[Kimberly]

in reply to: Thyroid regrowth after “total” thyroidectomy #1185768

Hello and welcome – wow, that has to be incredibly frustrating to go through at 17. Graves’ *can* recur after thyroidectomy or RAI if there is living tissue left behind. This is a case study that appears really similar to your situation – where the surgeon specifically made the decision to leave a tiny amount of tissue behind in order to avoid laryngeal nerve injury.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6988647/

We are fellow patients here, so can’t tell you which choice to make, although hopefully, others who have had a similar experience will chime in. You might also check out our groups on Facebook (search for @GDATF and then click “Join Group” in the top right-hand corner) or on oneGRAVESvoice.com – as those forums tend to be more active than this one.

[Kimberly]

in reply to: In remission from Graves’ with symptoms of hypothroidism #1185762

Hello and welcome! We’re fellow patients here and can’t give medical advice, but is there any chance that you could get an appointment via telemedicine with your primary? It’s true that hypothyroidism can actually push cholesterol higher – in fact, medical guidelines recommend that if someone has a brand new diagnosis of high cholesterol that you check their thyroid first to see if that’s the real problem! This might be a “watch and wait” situation to see if your TSH increases further, but it’s important to get advice from an expert.

[Kimberly]

in reply to: Getting regulated after thyroidectomy #1185760

This is great news – thanks for the update!

[Kimberly]

in reply to: Getting regulated after thyroidectomy #1185758

Hello – as Liz1967 noted, your body needs some time to heal, and you will need some time (a few weeks) to figure out if this dose of thyroid hormone replacement is right for you.

Thyroid dysfunction itself can mimic symptoms of depression or anxiety disorder, but sometimes there *is* another underlying condition that can benefit from separate treatment. This is an older video (link below), but one of our most popular on “The Emotional Aspect of Graves'” – hopefully, it will be of interest.

[Kimberly]

in reply to: Thyroid Cancer #1185754

Hello – For patients who are considered low risk, RAI is not always recommended after thyroidectomy. Your doctor is the best person to help assess your risk and determine next steps. ThyCa (website is thyca.org) is a great organization that provides general resources on thyroid cancer.

Wishing you all the best as you recover from surgery!

[Kimberly]

in reply to: New to this and need advice!! #1185749

Hello and welcome – The experience with methimazole is very individual. Many patients end up doing well on a low dose, while others experience side effects or have issues getting stabilized.

One thought is whether you got a definite diagnosis of Graves’ disease, as you can have elevated T3/T4 and suppressed TSH for other reasons. (For example, the early stages of Hashimoto’s or an overactive nodule.) Antibody testing (TSI or TRAb) can help point you in the right direction.

[Kimberly]

in reply to: Newly Diagnosed and not doing well #1184645

Hello and welcome – You might also try the PM feature, as members don’t always check back here once they are feeling better!

This article might be of interest – it was written by someone who is a Graves’ patient herself, and also happens to be a teacher. It was written more for younger students, but some of the tips are good for students of all ages!

https://www.gdatf.org/about/about-graves-disease/patient-education/students-graves/

That’s a tough call to push through or delay, especially since having thyroid levels out of balance can affect both energy levels and concentration. Do you have a faculty advisor that you can talk to?

[Kimberly]

in reply to: Is there best practice Treatment for Toxic Multi nodular Goiter #1185740

Hello – Looks like AZGravesGuy responded on your other post.

This info will also hopefully be of interest – it’s from the American Association of Endocrine Surgeons. (You will need to scroll down to see all the topics.)

https://collectedmed.com/index.php/directory/Coach_directory/articlelist/13075

[Kimberly]

in reply to: Is there best practice Treatment for Toxic Multi nodular Goiter #1185738

Hello – The American Thyroid Guidelines note that: “We suggest that patients with overtly TMNG or TA be treated with RAI therapy or thyroidectomy. On occasion, long-term, low-dose treatment with MMI may be appropriate.”

You can read the full document here – the section on TMNG is about halfway down.

https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/thy.2016.0229

[Kimberly]

in reply to: Insomnia with Toxic Multinodular Goiter-hyperthyroid #1185734

Hello – Most patients do see resolution of symptoms once levels are in the normal range, but this can take some time, especially if you were hypER for a while.

Some patients *do* have symptoms with suppressed TSH, even if T3/T4 are normal.

Insomnia is SO frustrating, so definitely mention this to your doctor. The more specific you can be, the better. Are you having trouble falling asleep because your mind is racing? Or are you waking up repeatedly? Or all of the above?

Also consider “sleep hygiene” – here are some tips from Cleveland Clinic:

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/12119-insomnia/prevention

[Kimberly]

in reply to: Webinar on 4/24: “Graves’ Disease, Thyroid Eye Disease, & COVID-19.” #1185732

Registration is up! Please see the link below for details. Hope you can make it!

https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/262482419091403019?source=GDATF+email,+social+media,+newsletter

[Kimberly]

in reply to: Toxic multinodular goiter #1185730

Hello and welcome – hopefully, others will chime in here. My understanding is that you do have the same three treatment options with toxic multinodular goiter, except that the RAI dosing with TMNG is designed to alleviate the hyperthyroidism, not to destroy the entire thyroid gland and induce hypOthyroidism (which is the goal for patients with Graves’).

[Kimberly]

in reply to: No symptoms? #1185726

Hello and welcome – For some patients, symptoms *do* come on gradually, and after getting a diagnosis, they start putting together the puzzle pieces and realizing that symptoms that they’d written off to other causes (like stress) might have been Graves’ all along. (Issues like insomnia, rapid heart rate, tremors, irritability, etc.). If you are having issues with the meds, definitely report this to your doctor for further guidance.

[Kimberly]

in reply to: Graves Disease and Radioactive Iodine Treatment #1185715

Hello – I remember when you were doing your senior project…time flies! Thanks so much for your support and for sharing your story. Hope that you are doing OK with school with all the closures.

Being consistent with meds is so key. I got into a routine where I put the meds out and pour a glass of water before I go to bed at night. Then I see the water & that’s a reminder to take the meds. A phone reminder might also be helpful.

Take care!

[Kimberly]

in reply to: Insight please #1185713

Hello and welcome – We are fellow patients here and can’t give medical advice…I wish I had more insight to offer for your situation. In normal times, we’d encourage you to contact your doctor about getting labs done to see if your dose needs to be adjusted. At this point, all I can say is to stay in touch with your doctor, especially if your symptoms worsen. (Perhaps they have a telemedicine option?) It will be a judgment call as to whether your need to get levels checked outweighs any risk of going out. (Especially if you are in a state with a shelter in place order. )

Wishing you all the best, especially with three little ones at home!

[Author]

Posts