[mamabear]

in reply to: anyont NOT have a bad taste with ptu? #1066233

PTU was nasty! I begged the dr. to give me something else. he laughed at me and said nope there isn’t anything else… I said well the drug company stinks(<—not the word i really used ” title=”Wink” /> ) and that they are out to get us because they don’t coat the pill.

The nurse said there was a coating on the pill …..oh i think she lied!!!! That pill is nasty and if i never have to take another one again it would be too soon!! LOL

My dh use to laugh at the faces I would make so I guess it was entertaining for some people without the disease!

[mamabear]

in reply to: the long haul #1066211

Hang in there !!! Yep it stinks that we can’t just fix it…
I sure know how to fix up a kid that is sick and needs mama..
I sure know how to fix up dh when he is sick in bed and has a fever..
I sure know how to fix up an animal if the need arises or any form of first aid…
I sure know how to make a huge meal out of not so many things and feed an army…

I was taught patience with this disease… and that helped me fix my mind and the way I look at others. You never know if that person that just bumped into you and yelled at you because they say it was your fault just got out of his dr’s office telling him he had something wrong… I look at everyone in a different light.

You’ll get there! Keep occupied by fixing other stuff and let the meds fix you! Be a good advocate to yourself and make sure if the dr isn’t doing what they should to find a new one!

[mamabear]

in reply to: Heartburn.. #1066240

You’re welcome! Hope it helps!

[mamabear]

in reply to: Understanding Grave’s Disease #1066244

I have nothing advice wise to add but wanted to say welcome and ((((((((((((((((((((hugs)))))))))))))))))))))

For having this disease at such a young age….. wow…. Take a deep breathe, you will get through this too. You know your body and you should fight for what goal you want with how you feel. Picking through dr’s till you find the right one is always OK!!!

[mamabear]

in reply to: Heartburn.. #1066238

I am the queen of Heartburn!!!!!!!!! I hate it and it hates me…. BuT i found my cure when it does happen.

I have had heartburn during PTU and every single pregnancy I have had. (4 kids for all 9months yep!!!)

I have found that the cheap stuff works just as well (for me). I ONLY use mint flavor or peppermint flavors. Mint of any kind even in a candy or a few sticks of gun will help heartburn. I also drink straight peppermint tea with nothing in it. The tea is also useful when trying to go to sleep. Chamomile tea also helps with going to sleep.

Propping head up like was already said and drinking either the tea or taking a few of the chewable tablets for heartburn. Personally I like the liquid store brand mint flavor but I will settle for the same in chewable form.

I didn’t want to use the prescription stuff as it takes a while. This liquid/chewables in mint work fairly fast.

Good strong cup of tea;
Boil water
Add tea bag
Steep for 3-5 minutes.
If you have an actual teapot, preheat the teapot(run hot water through it) while the hot water is on for a boil.
Add boiling water to teapot and add tea, one teabag will give you a good strong brew if you steep it about 5-10 minutes. If you prefer stronger than use two bags.

I do all of the above and have found that when in a rush i do one cup at a time, if not feeling well then I do a whole pot and just microwave it as I need it but at least it’s already ready for me for the day.

Good luck

[mamabear]

in reply to: Eye Floaters #1066297

Bobbi, my eye dr. said the same thing. Dr. is very very adamant about me not using any contacts due to the Graves’ disease even though I am in remission. He said that remission or not and knowing that GD doesn’t have anything to do wtih TED he said using the contacts might cause a problem and have something react and start something we dont want. so it’s glasses only for me, i never used contacts but was mad wehn I was told not at all.

He was the one who said that floaters are the particles that break down, some seem to "float" but it is really the shadow we see not the actual particle. Being on a computer screen, outside in the sun/blue skies are more common for them to be seen. If you have white ceilings or light colored ceilings or carpets, even on furniture it is more obvious to see them.

personally I play with mine….Yes I do! I found a new one a while back and went to dr. about it, we discussed trauma that might cause it and of course age. I had mine at a young age, we wont get into why but there was a new one so he explained what Bobbi said. New ones do fade but they will always be there, you might want to dim your computer screen or change the background.

Knowing they are there makes us aware and makes us want to see them and then we get mad and frustrated that they are there. I opted for just playing with them. lol

[mamabear]

in reply to: strabismus surgery #1066404

jake, is it hereditary? Is it an autoimmune disease? My ex had this and I want to know if it is something I have to watch my ds with .

[mamabear]

in reply to: Newly diagnosed, need to work out #1066329

Just saw what she wrote about thyroid and not being big. Maybe someone can research this a bit.

I too was told by the dr. that was Aw-SUM!! that my thyroid wasn’t big either and i should be able to achieve remission. That dr. had no clue that it would be so fast but he did say that thyroid was small and that seemed to mean something to him.

Hmmmmm

[mamabear]

in reply to: Newly diagnosed, need to work out #1066327

Let me try a different approach with you… ” title=”Smile” />

You say you were a cheerleader…
Then you know what disipline means
You know what support means
You know what doing the right thing is
You know what continuing to do what you have to to support your Team is
You know what hard work is to improve yourself so that you are "the" best
You also know what’s its like to stick your middle finger up when you were in high school during a game because you just didn’t like them(yes I was a jock, I played basketball and volleyball and yes I did do that! LOL)

Ok so those aren’t all of them but they are some things that you being an athlete should know… Sooooooo what does all this mean i bet you are thinking… Lets look at it again;

You say you were a cheerleader…
Then you know what disipline means You have to continue to eat well, stay hydrated, and take your medicine when you should

You know what support means Support your body by eating well, staying hydrated, taking your medicine and listening to your dr., you can not do the wrong things and still be supportive of your body and mind

You know what doing the right thing is YOu knew as a cheerleader and working with your team that you had to know your routine and do the right things in order to compete. If you didn’t your coach might kick you off the team and your teammates would be peeved at you… Well your body can’t konk out on you if you don’t do the right things. Your mind can get peeved real fast and not make the right choices if you stay ill. Doing the right thing means relaxing and listening to good advice and knowing that although your head is saying "i’m fine i can do it anyway" that you really need to listen to your dr.
You know what continuing to do what you have to to support your Team is This means that you can’t just stop when you wish or start working out hard when you feel like it. Getting the ok from your dr. is different than "feeling like" doing it yourself. It is HARD not to work out, and yes it stinks. Being competative and being told you can’t do things is hard for us to hear. But again, your team now is your body… do what you have to do to support your body

You know what hard work is to improve yourself so that you are "the" best Working hard is key in being the best you can be…. staying fit mentally is also key. Improve yourself BY getting your thyroid under control so that you CAN do the things you still did before it but in a healthier way and safer way.
Your heart depends on YOU to keep it safe and support it. No dr. will be able to do that, the dr’s can only tell you what to do and it’s up to you to fullfill that.
Just like if your coach said to get up on the pyramid and don’t fall off or everyone else would fall with you. You would make dang sure you didn’t fall and you did what you could to be the best and help your team. Well your body is your team, your heart racing and getting stressed out is all dependent on what YOU do, so treat it with respect just like you would treat your teammates with respect.

You also know what’s its like to stick your middle finger up when you were in high school during a game because you just didn’t like them(yes I was a jock, I played basketball and volleyball and yes I did do that! LOL)
This one is my favorite.. and it’s just for fun…. If you are like most of us that played any sports, you know that middle finger came up once or twice in your life because you were made at the opponant.
Well, Graves’ Disease is your opponent and you can stick your middle finger up at it and say hey I’m going to get better and kick your butt and win this game.

You ARE THE ONLY ONE who can do this. There is no dr. who can make you take care of your body, they only give strong advice. Don’t be stubborn, please don’t take that path. You will find it will only make your journey longer.
This is competition, YOU vs Graves’…..who do you want to win? I’d really like to see you doing the right things and you winning this!
We are here for support…

Welcome I’m mamabear..I hope you take the advice on here with all the caring that we truly mean from it.

Good luck to you dear.

[mamabear]

in reply to: Husband died of Graves #1066346

I am truly sorry and will pray that you and your son are looked after. I must say that what you did prior to his passing is special and something that my dh and I do everyday with our kids. We laugh and enjoy them as much as we can because we have 4 and well they are a handful. I hope it brings you peace to know that his last thoughts were of his little boy, his wife and family from that party. I think you are right, going further with questioning the dr. and his actions wont bring your husband back. May I ask if you informed the dr. of what happened to your husband at the time? If not you might want to, it might give the dr. some insight as to how to treat the next patient. Doesn’t have to be a bad thing, something good can come of it if he doesn’t know already.(in person would be best, just ask for 5 minutes of the dr’s time if not then over the phone)
Graves’ disease does tend to run in families so just keep a note in your sons health record with the pediatrician just in case later on in life he needs to be tested for anything like that.

As a patient of Graves’ disease it is very frustrating to not get answers, it’s such an unpredictable disease. 100 people can have it and 100 people can have 100 different ways of what is going on with them.
My mom thought I was hyperthyroid when I was a teenager, right before I got married (the 1st time), she had me tested at age 18 and all was well. All tests from 1992-1998 were fine. After that I didn’t have ins. so I didn’t get tested. I got the Flu in Nov 2000 and by Feb 2001 the thyroid levels finally showed that Hyperthyroidisim was there.
Just proves you can’t predict it and you just never know.

I cry for your pain and sorrow, I adore my husband and can not think what life would be like without him. We had a scare in December with him, he is only 44. I look at things very differently to begin with but this really hit me hard and everyday is a special day to me. KNowing what you did with your dh that night, means you both felt the same way about everyday being special and I hope you continue that and are able to heal from this and be able to raise your boy knowing that his mama is strong and although misses her husband will always keep him alive in her heart so your son knows what a good man he was.

There is nothing you could have done, I am sure you are feeling; "i could have made him gone to the dr. sooner", "I could have seen the signs sooner", "I should have known he wasn’t well"….
The answer is , NO you couldn’t have. You can’t make anyone go to the dr., dr’s themselves can’ predict this disease so you can’t feel that you can, we as women want to be hero’s but we just can’t be sometimes.
Dont’ second guess yourself, it was a horrible tragedy. But you didn’t cause it nor did you cause his death or could have done something more for him prior to his passing.
I am sure you have heard that from many people, I’m saying it because I’m not one of the dr’s, i’m not the ME(medical examiner), I’m not your family, or one of your close friends…They are expected to say those things, I’m just me someone who shares a common earth with you and shares that this disease is something that needs to be SEEN.

You post here anytime you wish. Things happen for a reason. Get involved and share your story where ever you go. YOu never know who it will help.

I am assuming from what you wrote that your son will be turning 2 this August/September. Is he a Leo or a Virgo? I ask because both my girls are Leo’s (July and august birthday’s), I’m a sept baby, i am a virgo. Just wondering if they share the same sign. Girl Leo’s are so different than boy Leo’s!
Prayers to you that you are able to take this and make something positive with it throughout life.

[mamabear]

in reply to: Went hypo..on levoxyl..when does it kick in? #1066738

[quote:2q5l9ed0]To get my head from pounding and my HR down I went back to dosing with beta blocker, motrin, and my other 1/2 of high blood pressure pill and an aspirin 2 hours later cuzz my head felt like I was going to stroke.[/quote:2q5l9ed0]

Please make sure you get the ok from your dr. for this if you haven’t already. Med’s can interact with eachother so letting them know what is going on and what you have on hand will help them determine what you should take.

[mamabear]

in reply to: strabismus surgery #1066398

I don’t mean to but in here but I have to ask this…
What exactly is Strabismus? My ex husband has this surgery after trying many different things including prisms in his glasses is what i think he said. This man is my 1st child’s dad so I like to keep track of things that happen to him. Fortunately any information I give him he is grateful for.
Thanks for any info

[mamabear]

in reply to: Thanks to Graves’ #1066580

WAy to go! Sorry you had to go through this but so happy that this was caught and wow just wow!!! Keep us up to date !

[mamabear]

in reply to: Scared, frustrated could use help #1066543

I have to agree with cathym…….get daughter to a dr. (not the one she is going to since you can’t understand him to begin with) that will address postpartum issues AND thyroid issues. when was the last time her levels were checked? Should be every 4-6 weeks to make sure they are being maintained at proper levels.

Get the diet pills out of the house, tell Son in law to find them and flush them. They shouldn’t have that stuff around the baby anyway since she isn’t well enough to keep them out of the baby’s way.
Her levels might be making her overweight .
Your Son in law can have her put in hospital if nessesary, she wont like it but she is not herself. Her dr. isn’t monitoring her properly and his butt should be kicked to the curb. Find another dr. asap.

postpartum depression is a very serious and real thing, I have had 4 kids and my last one I remember feeling "off", she was a july baby and by october I finally told dh hey I need help please talk to me. He and I talked and it was literally all it took for me to come out of it. I was back to my old self and he was helping around the house and I was able to kick it before it got bad. MOST women can NOT do that. I have a very very special bond with my dh and I’m not saying that your dd doesn’t with her husband but her actions and mental state don’t reflect that just talking with her dh will be of any good.

Prayers that God’s hand is over all of you and that she gets the help she needs. Tell your son in law that it takes time with Graves’ disease AND with POstpartum depression to recover from it. He will need to be strong for his wife and child. It wont be easy on him, if he needs support to get it through church, family, come on here if he needs to get answers about thyroid issues. Tell him not to let him keep it bottled up inside, just let it out and move forward. That is what his wife needs right now even if she doesn’t want it.

I remember feeling like i had what we call the "crazies", it was bad but my dh caught me talking one day and said wait! You need to get to dr., i think your thyroid is screwed up. (i dont think he used screwed up but we’ll say that word anyway! lol) I went to dr. and my levels were bad, i felt so weird and was even in the car driving and I just knew something was bad.

She does not have the strength to do this so you and your son will have to advocate for her. Make sure you read anything the hospital gives you and not just sign away anything.
If this is her thyroid then she needs meds and needs to have an Endocrinologist and be told that she can get help and you are all there for her.

[mamabear]

in reply to: Embarrased but recognizing that I need some help. #1066510

I used PTU which is what Tapazole does. I was also told to watch what I drank. Mood swings are hard while our levels are off, a patient caring boyfriend might not understand unless he understands that this is a very serious disease and can change a kind hearted person into a monster at any given moment. Some say that is a bit harsh of me to say(friends) but the truth is the truth. Think of PMS two fold !
This is only my personal experience, stay away from the alcohol. No wine at all as it seems that that is the worst one. If you drink socially have a gingerale or clubsoda on the rocks. They will put a little straw in it and you wont feel "out of place". Or go the route that I would….. Tell your friends you have a serious health issue, you don’t want to stop hanging out with them but you wont be drinking anymore while with them. If they need a designated driver you’re it! Even the truest of friends might not understand what you are going through but they wont know unless you tell them. If they want to help then they get listen to you while you explain the situation and explain that you’re on meds and you have to watch yourself.
Even telling them, I’m on medicine that might make me react a certain way, can you tell me if you see anything different about me so I can note that and tell my dr., it’s really important for me to know that you all understand and you support me on this.
Some will say ok and some will not know what to say because they are scared. Your boyfriend will be the one who is most scared.
Take a look from his point of view;
Gotta girlfriend, she isn’t well, not sure why, she flips out and acts like a nut, why should I stay with her?

I have said this several times before but will say it here… when it is the woman who has the problem a man will want to fix it. That is what men do, they fix things we as women nurture things. So he is thinking all that I typed up plus he is thinking why can’s she just be normal? Why can’t I help her so she can just be fine again? What did she do to get this way? If we have kids will they get it?

It’s crappy to think that that is what he is thinking but he is and he has every right to think any of it. YOU need to keep him informed of what you are feeling and how he can help and assure him that you do care and that this will take time.

Have him come on here to if you wants to ask his own questions or just to vent. It’s not easy having the disease and it’s not easy living with someone with it.

I am curious, "BrookeRN" are you a nurse?

[Author]

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