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Barbra, sounds like a plan. I am happy they caught it at an early stage. Mine had gone on for awhile and I had developed a-fib which is what started my whole Graves diagnosis and journey. They always say then you just take a little pill and move along. Nothing is every that easy!!!
in reply to: Gabe’s Total Thyroidectomy Journal – 5/31/13 #1179595Karen, wishing you well tomorrow for your surgery, I will be thinking of you and saying a prayer for you. Everything will go well, keep a positive attitude, I try to remind myself of that everyday. Be well
Karen
Hi Caro, I am not a doctor but I personally believe every person needs to be there own advocate. I also believe that we each know in our gut what is the right thing for us to do or not do. I did not take anti-thyroid meds because I was also hospitalized for a-fib and had elevated liver enzymes so I was given RAI on 12/14/12. I went hypo in April but still not feeling the best I think I should be. My endo has me getting blood work every 4 weeks for TSH, Free T3 and Free T4 but this time on the long list that I give the lab work I checked the boxes for cortisol, calcitonin and iron because I want to know what my numbers are going to be. I am sure my endo will give me a hard time for doing that but hey, its my body and I am the one paying for the test. The moral of my story is that you need to do what you think is right. I have read where people have been on the same meds you have been for years and years, do their lab work and feel fine. So my advice “if ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. karen
in reply to: Just for Fun – The “Off Topic” Thread! #1177855Thanks for the nice uplifting stories! I can recommend two good books Lone Survivor by Marcus Luttrell and American Sniper by Chris Kyle. I am a SEALs, FBI, CIA enthusiast. Those two books are true stories, when I get down in the dumps and feel sorry for myself, after reading those books-it gives me a new perspective.
in reply to: Anti inflammatory diet #1178792Stymie, I too have been trying to do the same thing, as the saying goes, knowledge is power, I gave up caffeine, chocolate, fried foods, etc. I try to cook and eat as healthy as I can. There are alot of thyroid books who give great recipes on doing just that. It is not a diet, but a clean way of eating. I switched to organic caffeine free hot and cold teas, and do not miss coffee at all! My family doesn’t complain either. Karen
in reply to: So what was your Graves story…. #1179283Hi bigad, my story is similar to yours but I had let it go (not knowing of course) and my family dragged me to the docs because I had lost 30 lbs. and slept all the time (after working all day). Long story short, was referred to an endo (who is awesome) my heart rate was 180 bpm and I was in a-fib and he admitted me to the hospital. I was diagnosed with Graves Disease. They spent a week trying to get my heart rate down and on 12/14/12 I was given RAI, my endo did not want to start me on ADTs prior to the RAI b/c my liver enzymes were slightly elevated (most probably due to statins for cholesterol), he told me my dose of RAI was not a high dose but he kept me in the hospital because of the thyroid dump, when I was released my heart rate fluctuated through February but never went over 130 bpm. In April, I went hypo and started low dose 75 mg of Synthroid, am still not feeling 100% but I am way better than I was when I was hyper, no more tremors, heart rate is usually between 50-70, less insomnia, but still not optimal. Have good and bad days. Put about 12 lbs. back on (not happy about that). I am careful with my diet, no caffeine, no chocolate. Good luck to you on your journey and feel free to ask any questions. Karen
in reply to: Post-surgery pain questions #1179393Hi Boomer, I was diagnosed with Graves Disease on 12/6/12. Quick background, the few months prior to the diagnosis, I had lost 30 lbs., weighed about 120 lbs. (not complaining, was happy to buy a size 4 pair of jeans!!!!) I am 57 years old, I would fall asleep as soon as I got home from work, I was exhausted, had muscle loss and tremors in hands and legs I shook all the time. When my family dragged me to the docs and I had blood work done my thyroid meds were “out of whack”, when I went to see the referred endo (who I actually like) my heart rate was 180 bpm. He immediately hospitalized me because of my heart rate, spent two weeks in the hospital, blood draws every day, ugh, then on 12/14/12 received a low dose of RAI, endo kept me in hospital because of the thyroid dump that would occur, he wanted to monitor along with my cardiologist. Probably the first 3 months still had elevated heart rate bit not over 130. I was on Lopressor and Digoxcin and the blood thinner Pradaxa. I just went hypo about a month ago, put on 75 mg of Synthroid to start. Happy to say that my heart rate now is between 50-70, still on Pradaxa, endo thinks that the a-fib was due to the thyroid and that it will get better with time and I will not need to be on the blood thinner.
Anyway, was wondering how severe your symptoms are, I see that your on anti-thyroid and a beta blocker, I couldn;t take the anti-thyroid meds because of slightly elevated liver enzymes (probably from cholesterol meds), it was horrible being hyper and scary I might add. Now that I am “hypo”, put about 12 lbs. back on (not happy about that) but I do feel achy in hands/ankles/ any my joints, family history of arthritis and rheumotoid arthritis. Are you considering TT? Its still early and I know it will take awhile for me to feel better but I feel better than I did being hyper. Just wondering what your day to day issues are.
in reply to: Another “what do you do?” question #1179228Sue, my bloodwork requires “not fasting” but my endo usually checking my TSH, free T3 and free T4
in reply to: Diagnosed @ 49 y/o #1179130@ Boomer, I must also add that along with the Lopressor the cardiologist had me on Digoxcin to help slow my hear rate, even when I was released from the hospital my heart rate would range from 100-130, it took until March of 2013 to go back to the 60’s and 70’s bpm. After all this I know immediately when my heart rate goes up even just a little. They have me on the MMI only if my heart rate goes above 70 which is rare these days and is usually after a stressful day at work or home. It will take awhile for you to feel better but I too quit smoking two years ago and am very careful about what I eat, there are alot of good books out there (I had horrible insommnia and could go days with very little sleep) so I read everything I could about Graves and hyperthyroidism. I might also add at the hospital the cardiologist put me on Pradaxa, a blood thinner, because of the a-fib it could cause blood clots. My endo thinks and I tend to agree that the a-fib is temporary because of the Graves and hyperthyroid issues. If you have any questions about what I went through I would be glad to help or answer any questions relative to my experience.
in reply to: Diagnosed @ 49 y/o #1179129Hi Boomer, I was much like you. I had lost about 30 lbs over 3 or 4 months, frequent bathroom trips (which I was told by the endo that being hyper your body is in such high speed that it metabolizes everything so fast, hence I was in the bathroom after I took a few bites of food), I had no appetite but the little that I did it caused an immediate dash to the bathroom. My cholesterol dropped also which relates to the same issue. When my primary care doc said my thyroid numbers were out of wack and I went to see the endo he hospitalized me that afternoon. My heart rate was 180 bpm and I had a-fib. I was in the hospital for two weeks, during that two weeks the cardiologist had me on massive doses of Lopressor to try and stabilize and protect my heart because of all the thyroid hormone in my blood stream. I have an awesome endo who had my blood drawn every morning at 4:00 AM and was at the hospital 7 days a week by 6:00 AM to read the results and proceed accordingly. I had slightly elevated liver enzymes and he did not want to me on anti-thyroid meds so he kept me in the hospital because he said it was the safest place for me so I could be monitored. I was admitted on 12/6/12 and on 12/12/12 I received RAI, he also kept me in the hospital another 4 days to monitor me because he was concerned for me over the thyroid dump. It is now May and I converted to hypo about a 3 weeks ago. I was diagnosed with Graves Disease the first day and being hyperthyroid was scary. I cannot say enough about the great care I received from my endo and the staff at the hospital!!!! I live in a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio so if anyone wants the name of my endo I will be happy to send it to them.
in reply to: How long until the RAI treatment starts to work? #1178752Hi, had my RAI on 12/12/12 and did not go hypo until mid-April 2013. Still had the ups and downs early on, my endo wanted me to take Tapozole beginning in March, 5 mg. to speed things along, but we decided to give it one more month and sure enough I went hypo in that month without the meds. It will happen soon, I know being patient is difficult after all we had been through.
Karen
in reply to: Can stress set you back? #1178901Hi Flora, I am happy to hear your husband is doing better. I personally think stress never helps the situation and my body usually feels worse on those days. I try to remember to only worry about today and not think ahead, take a deep breath and move forward. It is definitely not easy, there are days I feel great but other days l don’t feel so good. I was diagnosed 12/6/12, had resting heart rate of 180 bpm and all the hyper signs, was diagnosed with Graves, had RAI on 12/14/12 and just recently went hypo and started synthroid. My endo who I really like said that it will take awhile and be tricky adjusting my meds but try and be patient, so I am trying to be patient. All the best to you.
in reply to: Thyroid Supplement: Bioidentical hormones #1178536@raristy, I am by far no expert on any of this, but have you had her adrenals checked for fatigue and cortisol? I have read people with those kind of symptoms sometimes need those monitored as well.
in reply to: Never Rains, but it pours! #1178516@vanillasky, I also have Graves and had RAI on December 12, 2012, I just turned hypo and will begin Synthroid today. I was at my family doctor yesterday for my regular pap test and she said said “oh you have a polyp”, you have to see a gyno and have it removed, they are usually non cancerous (1% are), but they like to remove them and the gyno can do it in the office (thank god for small favors). My point is that polyps can bleed, mine isn’t but they can so don’t worry until you see a doc. I too am 56 and post menopause with no gyno but I think I found one I like. Good Luck!!! Karen
in reply to: Few things to help you feel better. #1175508mvk, since being Diagnosed with Graves Disease and hyperthyroidism in December 2013 and having RAI, I too have changed my eating habits (drastically) trying not to put the 30 lbs I lost back on. Salads, fruit, chicken, trying to eat as healthy as possible, no fast food, always check salt, and I plan to sign up and try yoga for the first time, which at 57 will be no easy task but I am willing to try to de-stress.
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