that when the op time approaches I will be taking them like sweeties to keep me calm!

Thanks again! Much appreciated!

m x

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in reply to: PREGNANCY, HELP!!! #1072341

Hey,

I was still having to take high doses of meds a few months prior to falling pregnant. Then my endo asked if I wanted to gamble and come off them to see what happened then I fell pregnant which slowed it all down – however my GD was ACTIVE because I had never been able to go into remission. They would be able to tell with your bloods.

Now I am not a professional but through my experiences of pregnancy while having GD I seem to have found out alot at the clinic I attended and more recently at my appointment regarding removal of the thyroid. My endo told me that he wouldn’t be concerned if I fell pregnant after the removal – that they would just still see me at the specialised clinic for "tampering" with the thyroxine but it was by no means as high risk as if I was over-active. My sister who had a partial removal years ago didn’t have to attend any clinics with her pregnancy with twins, however, and I add this hastily as I don’t want you worrying but I will still have to attend because I had 2 miscarriages which they believe to be a result of my thyroid – overactive though not under active.

My cousin had her baby in Greece!

Like cathy said just take care of yourself. Your situation is different from mine and as I say my endo was very reassuring about pregnancy after the removal. With my last pregnancy – because of my history, I was advised not to lift, twist, over bend or over exert myself. I hardly moved! Babies are tougher than you think and the placenta is very clever in fighting off any anti-bodies in the blood.

Please don’t worry. My first scan was at 6 weeks – internal where they can see the heart beat – so yes Cathy is right. Please try not to worry and enjoy your pregnancy. BUt make sure you get lots of reassurance from your endo and midwife if you are feeling worried or unsettled.

Lots of love to you and baba!

M x

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in reply to: Diazepam – possible withdrawals? #1072126

Hey thanks for looking up side effects.

Its def related to the meds – no infection present or anything and it can disappear for days – maybe I haven’t taken them in 4 days so the 1st day I don’t take them I have this feeling and then the 2nd it passes. If then I have a bad day and I take one in the morning by the night time I have the same feeling.

I think it is a form of anxiety and perhaps thats just where I feel the nervousness – you know how somedays you feel as though your stomach is churning well its like that!

Anyway no matter I am still here just was wondering if anyone else had something similar??

M x

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