Forum Replies Created
-
AuthorPosts
-
in reply to: Hyperthyroid Symptom Question #1179887
Hi Sue, that has happened to me, less these days, but I still have an occassional experience with that and when I saw my endo this week, I asked him that question. I told him my husband and I were grocery shopping and I get this woozy feeling and dizziness and that of all the symptoms that one scares me the most. I have pulled over in the car and parked it (as Boomer suggested). He asked if I am still taking the Metropolol and (as recommended by my cardiologist and endo was to initally take 25 mg. only if my heart rate went over 70) his suggestion now was to take it only if my heart rate goes above 100 or I feel like I am having a-fib or an irregular heart beat, which I can now (after all these months) know right away when things are “off”. The bottom line from my endo, since he is the doctor, stated that if my heart rate goes too low, which it has dropped into the low 50’s, can cause the dizzy, woozy feeling. I feel most comfortable with my heart rate in the mid 60’s. I bought one of those heart rate/blood pressure machines, usually around $50.00. and I monitor it myself, it is my “security blanket” to be able to keep an eye on my heart rate. I even take it to work with me. People walk in my office and there I am checking my blood pressure/heart rate, pfffttt, I could care less what they think. Hope this helps!
Hi Becky, Sorry to hear you are not feeling good, I had RAI on 12/14/12, and it took awhile to start feeling better. I am blessed with an awesome endo and aside from that his connection with patients (from my experience has been phenomenal). My husband loves this guy too and when we go to my appointments, my docs first question is “how are you feeling”. It is June, almost 6 months post RAI, and I saw him last week, I still complained about fatigue, muscle cramping (basically in my feet) and 15 lb. weight gain even though I have been eating as clean and healthy as I possible can, and no caffeine, no chocolate. He was not dismissive, he said everything I am telling him are a result of how sick I actually was. He said to me I don’t think you realize how sick you really were. I have to admit he was right about that. As a wife and Mom, I kept dragging myself to work everyday, I suffered horrible insomnia, vomiting, running to the bathroom, 30 lbs. weight loss, and my heart rate was 180 bpm (a-fib), on and on, all the symtoms “our Graves Gang” discuss, but I kept on going, probably making my health worse. When I was hospitalized for two weeks he started me then on Magnesium and Vitamin D which I still continue, I also take Biotin because my hair was thinning and it is now MUCH better, plus a multi vitamin Centrum. At this point my heart rate is usually between 55-70, and things are getting better. I have bad days still but much less than before. So I guess after all my ranting here, I am hoping to tell you that it will get better, my endo has me on FMLA for a year to cover the day here and there that I do not feel well or risk losing my job. My endo checks my TSH, Free T4 and Free T3, Magnesium and Vitamin D when I have my bloodwork every six weeks. He just upped my Synthroid to 100 from 88. Patience is his key word, I know it is hard, I miss running around and doing all the things that I use to do, and being a Type A personality all my life, it is hard to step back and let other people help. I felt AWFULL the first 3 months after my RAI I am here to say that at least for me, it does get better and if you have an endo you like and trust, it is a bonus. If you live around the Cleveland, Ohio area, PM me and I can give you his name or at least maybe you can call his office and they can refer you to someone he would recommend close to where you live. I hope this helps for you to know that we are all here to listen and help. I read and listen to what everyone on this forum has to say, it makes me feel better and makes me feel that I’m not crazy or alone.
Hi Kimberly, what you said is confusing to me (not your fault) just that I am new to all of this and trying to find my way through this and, quite frankly, am confused by it all most of the time! My endo felt that my FT3 and FT4 were within range, I do not think he upped my Synthroid based on TSH (if I understood what you were trying to tell me) but rather on my symptoms of fatigue, weight gain, joint aches, heat intolerance, etc. I hope I am understanding him correctly. I am usually so on top of my game, but since the Graves diagnosis and RAI, I feel like a deer in headlights when he is talking. ugh
Hi Lindsay,
Just saw my endo today and thought we could compare labs, I am not to far behind, I had my RAI on 12/14/12:
2/19/13 Still Hyper – not taking anything
FT4 – 1.7 (Range 0.8-1.5)
TSH – <0.005 (Range 0.358-3.74)
FT3 – 5.4 (Range 1.8-4.6)4/4/13 WAY HYPO put on 75 mg. Synthroid and two Synthroid just on Thursdays which equals 88 mg. of Synthroid per day.
FT4 – 0.3 (Range – 0.8-1.5)
TSH – 50.6 (Range – 0.358-3.74)
FT3 – 5.4 (Range 1.8-4.6)6/11/13 Hypo increased Synthroid to 100 mg.
FT4 – 1.0 (Range 0.8-1.5)
TSH – 15.4 (Range 0.358-3.74)
FT3 – 2.2 (Range 1.8-4.6)At least my TSH has come down, sheesh. Not happy about 15 lbs. weight gain, my endo (who I really like) said “”we talked about this, you don’t realize how sick and gaunt you were”. I had a-fib with a heart rate of 180 bpm and was hospitalized for two weeks. Anyway, I am much better than I was, but keeping an eye on my Cortisol level, I think its on the low side, Iron was good, so I am trying to be my own advocate as well and read everything I can. We are still working on adjusting my Synthroid also. So we are trying 100 mg for 6 weeks.
in reply to: Double-barrel good news ! #1179802awesome news Bills, good luck with your hernia surgery!!!
Be well and continued health!!
Karen
I have a question, has your heart rate every been 180 bpm? Have you gotten swollen calves and feet? Do you have eye issues? Do you suffer from tremors that you can barely write or hold a cup of tea? Do you sleep most of the time and can barely move? Do you ever suffer from barely making it to the bathroom due to hyper digesting issues? I ask these questions because I wonder how you deal with the hyper symptoms on a daily basis? Do you work full-time and have a family?
Just curious,
Karen
Suzanne, I have thought the same things. I am very happy with my endo and had RAI on 12/6/12. I was pretty sick with Graves Disease to the point I was so weak I could barely stand up. I went hypo in April and, of course, feel much better than I did being hyper. When I think back to being hospitalized for two weeks and the “state” I was in, it was scary. My dad and sister had hypothyroidism and my sister suffers from rheumtoid arthritis, so I know there has to be a family history connection. I continue to read everything I can regarding diet, etc, to help the auto immune part of this disease. I never knew MS, Lupus, Leaky Gut Syndrome Diabetes, were all auto immune diseases. I can honestly say when I eat better, I feel better, working full-time and trying to manage this disease is a chore in itself, as you all well know. To have a support group such as this one to bounce ideas off of and try knew things is both comforting and helpful. I take Vitamin D3, Magnesium, Biotin, and Centrum per my endo, I was lacking the Vitamin D and Magnesium terribly to the point they were giving me Magnesium via IV in the hospital. I have totally cut out caffeine and only drink water or organic tea. I had the same bathroom issues that Boomer has kept us laughing about, but I didn’t know that it was because my body was so hyper as I was eating it digesting my food so fast…well we all know what happens after that (thanks Boomer for explaining the “walk” to us and no wonder my cholesterol numbers were so good, sheesh. My cardiologist told me that because people lose so much weight being hyper and I have to say weighing 125 lbs and back to a size 4 was awesome, the 180 bpm heart rate was not fun and was scarier than ****. My cardiologist said that people will not come back because they are so happy with the weight loss, they ignore the damage it is causing the heart. As tempting as the thought of remaining a size 4 was, the risk of dying trumped those thoughts. So I welcome any good eating ideas and continue my quest to feeling better.
in reply to: (1) progression? And (2) nutrition? #1179702James, good for you!!!! Even though I had RAI, I agree with you everyone has to make their own decisions on what is best for them. I also thought I ate pretty healthy but have been more dedicated with it as of late, no caffeine, no chocolate or fast food. Lots of salads and lean chicken, trying to stay away from red meat, etc. (You never bugged me, it was a pleasure to help a fellow Graves patient!). Keep us posted on how things are going!!
Karen
in reply to: (1) progression? And (2) nutrition? #1179700Hi Keira,
I too have Graves and had RAI on 12/14/12 so I am also new to this. I can only speak from my own experience. I eat no fast food, and try to eat as healthy as I can, no specific diet, I do not use salt and watch my salt intake, no caffeine or chocolate, lots of vegtables and good protein, limit the amount of meat to maybe 1 time per week. No junk food or candy, I have switched to organic tea and only water. I never drank diet pop (cannot stand the taste) and would much rather drink water. Once in a blue moon I will have decaf coffee. Hope this helps.
Karen
in reply to: Gabe’s Total Thyroidectomy Journal – 5/31/13 #1179602Karen, so good to hear from you and glad that you are doing well!!!
Karen
in reply to: A Bad OMG day, not getting better #1179686Ann, the reason I love my endo is that he is all business. One morning they were taking my blood at 5:30 AM and he came in and said “my orders are for 4:00 AM not 5:30 AM”, he wasn’t mean to the IV therapy girl but definitely firm! Maybe if your husband has you admitted to the hospital they can get the ball rolling already. How is your heart rate?
in reply to: A Bad OMG day, not getting better #1179684Dear Ann, oh boy do I remember feeling that way just a few months ago. I had all the same symptoms (at first I thought it was menapause, I’m 57), I too enjoyed the weight loss, but the insomnia, sweating, muscle wasting, on and on was too much. I ran to my first endo appointment during my lunch hour, he took one look at me and said I am hospitalizing you, today! My heart rate was 180 bpm and I was in a-fib. I was admitted 12/6/12 and had the RAI on 12/14/12. I love my endo, he had my blood drawn every morning at 4:00 AM and was at the hospital at 6:00 AM, seven days a week, he answered all of my questions and my families questions. My endo kept me in the hospital for 3 days after my RAI for the thyroid dump. When I finally went home it took a good two months of ups and downs before thing began to turn around and this April I went hypo and began Synthroid. My endo said my liver enzymes were slightly elevated (probably from the statin meds for cholesterol) and he would not give me the anti-thyroid meds prior to RAI. He did put me on a steroid and the cardiologist had me on Lopressor and Digoxcin to bring my heart rate down. I still have days that I do not feel well, but at least now I can go up and down the stairs, I can sleep and I am not sticking my head in the freezer!
Karen
Barbra, I had my RAI right away also, I was diagnosed on 12/6/12 and had the RAI on 12/14/12. My heart rate was 180 bpm and I was hospitalized for two weeks because of all of it. I wanted the insomnia, fatigue, rapid heart beat all to stop!!! I agree with you about wanting to get it done!
in reply to: How to talk with friends/family about Graves’ #1179656Hi misslex, my name is Karen, I am 57 years old and was diagnosed with Graves Disease on 12/6/12. Please know this site helps with venting our frustrations and answering questions, it is a big help to know that you are not alone. My belief is knowledge is power, I bought every book I could on Graves Disease/ Hyperthyroidism and read, read, read. I wanted to be informed and understand what was ahead for me. My story is, I had lost 30 lbs over a few months and my husband was getting worried, my family ambushed me and dragged me to the docs who ran a bunch of blood work and immediately got me in to see an endo who immediately hospitalized me that day! Talk about being freaked out! My heart rate was 180 bpm. I was hospitalized for two weeks and received RAI on 12/14/12. It was up an down for awhile but I can honestly say that now I am feeling much better than I did. I went hypo in April and started on Synthroid. My husband has been there for me 100%!! Quite frankly, I don’t set high expectations with friends or co-workers because when people look at me I don’t look sick, but not feeling well, dizziness, headaches, extreme fatigue are not visible signs so people do not really understand all that is going on. Talking that through with your therapist is a great idea! I too was scared of what Graves would bring. I weighted 120 lbs at my sickest and probably put 12 lbs. back on and trust me, I eat a salad and yogurt every day for lunch. I went into my endos office and said “this is not happening, you need to fix it”. hah! Some people do not convert T4 to T3 and might need to add Cytomel which is my next speech when I go to the endo. You have to be your own advocate, read, ask questions, get copies of your labs, speak up. You will be amazed at how strong you will be when YOU are in control. I personally have not had any eye issues as of yet, so if you do not, don’t fret about what might happen. You will learn a lot from this site and there are people who bring great humor (boomer comes to mind), that will make you smile and feel better. We are all in the same place you are, lean on us for support!
-
AuthorPosts
