[joy123]

in reply to: Just an update. #1183318

Hi Barbra, Sue and everyone
Its great to hear you`re getting on well Barbra – and Sue I think I maybe near my sweet spot too. I`m glad to hear you`re the same.
I think my GP over medicated me around Christmas time and when I got to see my endo she dropped my levothyroxine to 125 mcg from the 150 my GP had prescribed.
I had all sorts of aches and pains- just about everywhere…(whinge, whinge)
But within a week most had gone
I`m left with knees and lower legs aching but hopefully (fingers crossed) they`ll disappear too soon. I`ve been on the lower dose 3 weeks so I `m hoping its still got time to work.

I`m due another blood test next week, but only TSH as over here they just will not test T4 or T3 unless the endo instructs it!!
Anyway I`m hoping that the results will show whether I need that tweak of levo to get me A1 again.
What a journey and yep a fabulous analogy `just like childbirth.`
Keep well
Joy x

[joy123]

in reply to: Old (ongoing) question: WHEN to take T4 #1183350

Hi Sue
I have a very small (pretty) dish beside my bed and put my pills in there before I go to bed, because I`m `that` age I wake in the night and I take my meds then, usually 3am-ish. I find I`m automatically waking that time every night now.

But saying that, I have a friend who`s been using levothyroxine for years and she takes her meds with her breakfast and with the other meds she needs and she`s perfectly alright and so are her blood results.
Joy x

[joy123]

in reply to: Hi – can I ask some advice please? #1183515

Thanks for your reply Kimberly
I think I`m clutching at straws atm as I`m going through a rough time.
I`m seeing my endo this week, on Wed, and my GP tomorrow, so hopefully I`ll get some answers.

I had bloods done last week and hope the doctor tomorrow will have the results as I don`t know if I`m hypo or hyper? My blood pressure has gone through the roof, so my doctor should sort that.

I`m 3 months post RAI and taking 150 mcg levo but I`m wondering if this is too much?
Thanks for all your support
Joy

[joy123]

in reply to: I`d value your opinions! #1183460

Thanks again Sue
I`ve seen it written before that this isn`t a quick fix so I`ll hang in there and wait it out. We`re retired so that is a big help. My heart goes out to younger people who have to cope- especially at times like this with the holidays almost on us.
I hope you`re feeling well Sue?
Joy

[joy123]

in reply to: I`d value your opinions! #1183458

Thank you Sue
That`s a tough call for you, with being sensitive to the meds like that. I`m hoping you`re getting somewhere in good health now?
I`ll go back and read your posts…

I split the difference and took 100 mcg yesterday and then 125 mcg today and whether it`s a placebo affect, I don`t know, but I feel sooooo much better already.
I may leave it a week now before I increase that last 25 mcg.
I think my body just sucked that thyroxine up …..
At last I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Happy Christmas to everyone and a very healthy 2015
(Joy)

[joy123]

in reply to: I`d value your opinions! #1183456

Thanks Kimberly
My doctor has left today for the holidays so unfortunately I`m left with this decision.
I had minor TED when I was 1st diagnosed with Graves and my eyes have been a bit blurry, so that has helped me decide to increase as the doctor suggestion.

I would be interested if anyone else out there has increased this quickly though.
Thanks ahead
Joy

[joy123]

in reply to: new to GD #1183387

Hi Eperez
I`m two months post RAI and still learning a lot, as you`ll see by my posts. But one thing is definite after RAI is that I don`t feel so down right ill.
I`m struggling with hypo symptoms and waiting for the thyroid supplements to reach their full potential. I feel debilitating tiredness, joint and muscle aches but certainly not as ill as I was before the RAI.
Unfortunately it`s a long road whichever treatment we decide.
Please don`t get me wrong, I`m not suggesting you have RAI. We each have to decide the best treatment for ourselves- I`m saying how RAI has been for me.
Whatever you decide, I hope you soon feel much better.
(Joy)

[joy123]

in reply to: any help please! #1183301

Hi JEH
This is interesting in that you went hypo after some time after stopping ATD. I imagine there must be all sorts of scenarios regarding our thyroid problems. Where I live we sometimes get the duty doctor instead of our own, especially if we need to see someone urgently.
I have yet to find any of them agreeing on my course of treatment post RAI. I do see an endo but this is 3 monthly, her nurse phones me every 6 weeks to discuss my meds, and the nurse has different ideas too.
As you can imagine this isn`t helpful to me, which is why I value this and a UK site so much.
When I eventually got to see my own GP he didn`t know I`d had RAI? He thought I was still being treated with ATD`s. And then to top it all the doctors get annoyed if I mention I`ve gotten help online:/
(Joy)

[joy123]

in reply to: any help please! #1183300

Hi flora
That all sounds like very good news, except of course the muscle and joint aches.
We take Carbimazole over here, but I imagine they`re the same as Tapazole and they give muscle and joint pains too as a side effect. But weighing up your return to normality with your other symptoms I can see why you`d rather keep on them as opposed to RAI.
Another method used over here is called block and replace. I`m not sure if this used in U.S or Canada but I sometimes wonder if I ought to have asked for this first before going for the RAI. They give Carbimazole to lower the thyroid, then add Levothyroxine to keep everything in a normal place. I had Carbimazole which was `supposed` to be slowly lowered to get me into good levels but my nurse insisted on over medicating me, leaving me under active all summer. With hindsight I`d have lowered them myself but we tend to think the medical people know best;)
I`m so sorry to hear you`ve had family illness and loss, this certainly won`t have helped your recovery and I hope you`re bearing up with it.
I caved in and couldn`t wait for my next blood test and phoned my doctor today. I was taking our dog for short walks 4 weeks ago versus debilitating tiredness right now…and the muscle and joint pains.
He raised my Levothyroxine to 100mcg from 75 mcg. Good ol` doc:)
So hopefully things will begin to improve again over here- meanwhile my husband is the official dogwalker/ househusband/cook and thank Goodness for online shopping as Christmas is coming via the postman this year.
Keep well
(Joy)

[joy123]

in reply to: any help please! #1183295

Thanks for your reply Shirley,
and for reassuring me it`s normal.
Although I know a few people who are hypothyroid, I don`t personally know anyone who`s gone hypo after RAI.
I should imagine ours is a different journey in that we were hyper first and our bodies have gone through the ups and downs..and the shock of it?
I`m lucky in being retired and able to sit down whenever I like and my thoughts go out to others who`re not able to do this.

Lol, I can see you`ve been there because yes, it does feel like 8 years, waiting to increase my dose again.
I`m counting the days …..10 left until my next blood test

Yes thank you, today has been a bit better.
Hope you`re well or as best as can be during your journey.
(Joy)

[joy123]

in reply to: any help please! #1183293

Thanks Kimberly and flora for your replies.

flora- I had the same when I was over medicated with carbimazole before RAI. I feel for you with your levels moving around, this makes you feel awful. Are you thinking of having RAI or managing the graves with meds? I jumped at the chance to have RAI as my levels were all over the place and I felt so ill with it.
I hope you improve really soon, because yes it`s crazy with the holiday season coming up……so much to do, yet no energy to do it.

Kimberly- I think the U.S way of starting on higher levothyroxine is better. With the method of slowly raising our dose over here, seems to leave us suffering longer than needed.
I misunderstood my endo nurse. I found out yesterday when she rang back that they want me to wait a bit longer before I raise my dose. I`m having bloods done on the 18th Dec, so hopefully if I need to, I can raise the dose before the holiday season shuts everywhere down.
(hugs)
Joy

[joy123]

in reply to: Hi – RAI update in UK. #1183163

Thank you Barbra

It`s nice to `meet` you but wish it was under better circumstances. I went back and read your through your posts and so pleased you`ve come out the other side.
Also hope your other health problems keep on that even keel.

What a journey eh?

I`m 7 weeks post RAI and hoping for a break of the under-active symptoms. About now would do me just fine with Christmas around the corner
I`ve got joint pain, dizziness and that never ending sluggish feeling……till it comes to bedtime, then I wake up?
Whatever is that all about?

I`ve only been on the 75 mcg of levo for a few days, so I think I`m expecting too much too soon?
It`s such a relief to hear that we do recover. I`ve not been too sharp with my health for 2 years and was shocked to discover it was my thyroid all that time! I think my family had me as a hypochondriac….I thought I was a hypochondriac!!

hugs back attya
Joy

[joy123]

in reply to: Hi – RAI update in UK. #1183161

Thanks Barbra and Kimberly

We seem to have the nausea figured out, it`s because I`m weaning myself too quickly off a benzo sleeping pill the doctor prescribed ages ago when I was losing whole nights of sleep. This was before Graves ever got diagnosed.
My doctor has given me some anti nausea meds that are working great and then we`re working out a proper taper plan.

My thyroid is officially under active !
The nurse called to say she`s shown my blood results to the endo consultant and they`ve raised my levothyroxine to 75 mcg.

I`m pleased but suffering
My under active symptoms are awful joint aches and pains, headache and dizziness….with such tiredness!!
So all being well, I just have to wait till the meds kick in now…..

How are you doing now Barbra?
Joy

[joy123]

in reply to: Hi – RAI update in UK. #1183158

Thanks Kimberly
Well looks like the RAI worked….my blood levels from yesterday are TSH 6.00 (0.35- 3.50) T4 14 ( 8-21) …..yay!

My last TSH two weeks ago was 4.48 and my T4 was 12.

Looks like I`ve gone/going hypo even though I`ve been taking 25 mcg of levothyroxine. My GP has raised this to 50 mcg.

I notice the T4 has raised since the last bloods – is this a good sign?

I`ve been experiencing nausea for a week, it starts just after I wake up – gets worse, then abates by supper time?
I`m wondering if nausea is a hypo symptom?
regards
Joy

[joy123]

in reply to: Hi – RAI update in UK. #1183156

Oh and sorry for whining……when there`s kids who get this it makes me ashamed. xx

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