[lammie]

in reply to: Taking 15mg of Methimazole/day…will this lead to weight gain? #1170555

Hi there

Just wanted to add a little bit of info on my weight since I was in a similar situation as you with no weight loss being hyper and kind of stable weight (size 10 AUS). When I was taking 2 pills a day, I didn’t really gain but when I took 3 later on I gained a small amount which I could see in my face in some photos I took. As 2 years went by, I went with RAI and hit hypo stage and I think I gained about 3-4kgs but then a few months later I was back to being hyper. However, I never really lost that extra kilos I gained (since I never did lose while being hyper) and now I’m a size 12. I was a bridesmaid in a wedding and so I was trying to look my best and prob reached 58kgs and after 1 year of RAI I think I went to 63kgs but it’s not that noticeable because I somehow feel like it’s more muscle gaining but yes some clothes did get tighter so I knew I had gained as well.

It’s strange because I thought I could lose weight if I was still a bit hyper but it’s quite hard. Anyways, I’m back on carbimazole for 1 month now and I’m 65kgs so trying to work out now. Even when I was 58kgs I wanted to lose more but now that I’m here now I just want to be 60 again! It’s so frustrating but oh wells. However, because it sounds like you have the eating habits and fitness right, I think you will do better as I kind of gave up exercising last year after another wedding where I was a bridesmaid and I didn’t reach my goal for that so it made me feel a bit down.

Good luck with everything!

[lammie]

in reply to: Success stories with RadioIodine treatment? #1169607

Hi All

I can’t believe it’s November already but when I had RAI, it was JAN and I was wishing 6months would fly by but of course, when you are going through this, every day is a struggle and it doesn’t seem like time is flying by at all. I may be one of the few out there, but I am actually still hyper after 10 months since having RAI. You must be thinking, oh dear this is terrible news right? For my case, it’s actually OK for me. I’m also one of the few that doesn’t lose weight from being hyper but I would say I’m a size 10/12 AUS size (28 yrs old). So of course I would like to be thinner but I guess the good thing is I kind of do eat a lot (stupid increased appetite) but I don’t generally gain or if I do gain it’s about 2-3 kgs max.

Anyways, I did reach hypo stage once and I gained maybe 4-5kgs and yet I became hyper again. So I had no idea what was going on but eventually I realised that I’m always going to be hyper unless I take another dosage. So after months and months of blood tests, I began to see that I was always hyper but I wasn’t that far off the proper range.

Basically, those months were the worst months of my life and I was really struggling but now that I’m here, I guess I am glad I went through all this and I am quite content with where I am now. I don’t believe I need to take another dosage and in a way it’s good also since I don’t take any medication at all and so I feel like I’m normal again.

I hope this helps others see that all we need is time and you just have to find something inside you to fight this because there were so many days where I wanted to give up and just cry and never go to work but I guess I had to say to myself "the world goes on without you and no one can see what is really going on inside". You do feel alone because it’s all internal feelings and not many really understand why you are feeling all edgy, nervous, anxious etc but I’m so happy the pain is over!!!

[lammie]

in reply to: New with Graves, considering meds RAI #1061464

Hey Alma
I’m 27 and got diagnosed Oct 2008. Back then I didn’t research GD as much so I wasn’t really aware of RAI until later. So firstly my endo got me to try the meds (carbimazole) for a year or so but I was always hyper. Once I went a bit hypo but then meds was reduced and went back to hyper. What I was told is that you’re meant to try the meds first to see if you go into remission. Since it wasn’t really working for me and this has been such a tough time, we finally got talking about RAI. So I finally did it Jan this year. So my decision to do it was because it’s probably the next option after meds and I had bad anxiety and so I needed to do something quick!

Nothing happened to my vocal cords and I would say I’m still kind of the same person but just someone struggling to deal with this. I did hit hypo stage and gained around 3/4kgs and started taking thyroxine, however, he gave me a dose too high and I went back to hyper. So 6 months has passed now and bad news for me still is that I’m still hyper. It’s because everything is such a slow process you basically are always changing your meds around and everything needs time and then you do your blood tests. Although this does sound negative, I do not regret taking this road. It just sucks that my endo gave me a higher dose coz I probably was close to being balanced. Right now I’m not taking any meds because I’m still waiting for the thyroxine to get out of my system but I do have to say that I am not as hyper as before so I actually feel almost "normal". Basically after RAI you hit the "dumping" stage and that’s when your symptoms are out to play and it is serious struggle town from there. But afterwards you do eventually feel better and I feel like I’m a month or 2 max away from being completely balanced.

Good luck on your road to recovery! You just have to remain positve and stay strong and know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel…coz I really could have let myself gone downhill but you just can’t with GD.

[lammie]

in reply to: The past 2 days I can’t stop crying #1061795

Hi Suz01
I had RAI in Jan also and I went hypo after 2 months BUT I’m having my doubts if I really did because I am still hyper…it totally sucks indeed. I mean I did gain 4kgs and had fatigue which are hypo symptoms and then after taking the thyroid drug for a month I was back hyper again so now my dose has gone down. However, right now I know I’m still hyper and it’s very frustrating. It’s making me wonder if I got to the hypo symptoms because of the Carbimazole pills I was taking instead of the RAI actually killing enough but of course only time will tell and it’s just a whole lot of waiting around.

I had a breakdown from dealing with this all and there have been so many times I wanted to cry but I hold it in and I say to myself ok I’ll have a cry when I get home but then actually I’m too busy wanting dinner that I forget to have my cry and I guess I eventually was able to control my emotions a bit more, but I definitely still feel pretty down. It’s so hard especially since I have so much anxiety which I’m so sick of dealing with. If you do feel fatigue I think you might be heading towards there because I never got that until that stage so fingers crossed you are close! Just wished that I got given a smaller dose instead of a higher one because I’d rather not be hyper ever again.

[lammie]

in reply to: Young Woman with Graves’ (Getting Worse?) #1061919

Hi there

I got GD at 25 and I’m 27 now and basically I was kind of ok but my anxiety came out more last year and I was also taking 2 tablets a day. Anyways I decided to do RAI in Jan this year and for me my anxiety went worse (due to the dumping stage) but I definitely know that when I had finally headed towards Hypo stage, my anxiety was gone. However, my anxiety is back because the thyroid pill I took for a month got me back to overactive so now my dosage has been reduced. So anyways, going through this whole experience, I thought it was all in my head as well and I would freak out over things I never used to. Like seriously, why would I be scared of going to a meeting at work yet there I was sitting there freaking out inside and had to run out twice cause I was really anxious! And I thought – well this never used to happen to me so what is going on because I’m taking pills etc. But that’s because I was always Hyper so each time my levels have gone down, my anxiety did too.

I’m still at the waiting stage for my levels to go normal which is very hard to deal with but I know I’m really close. Basically, I’m not saying that your anxiety is only there cause you’re still Hyper (because any type of trauma will bring that out which you just recently had to deal with) but if you know inside that in normal situations you wouldn’t really get anxious but now you do, then I think it’s because you’re still Hyper. And for you to have gone from 6 pills to 2 days could also be a difference. Hope this helps!

[lammie]

in reply to: New and have many questions #1062164

hello! i was relieved to see from the post above that you could feel a difference after a week of taking synthroid because i had RAI in Jan and went hypo about 2/3 months later and then took thyroxine for a month but i was still overactive. So now I’m on a lower dosage since friday and I’m just hoping that i feel a difference within 2 weeks at least since the stupid anxiety came back! i was feeling so strong after 3months (before that was killer for me) and my anxiety was gone basically but i knew i was feeling a bit uneasy & edgy lately and so after seeing my results, it all made sense! so i do feel like i’m back to square one again dealing with the "dumping" stage which is the worst! They say it takes roughly 6months for the RAI to be fully effective so i know i am so close which is what is making me get through all this a tad easier because i am sooooo close. Just want these 2 weeks to go by quicker of course but we all know how long everything takes with GD. it’s all good i can do this! ” title=”Wink” />

[lammie]

in reply to: 4 weeks post RAI and still hyper #1062370

Hi there, I wrote to your other post yesterday but just wanted to ask if you were still taking any pills after your RAI? For me, I took 3 x Carbimazole 2 days after RAI for a month, then down to 2 when endo said it seems to be working. I never got off those pills until I became hypo which is now. (9 weeks on) So I do think it will work if you go back to those 2 pills.

[lammie]

in reply to: RAI Scheduled for tomorrow #1062498

Hi again, no problem hope all goes well with your recovery. For me, I probably only just gained that weight 1-2 weeks ago but I basically still had hyper symptoms. I did get exhaustion here & there but not enough to think I had turned hypo. So I actually didn’t being to "feel" that I was becoming hypo (only from seeing the weight gain in my face). So at my appt, it wasn’t a surprise to learn I did go hypo and so he put me on Thyroxine one tablet every morning. I was on 2 pills of Carbimazole for a month (and 3 pills 2 days after RAI). So the first appt I had after RAI was about 4 weeks and he could see it was working and then told me to go down to 2 pills so I think that’s what helped me get to hypo stage. It doesn’t really make sense but you basically go hypo with hyper symptoms still mixed in with some weight gain LOL.

Hoping I feel a bit more normal by the end of the week as it is day 4 of my new medication.

[lammie]

in reply to: RAI Scheduled for tomorrow #1062496

Hi there

I’ve never responded so much in my life to a forum but this is my 4th response today as you will see above it’s all me at the top with latest replies. I did RAI 9 weeks ago, so happy I did it and I have hit hypo stage. Taking the new pill now and just hoping things keep getting better. For me, 1st month was really hard with the anxiety but it’s different for everyone, and gained around 3kgs I think. Please read any of the above for more info.

[lammie]

in reply to: So tired of this #1062439

Hi, I just responded to a post above (I think the subject line is post rai – changing symptoms) anyways I basically am letting others know that I went to hypo stage 9 weeks after RAI so maybe you were almost there but you weren’t supposed to get off those meds. I was on 2 Carbimazole and now I am hypo. Please have a read if you like.

[lammie]

in reply to: Feel like I’m going nuts….advice please #1062388

Hi there, I’m so sorry to hear about your situation. I wrote a post here under "oh anxiety how you love popping up all the time" it’s on page 2 somewhere…it’s a little similar to your situation coz I basically was struggling with anxiety bad and yes it’s ever since having graves.

I’m unsure why the RAI didn’t work for you but the only difference I see with your situation & mine is that you did your RAI 2 months after you were diagnosed and I basically had Graves for 2 years first and then finally took it. It’s also strange that your levels are normal, but I definitely think it was the thyroid that gave me anxiety. I started to think it was a whole mind thing where it was me making me anxious (yes in some ways) but it has been 9 weeks since my RAI and my anxiety is basically gone. It kind of just appeared a little bit 2 weeks ago but I have hit the hypo stage now.

For me, I needed to take something just to hope it would work. I took Deralin (propanthenol) after RAI but I guess it didn’t really do much but I still took it until last Friday which is when I had my appt and he said I’m hypo and I’m now taking Thyroxine. A lot of people do suggest to talk to someone about it and I think I would have but I started to get stronger about 6 weeks post RAI.

Knowing that feeling of anxiety, I probably would go ahead with the prescription pills. I think people get worried that they’ll get addicted to them so I guess that’s just a warning. But with me, I think if it got that bad I was willing to do anything! Have a read with any of my posts and let me know if you want to know anything else.

[lammie]

in reply to: Post RAI and having changing symptoms #1062384

Hi there

I logged in today planning on writing a new post regarding Post RAI & getting to hypo stage for those to let others know what’s going on with me. So after reading your post, I decided to reply here as my case is a little similar.

So I had RAI 21 Jan so 9 weeks on and I have hit hypo stage. My anxiety was really bad for that first month, I was having really bad days and I was trying so hard to be strong about it and kept thinking that I need to control my anxiety myself. I basically had to work out ways to control it on the bus & at meetings and when I thought I overcame it, something would trigger it back (like the bus not having aircon and it’s summer for Australia or being in a meeting and then more people joined in so I felt a bit panicky). Anyways I had to think to myself, you know what, if I get anxious I’m just going to have to leave the meetings (and I did in that above example). And basically I stopped catching the bus too. That actually relieved so much of my stress that it made my days easier.

Finally, I hit about 6weeks after RAI and I definitely felt stronger and everything started feeling more natural again. I went to my company’s quarterly year talks which is in a big room and there are a lot of people. I figured I probably would have to leave but so be it, if I feel anxiety I would leave. However, it didn’t come to me and there were so many instances when my mind wandered and this is usually when anxiety would come into effect but no it just got pushed away. I finally thought wow this is what it felt like to be "normal" again. It was a great moment!

So 9 weeks on and I had my appt last Friday and my results showed me being hypo. I started Thyroxine on Sat morning (totally felt like crap because I was so exhausted and it took me hours to recover after eating breakfast), but today is Monday and I’m at work and I’m feeling ok. I think I gained roughly 3kgs but it seems to be more in the face and was noticeable by others (I never had weight loss as a symptom from being hyper but I’m not overweight). So hoping the weight loss will magically disappear on its own now hehe. Endo thinks I should start to feel normal within a week but who knows.

Another thing is, my anxiety did appear a little bit 2 weeks ago when I went to the Usher concert. I had seats but I think I kept imagining myself in the crowd and that no way would I be able to handle that scenario. Then I kept thinking about this festival concert coming up in April and it’s like standing all day in the heat for 8 hours so I now think I can’t do it and my bro is buying my ticket. So basically I am still a bit jittery and uneasy even though I’m hypo now but it must just all be from the changes in me and I’m just unsure of what’s going to happen.

To end off, I am really glad I have hit hypo stage so that I can begin this next stage. It is definitely a slow process and a HUGE waiting game but we must be strong and then you do realise the weeks go by and you’re getting there you know. It’s never easy of course, but I am happy to be in this stage right now. Hope this will help others!

[lammie]

in reply to: oh anxiety…you just love popping up all the time! #1062734

Hello to anyone interested…

So it’s been nearly 6 weeks since i’ve had RAI and I was battling with very bad anxiety and I thought I would let people know that I am feeling so much stronger. Things are finally looking up for me and it feels great to go to work every day hardly feeling any anxiety. I had a really bad day 2 weeks ago when I had 2 meetings and a farewell lunch and plenty of anxiety. I blame some of it on the heat though, it has been over 30degrees over here continuously. I basically had to leave the meeting twice and it was a full struggle sitting there. I also decided to just stop catching the bus which has eliminated that stress every morning & arvo so because that’s gone I start the day not having felt any anxiety.

I’ve also decided to say to myself "whatever, if I need to leave the meeting, who cares and just leave the meeting"…it worked for me twice now and I was able to cope with 2 different work meetings and stayed put! I just make sure I’m near the door or I stand further back to others. I’m eating better but I do let loose on the weekends! It’s not like I’ve eliminated the feeling of being gassy but I am able to control it better which therefore means I’m not afraid anymore and hence anxiety is not there.

Yesterday I did get caught in traffic because my suburb had a thunderstorm where trees & signs fell down so I felt quite suffocated and freaked out for a second but I decided to turn around and go home a different route which I got caught up again but I was more familiar with this area and was able to keep calm. So if I had to go through this a few weeks ago, I definitely know I wouldn’t have been able to cope as well as I did yesterday.

So for those who are struggling…it will get better as the weeks go by! Oh and my endo said the RAI is definitely working when he read my blood results to me so yay!!!

[lammie]

in reply to: oh anxiety…you just love popping up all the time! #1062733

Thanks guys, all your comments are really helping me. I’m so over the summer actually LOL but I guess once I hit hypo symptoms and feel the cold, it’ll probably be winter by then and I’ll be waiting for summer!

I think I started realising a few weeks back that I was going to have to fight the anxiety myself. I really thought the beta blocker did most of the work though but after 2 weeks, I realised that I can’t rely on them to fix my anxiety. It is a mind thing and I think I’m getting there with taking control of it. On friday, when I felt something coming on while I was on the bus I got real angry at myself because I was getting sick of feeling it and I was able to shake it off. And this morning’s bus ride I felt something come on again but I kept chanting to myself shake it off, shake it off and it worked! So I think I have to do some mind tricks but gee it is hard work and I just get annoyed that I have to do this because how can my mind take over like that?

I’ve decided to reduce eating foods with dairy and at work I’m going to avoid my usual lunches I get, so I hope this will help with my other problem.

[lammie]

in reply to: oh anxiety…you just love popping up all the time! #1062729

Thank you so much for your reply. I am definitely considering changing my food intake. I do notice I feel discomfort when eating dairy products so I have been avoiding coffee, yoghurts & breakfast drinks but I do eat a lot of cheese on a regular basis. So maybe my digestive system doesn’t agree to them. I just noticed more lately that when I start to feel uncomfortable, that’s when anxiety appears for me which makes it harder to control.

I guess I will tackle the weight issue when it happens, I’m not overweight at the moment but I notice with exercise I’m basically just maintaining my weight. So I just hope it won’t be impossible to lose any when I turn hypo. Fingers crossed I guess.

I am so sick of these hyper symtoms…it’s exactly 3 weeks today and I hope things will change real soon for me! Anxiety is kililng me!!! arghhh

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