[mamabear]

in reply to: First Timer Here #1071683

Again thank SKI for letting us know.

[mamabear]

in reply to: Newly Diagnosed #1071661

catsmum wrote:Don’t try to do it all – no one can! Prioritize & do what needs to be done, I mean REALLY needs to be done & don’t sweat the rest.

If you can’t prioritize then Delegate!!!!

[mamabear]

in reply to: Newly Diagnosed #1071659

One thing I must stress…is that if you need help with your dd PLEASE DON’T try to be supermom. You wont be any good to her and be able to help her if you get worse. I’m not sure what her medical issues are but any child with any illness is just horrible for us to bear as a parent, take it step by step, day by day and laugh at everything that you possibly can. Life is too damn short to stress over so many things. Worry about your dd but remember that stressing over things will only make you weaker and again wont help her. Take every day to the fullest!!!!! Enjoy what you have, grab hold and hang on! We’ll be here with a net if you need us.

[mamabear]

in reply to: enlarged lymph nodes during remission? #1071627

Hyedi, Hello and welcome!!!
Are you still on medication maintaining your levels or are you off of your medicine with proper levels? I ask because remission is when you are off of your medicine and are maintaining proper levels.

Either way, on medicine or not if your levels are within a good range you should be feeling fine BUT there is recovery period and time. Your body has to get better from feeling so lousy. So if you just started to feel better and your levels are good it will take some time for you to be at 100% again. PLUS you have to take into consideration that you have a 3 year old that you are running after and cleaning up after and doing all the mommy things we do and that will surely make even the healthiest of women fatigued.

If your lymph node(s) are acting up I would say that there might be a virus or allergies brewing and you should see your general dr. If he feels that there might be something to do with your thyroid I’m sure he’ll pull blood for tests.

Exercise, drinking plenty of water and eating the right foods helps with the fatigue. (check with your dr. about exercise before hand).

If I am wrong someone will help correct me but as far as I know as long as we are in remission(I am), our symptoms are gone unless of course our eyes were affected and that might not go away fully. If you have had plenty of time to recover and are truly in remission for a length of time you should be feeling fine from Graves’ disease. Since you have a child I’d say that being tired, not getting enough sleep, diet and exercise are all factors in how you feel right now. We can still get sick even if we don’t touch anything at the stores ” title=”Wink” /> .

I do this to help with keeping the virus’ down in my home. I have 4 kids and two go to school, those two and anyone else that enters the house washes their hands before they do anything.
When I am out at the store with any of them we all come home and wash hands to two rounds of alphabet song.
I wash light switches, door knobs and toilet handles often to keep the ickies away. Since your dd is about 3 or will be 3 soon I would make sure you take her to the bathroom when she comes home and wash her hands for her so she learns to do that. My boys are 14 & 6 and my girls will be 5 & 3 soon. (dd2 will be 3 in august,she was a 2006 too!).

Stay away from junk food and sugars they tend to load us down with feeling over full and that depresses us.

Keep up the good work, I’m in remission too. ALmost 2years and no meds!!!! It can happen!!!

[mamabear]

in reply to: First Timer Here #1071681

Right now don’t worry about replying to us individually if you are strapped for time. I’d rather see that you are working on getting a new dr. ” title=”Wink” /> ” title=”Wink” /> Oh call the dr’s office that just did your bloods and get a copy of your records. IF you were a new patient for him then don’t worry to much about getting them if they give you a hard time. They have to give them to you but seriously if you are a new patient and they give you crap for it don’t bother with them. as long as you have your lab results you are golden!!!!

[mamabear]

in reply to: hyperthyroid linked to ibs #1071641

No sé mucho español sino quise saludarle.
¡Hola y recepción aquí! Su inglés es como HyperM acaba de decir muy bien. Haga tantas preguntas como usted desea. Estamos aquí ayudarle.

I know that when my Graves’ was acting up I had many problems with my stomach. I had it before I was on medicine so I never linked it to being on my PTU.(PTU does the same thing as Methimazole).

I would suggest that you keep the sugar and junk food down to a minimum in your diet. Drink orange juice or cranberry juice, that will help keep the UTI’s(urinary tract infections) away. Might not work for you but it has been known to help so you can try it.
Use antibacterial soap to wash with and use a wash cloth when bathing. Soap that says antibacterial like Dial or Safeguard are some brands that are antibacterial. It helps with keeping candida off the body as well. Wash with the wash cloth but don’t scrub the skin to hard. If your skin is itchy or dry use a moisturizer after you dry off.

¡Tenga un día maravilloso!

[mamabear]

in reply to: Graves and Cannabis #1071633

Simon, hello again.

I am not sure what others would say but I’d like to say this;
Not sure if you are asking out of curiosity or if it means you are going to have to give up "something". Either way I don’t want to know since it has no bearing on what I will say and it is a very good question in general since any form of smoking "I feel" can effect your eyes. Whether you have allergies, eye problems associated with Graves’ or Thyroid Eye either way you should avoid smoking in general and you should avoid smoke going into your eyes, including 2nd hand smoke. This isn’t coming from a person who never put a cigarette to her lips. I surely have, I smoked cigarettes for 10 years before quitting and it’s been almost 11 this coming August(yes I celebrate it) since I quit. (yes I smoked at a young age for those who know I’m 35). I’m not one of those reformed smokers that think that oh my you better quit or you’ll die. But I am one that has lost 3 wonderful men in my life due to the effects of smoking(cancer/emphazima).

So in answer to your question, yes I would stay away from smoking and smoke. It is an irritant and anything that irriates the eyes is a no no for Graves’ patients. That is what my eye dr. said. He is a pain in the butt and wont let me wear contacts because he said there was a chance that if my eyes were irritated that Thyroid Eye can happen and he didn’t want to disrupt anything since I haven’t had any issues with it. I have only wore glasses since I was 14, and being as old as I am I wanted to try contacts a few years ago. Eye dr. no, I thought about going to see a different one since I know it’s just my eye dr’s "opinion" and not a proven fact that it can irritate the eyes BUT I decided that he has known me far to long to lead me astray and I trust him so I stay with him and wont try contacts.

Not sure about cannabis for medicinal purposes, I haven’t read anything about it or researched it so i can’t help you there. But I can say that smoke and ANY irritant wont help our eyes so stay away from any forms of irritation to your eyes.

I know you are so young and you are a man who will eventually being caring for a wife and family in the future. I know it is hard to have something like this and you might think that this is "not in your plans" and why me. You will have to change your life in good ways to make sure you stay healthy. I know it might sound inconvenient to have to do this at 20 but making some changes can better your health and keep you strong in case your levels go nuts. Remember that you not only have Graves You have hypokalemic paralysis(HP) so I would keep in mind that a healthy life style and staying fit (but not over working your body due to the HP) is important. This is a lot for a young man to have to go through and I’m sorry you have to go through it. You found a great place to vent and chat and ask questions. And you sure do ask good questions, keeps my mind working that is for sure!

May I ask if you are on meds now and what are they?
Have you seen your general dr. just to make sure your general health is OK. We tend to forget that so please make sure you get your annual check up every single year.

[mamabear]

in reply to: Recently Diagnosed #1071637

Simon,
Welcome and hello!!! I can’t say if your irritation is from Graves’ or if it is from the environment(allergies/irritants) but either way kiddo you should go see your eye dr..If you dont have one call your general dr. and ask them to give you a number to someone they know and who is in your ins. plan.
I’m not a dr. and I wont pretend to be one but I’ll still ask, did they do the right tests to confirm hypokalemic paralysis? Are you staying away from strenuous exercise as well as watching your diet and temperature changes?

There are a few men on this board that have Graves’, you will learn a lot by searching and by looking at the latest threads that are on here on the first page.

A few things I would suggest to anyone but especially you since you are such a young man is;
Make sure you tell your parents, family and friends so they understand what you are going through. If you need to please tell your teacher and or your employer so they understand what you are going through and if you have an "off" day they will understand why.

[mamabear]

in reply to: 25 mili on Wed…excited and scared all at the same time #1071652

Great idea about the drawers!!! You can do this!!!!

[mamabear]

in reply to: First Timer Here #1071680

Ok I have to ask this… I was only on PTU, I didn’t have hives at all. So not sure about what i’m about to say but have to ask anyway.

What about Benadryl? Didn’t the dr. suggest that, is that something that might help the hives even if the hives aren’t itchy it might calm down the body and skin?

Amanda, as long as your health is not in danger and you are not ready for the emergency room with sky rocketing blood pressure and heart palpitations I’d say that your dr. doesn’t really have a choice in what you say yes and no to. If you wish to remain on the PTU he CAN’T make you do RAI. He is giving up because he doesn’t want to deal with, which I can understand. Treat it with RAI and deal with the Hypo later with supplement Thyroid. BUT YOU dont have to. If you wish to continue with it jsut tell him. Read about RAI and do your research on it and on PTU and ask questions about it and what might be best for you. If you feel the dr. is giving up to easily then ask him about it and give him a chance to explain. if he can’t then you’re still looking for a new endo anyway and it wont matter. lol

[mamabear]

in reply to: 25 mili on Wed…excited and scared all at the same time #1071649

I have to mention this….KUDOS to DH for taking time off to help you! That is SUPPORT and thank God he is helping out. Way to go Rhonda’s Husband!!!

We’ll be thinking of you girl!!!! Keep us posted, do you have a laptop so you can post while your told to go to your room? I think I would Try to think of this as a tiny vacation. If you don’t you might get upset or depressed, we don’t want that happening. Maybe Get some flowers for your room tomorrow so they are in there and nice and ready for when you get home from the treatment. Clean up the room as best as you can so you aren’t looking at clutter because that can depress you too. Buy some Juice boxes and chips and chocolate <

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” title=”Wink” /> ” title=”Wink” /> ” title=”Wink” /> even some water bottles and have them in the room with a little garbage can.

Buy some construction paper and crayons for YOU and the kids and you write cards to them and let them do it for you as well every day that you are in there and slip them under the door.

Buy paper plates, plastic bowls and utensils so that you can use them and throw them out, instead of dh having to be careful how he washes your stuff.

Buy chips and salsa in case you want a snack and don’t want to run out to the kitchen for it. Or to make it even easier, buy chips already with salsa on them ” title=”Wink” /> ” title=”Wink” />

Can you all tell i’m hungry!! Well just making sure you are fed. I have issues with people who are hungry, sort of an OCD about it so I like to make sure you aren’t sitting in your room bored or hungry.

[mamabear]

in reply to: Newly Diagnosed #1071657

I agree with SKI 100%.

16 is a serious age and is so draining on a mother. I have a 14 year old boy and well I think i’d rather deal with estrogen than testosterone but then I might change my mind when my two girls are 14 and 16 (currently going on 3 and 5 soon) also a 6 yr old son. Then to boot she has medical needs and I am sure that it was not in your plans to get sick yourself while caring for her.
Prayers and use this place to vent and ask questions!!!

[mamabear]

in reply to: happy with my labs, but frusturated with my dr. #1071654

It is so unfortunate that you got me as a first post to this…Maahhhahhhahhh!! I am a the mother of all bears when it comes to Dr.’s bedside manner.

I’d like to say a few things first to put them into perspective for you.

1. The dr. might not be getting his messages(highly unlikely unless the staff are a bunch of meanies. He would have heard this by now and fired them).

2. The dr. sees your levels as being good and doesn’t see a reason to change your dosage and therefore you aren’t on the call back list or are on the end of it being you’re not high priority.

3. His office is scatterbrained and so is he.

4. He will only speak to you when you go into the office.(I actually had a dr. that knew for a fact that my levels were just fine but refused to speak to me or let his nurse tell me my TSH level unless I went there and paid for an appt.). Yes I had a dr. do this! I called my ins. company and made a formal complaint and asked for him to be investigated that this was not proper practice to hold my test results unless I went to see him. AND I wasn’t on meds at the time! I called the lab and told them what was going on and they said I could have my general dr. call for the results. They did and told me what they were. THe lab company said from then on that I should ask that any of my test results be sent to my general dr. just in case.
I went one last time to see him and that was when I picked up my medical records and said that I would never see him or this office again.) RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE ENTIRE WAITING ROOM.

I am not a snob, I am not someone that doesn’t know how to work hard for what we have. I am a mother of 4 that has learned that the squeaky wheel gets attention. ” title=”Wink” /> And I sure do squeak.

Having said all of this, I advise that you call first thing in the morning. TELL the receptionist NICELY that you would like to know why the dr. hasn’t called you regarding your meds. Tell her that you know your results and are just wondering if the meds are you on should stay the same.
Tell her that if the dr. doesn’t have any intention on calling you that maybe she can ask him and get back to or the nurse can ask him and get back to. Be as nice as you can be, Having been a receptionist you get more with them when you are nice rather than when you are mean. Remember a receptionist/secratary has to deal with the dr. and the nonsense in the office. She hears and sees all the crap and then has to deal with the nasty people on the phone too, she also doesn’t have to give him your message if you peev her off. ” title=”Wink” />
Ask her point blank if this is normal for him not to call a patient back about their lab work UNLESS there is a problem.
Ask her if he doesn’t call you back does that mean I stay on the meds like he said and the way he said to take them.

Asking her these questions to ask him and get back to will be helpful because then you know how he runs his practice. Just because you might not like that he doesn’t return calls unless they are priority doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t stay or you should stay but at least that is your decision to make after you find out how he does it.

I sure hope this helps.

[mamabear]

in reply to: Realized some things… #1071671

Yep you are right!!!
OMG Jake You crack me up with that pic. BOLD and yet it seems so sincere!!! What a capture!

[mamabear]

in reply to: First Timer Here #1071676

Amanda,
If you go to school full time and are working for your masters degree AND work full time as well YOU ARE stronger then you think you are. DO NOT sell yourself short, having to that type of balance is hard work.

Tell your boss, teachers,parents,friends and anyone else you see often enough for them to notice anything that might change in you. At least if they know they wont take the angry mood swings to heart, or the crying for no damn reason or the hot flashes….and well the list can go on and on.

Yes there are side effects to both meth and ptu, how long were you on them before the dr decided to take you off of them? Did he give it enough time to see if your body got use to the side effects? Were you unable to deal with them and asked to be taken off of them?

As far as your dr. is concerned, I would throw him to curb. Personally at the age of 35 I will not tolerate any dr. with a bad bedside manner. I have realized that any dr. with a bad bedside manner IS NOT a good dr. They might know what they are talking about BUT any dr. that has a poor attitude is only in the business for money and I don’t care if he/she is the last dr. on the face of the earth I’d rather go to the next guy down as long as the bedside manner is perfect. Yes I am very serious, last one on the face of the earth and i wont go to that dr. if they have a bad bedside manner!!! I have surrounded myself with dr’s that know me and know my attitude towards medicine and that I adore medicine and NEED to know everything and know exactly what anything is and need to know it right then and there. I can’t help it, that is just my nature and it helps me keep the dr’s honest because if they can’t keep up with me and my "no nonsense, get it done and over with, or find out what is wrong and fix it" attitude then I can’t have them for a dr.. My pediatricians are the same way and adore all of them, heck even my dentist. lol

You should not have to deal with a dr. that has poor bedside manners, you are entitled to a 2nd opinion and I would strongly suggest that you get one. But your point in all of this is not that he has poor manners it is that the medicine that you took didn’t agree with you. That is the reason I asked if you were on it long enough.

What ever you decide, YOU CAN do this!! You need the support either way from friends and family. You don’t have to go into details but you should let them know so they can help you. You are young and in a stressful situation with school and work, hard work isn’t easy but wanting your masters is a great accomplishment so try during this time to get as much rest as you can, laugh hard and a lot, don’t let the little things peeve you off. There are so many other big things out there that you can stress over, drama and little things are not worth stressing over. If your fighting with family or friends or a boyfriend of exboyfriend put down on paper , throw the paper out and be done with it. (yes doing that helps lol).

Good luck

[Author]

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