[ncpatches]

in reply to: Post Partum Thyroiditis vs. Graves #1171789

I sure hope you get an answer soon, hugz!

[ncpatches]

in reply to: thyroid storm?? #1171763

Personally, I’d be on the phone with my Dr. Too serious to wait on symptoms like that, in my opinion. Please get medical help asap. Prayers for you.

[ncpatches]

in reply to: Graves and pre-op – what a mess! #1171744

Well, I called the Ortho’s office and spoke with someone, who connected me to his assistant, I left a message on her voice mail, instructing her to call me at work and what hours I would be there and the basic idea of what was going on that concerns me……….no call. I will be on the phone first thing in the morning. Today, I started to recognize a little ‘me’ in there! I’m still dealing with the nausea and little sleep, but I feel like the old ‘me’ is trying to come out. Maybe the high dosage of ATD is starting to do something. I can’t explain it, but I’ll bet others have been thru that too. I’m more determined than depressed for a change.
Shirley, I don’t have an endo, my Dr is Internal Medicine, along with help from the endo staff at UNC. I have no qualms about the surgery itself and I have faith in my Dr’s choice of Orthos, since this man has operated on my Dr twice and that is who he wants me to see. It’s the anesisiologist (sp) that needs more knowledge/experience with Grave’s. I WILL keep it up until someone takes notice! There’s enough of ‘me’ here to get real ugly when ignored!
Alexis, I feel so bad for you and the little one, I’m grateful mine are grown at times like this. Grave’s or any other bad disease is enough on it’s own without other factors weighing in. Let us know what you find out.
Thanks all! I’ll keep you posted on my Dragon Slaying!
OH and BTW, although I had cut my hours back at work to 10-4 instead of the norm, my 10-6, I felt well enough to stay till 5:30! Yippee!! Last week was so bad, I was ready to try for my short term disability, but I just cut my hours instead. My supervisor ( the angel, not my boss the jerk) said my hours would be up to me to handle depending on how I feel. If it was bad, go home, if I felt like staying longer, I could. Today, just felt like I’m a little more ‘me’ and not as exhausted. Don’t know what the next couple weeks will be like, but today was a world of difference. Hugz!

[ncpatches]

in reply to: Deep thoughts for a newly diagnosed – work, immunity, and personality #1171637

I can only speak for me, diagnosed a couple weeks ago, but had been hyper for at least 4-5 months beforehand. I have reached the point that I’ve had to ask to cut my hours back for a couple weeks, before my shoulder surgery, 1. because I am flat out exhausted and after 8 hrs, I’m so wiped out my legs shake, 2. plus having the severe pain in the shoulder that I am not supposed to use.
I am hoping, being out of work for 2-3 months for the shoulder, will also give me time to get my ‘numbers’ closer to stable and make me feel better. I was diagnosed with Hoshimoto’s 3 yrs ago and on synthroid until it went to the other side of the spectrum and now Grave’s, so I may carry antibodies of both, need to get Dr to check that. The exhaustion, depression, crying, muscle cramps, are usually seen in hyPO, but I have them with hyPER, so I feel like a real mess.
As for immunity, nothing yet, though a couple months ago I had a bad sore throat, badly swollen, red etc, that I haven’t had in over 20 yrs. Dr put me on a broad spectrum antibiotic and it went away. I haven’t even been on an antibiotic in at least 15 yrs or more. I try to avoid them for what they do to the immune system, only take if absolutely necessary and it hasn’t been until recently.
Personality with me is a crap shoot! I’m usually fine, but if I start crying, sometimes I literally can’t stop and take a couple low dose Zanex. I find I am really ‘touchy’ can go off in a second and get angry and that’s not me at all, so I remove myself from whatever situation is causing it. A couple weeks back, my boss said something about ‘well, if you can’t DO you job” because I asked to be able to sit down once in a while because of the exhaustion. I looked at him and said ” I think I’ll have chicken for lunch” and turned around and walked away LOL It was all I could think of to keep from cussing him out and getting fired. I read it somewhere and it helped. Plus the look of puzzlement on his face was priceless! He’s such a jerk!
I really feel for you and understand where your coming from, just wish I had some real words of wisdom for you. Keep fighting the Dragon, it will get better or so they tell me!

[ncpatches]

in reply to: In need of support #1171719

Aww hon, deep breaths. It seems like ‘when it rains it pours’! I, so wish, I had the experience to give you sound advice, but I’m just learning. I know that Dr’s can give you medication to dry up your milk fairly quickly. Seems like everything has hit you at once and that can be terribly stressful, both mentally and physically and that’s the last thing you need with graves.
After my pre-op appt yesterday (for my shoulder) I was so stressed out last night, I had to call my son to help calm me down. Here’s his advice, get paper and pen, write down all your concerns and who you need to call to get answers, that moves you in the right direction, then today (for me) make those calls and get those answers. He is a very logical and methodical person, didn’t get it from me He says to take it 1 issue at a time, because looking at the big picture can be too overwhelming, especially in situations like this.

Jules gives great advice, make your list and get on the phone or email, try to stay calm. You’ll be in everyone’s thoughts and prayers.

[ncpatches]

in reply to: Future weight gain? #1171601

Good questions MVK, would be interested in opinions on that too.
I can’t believe how weak I have become in the last 6 months. I truly think that the muscle weakness is why I tore my shoulder up doing something I have done every day for years. I know, by the end of my shift, my legs shake, my thigh muscles and arms are just noodles anymore.:o I’ve always been physically strong and worked demanding jobs. 8 years ago I was hanging and finishing drywall! Now I can barely make it thru an 8 hr shift on my feet. I hope, when my numbers are better, I can start building up a little strength. I haven’t had RAI but have just started meds, so I guess I have a long way to go yet. I so hope you are feeling stronger soon!

[ncpatches]

in reply to: What now? #1171667

Prayers for you adenure. My Dr told me when we were discussing my shoulder surgery and numbers, that there is something they give people so they can have emergency surgery in situations with graves, but that mine, of course, isn’t an emergency, so I’m on the high dose of ATD to try to get it as right as possible, hopefully to avoid postponing the surgery.
If it was only for a few days, couldn’t you express and refrigerate some milk? Also there are ‘milk banks’ where other lactating mothers contribute to help other mothers in situations like yours. There’s a possibility. But you have to realize that once a child has taken nothing but a bottle for a period of time, it’s hard to get them to go back to the breast, takes much more work to get milk from the breast, the bottle is easier, but you could still express and bottle and your baby will still get the benefit of your natural milk. I breast fed one and bottle fed one, they both thrived. I wanted to breast feed the 2nd, but had to be back at work to support my 2 babies. You got some good advice, just you being MOM is more important than method of feeding, although I’m sure it would be disappointing for you not to be able to breast feed. Taking care of YOU and being there for them, is much more important. ((HUGZ))

[ncpatches]

in reply to: Latest Lab #’s #1171622

LOL Did you ask if I ‘remembered’ something? I’m lucky to remember my name at this point. Seriously though, I wrote down the numbers for my uptake, I do remember the 4 hr was just over the top of the normal range and the 24 hr was within the normal range although on the high side. The ranges were different though, cause the 4hr was like 10-24 and mine was like 26, the 24 hr was like 20-50 and mine was 48. I’ll have to look for that paper I wrote it on. I’m going to get a journal at work today and start writing this stuff down, can’t keep up with paper and have a bad case of CRS.

Oh and I’m 54, was 151 at testing, have stayed that way for a couple weeks now, makes me happy! I really don’t want to lose more, have no place for the extra skin!:o

[ncpatches]

in reply to: Latest Lab #’s #1171620

Right now, I’m just praying for it to be controlled enough not to cause complications with the surgery. Once that is over, I’ll have time to both heal the shoulder and tackle the graves monster.

[ncpatches]

in reply to: Nausea and vomiting? #1171651

Oh Kimberly! If I could just have sushi once a year, like on my B-day, I’d be happy!
I broke down and bought low fat milk, I’ll still use the almond milk on my cereal, but the regular milk really does help the nausea for me. I also got Zantac, Dr told me to get something a couple months ago, but I forgot, like I forget a lot of stuff. And that is bothersome!
Thanks all for the input! Today as been the ‘just a little’ nausea day, so maybe with the Zantac I can break the pattern. Off to make some healthy tacos, don’t want that coming up for sure LOL!

[ncpatches]

in reply to: Nausea and vomiting? #1171649

Hi Bobbi, thanks for the reply. Since being diagnosed and doing research, I have stopped Equal and as many chemicals as possible. I can’t afford organic, but no processed foods, no artificial anything if I can help it, I read all labels. Lean meats, fruit, veggies, 12 grain bread, no high fructose corn syrup, very little dairy, natural yogurt and sharp cheddar in small amounts, bought almond milk instead of regular and don’t like it except on cereal. This is the hard part, milk helped keep down the nausea, but I understand it has iodine. No seafood and of course, my favorite food in the world is sushi, guess I’ll never have that again.:mad: But like I said, this has been going on for months, pretty much the whole time I’ve had hyper symptoms.
I feel like I am taking up everyone’s time, but there is so much I don’t know and always wonder if it’s just me or if others have shared some of this weird stuff.
Thanks again!

[ncpatches]

in reply to: 1st Labs post ATD tomorrow! #1171644

Keeping fingers crossed for good numbers!

[ncpatches]

in reply to: Latest Lab #’s #1171618

I hope I won’t have to be a pro at shoulder surgeries! Actually, my pre-op is Monday and I’ll be with the anesthesiologist for a while then, so we’ll be talking about it. Have to see a couple other people then too.
Funny, working retail, in a sling, I now know just about every person in a 20 mile radius that’s had shoulder surgery. The 2 biggest things I’ve heard repeatedly? 1. Don’t skimp on the pain meds. 2. You absolutely MUST do your exercises if you want to heal properly. Both of those make sense to me. I just never thought I could tear tendons lifting a 40lb copier, I thought rotator cuff injuries were for young athletes. But here I am, with 2 complete tendon separations and another thing, a word I don’t remember, but I looked it up and it has something to do with tearing the small upper head of the bicep. Doc says it age (LOL) truly, that the tendons rub against the bones all your life and bone is like fine sandpaper, eventually they shred and just lifting or falling on it can do real damage. This ‘getting old’ crap is so highly over rated!
Thanks all!

[ncpatches]

in reply to: Need links explaining Grave’s and symptoms #1171613

Thanks Kimberly, I’m gonna print one of those too.

Aww Tammy, I understand, some people are truly jerks, being kind here, could call them a few other NOT so nice things. I am fortunate that my Supervisor is the greatest and truth be known, she has much more pull with the DM than my GM does. Working retail is hard enough when you’re healthy. With the economy as it is, the company is constantly screaming for us to do MORE with less, they cut our hours and expect everyone to do the job of 3 people for a little more than minimum wage. Its nuts, but I enjoy ‘people’ for the most part and I must keep insurance. My Supervisor agreed to cut me back to 4 days a week, 6 hr shifts because I’m just not able to go the full route, between the Graves and the pain from my shoulder., until my surgery. The surgery is probably a blessing, I’ll have a couple months to rest and work on my meds and maybe feel better when I go back.
I sure hope you got your resume’ out to that job you were looking at and you’ll be in my prayers, it sounds perfect for you.
Thanks to everyone for the help!

[ncpatches]

in reply to: Latest Lab #’s #1171616

According to my report, lab ‘normal range’ is as follows:
TSH .3-3.5, mine being .0008
T3 2.3-4.2, mine being 9.2
T4 .8-1.8, mine being 2.46 (hard to read my writing, it’s either 2.46 or 2.56)

I specifically ask Dr if he wanted me in for new labs a couple days before the surgery and he said it wouldn’t have time for the difference to show…..I guess they (my Dr and the Endo board at UNC) are going by the dosage of ATD and expecting it to be more under control. Obviously, the Ortho will be aware of the risk factor, ect, but you can only wait so long with complete tendon separation, before having an atrophy issue etc. I injured my shoulder in early Feb, I’ve had this surgery date for over 2 months, Ortho in high demand, it was the earliest I could get.
Back to the Grave’s though, at 40mg of ATD a day, hopefully it will be enough to get me thru without anything serious happening. Dr did say that the dose would be reduced considerably after the surgery. I expect Dr and Ortho to have a powwow before the surgery, I hadn’t been diagnosed when I saw the Ortho. Have to drop off papers at Dr today, will ask about this.

I do know that dealing with both these issues is more than I can cope with, either one alone, is one thing, but my plate is full, on top of stress from work, battling the insurance company and workmans comp and people that just don’t understand what I’m going thru.

[Author]

Posts