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in reply to: Sweaty, stinky feet #1067954
I have hyperhidrosis since i was a child. It is psychological. Some time during the day, my hands and feet do not sweat at all. it feels great! Then, I’d remember that- wow, it is because my hands and feet are not sweating. Then, they’d start to sweat again. But once relaxed, the sweating stops. Check this out: http://www.hyperhidrosis-usa.com
Good luck!
in reply to: CAN I STILL EAT SEAFOOD? #1067623Thanks, SKI! That’s a lot of help! My primary doctor and endo at different occasions handed me an info and said I can eat seafood but not the KELP as you have mentioned here ” title=”Cool” /> . But they didn’t elaborate more. So, I was hesitant to eat any seafood at al l. I currently take 2 1/2 mg a day of methimazole. It used to be 5 mg. a day My thyroid hormone is normal for the past 2months. So, this is good. I also have the TED. My eyes are presently very itchy. I notice this when it gets windy, they dry out. Or at times, they just feel dry at night and at dawn. My eyes are puffy because of this and my eyelids are kinda swollen- mildly.I notice that my eyes look worse when I wake up in the morning. I try to elevate my pillows but it is not comfortable for me to sleep on it. I have pain on my neck the next day so I stopped doing this. I have taken 50,000 i.u. of Vit. D because I am deficient with this and 1500 mg of calcium. I stopped the Vit. D for a month now and just continue with the calcium. I have osteopenia. Anyhow, thanks a million! ” title=”Very Happy” /> I always feel better after reading and sharing my thoughts in here. Cheers! ” title=”Wink” />
in reply to: Treatments for Eyes #1073487DianneW wrote:I recommend you try the Restasis. Its mode of action is as an anti-inflammatory on the tear-producing glands, which is why it takes a month or more to become effective; but it actually can stop the damage that is working to destroy your tear production, and can even reverse some of it, if you are having this damage. There’s no guarantee it will improve over time if you do nothing to treat it. It might get worse instead. If your dryness isn’t caused by this kind of inflammation then you won’t be helped by Restasis, but it’s worth a try. It does sting mildly when first applied, but you’re using it as a treatment, not as a soothing drop, and the stinging doesn’t last more than half a minute. I find it’s well worth it for the help it gives me.The punctal plugs are also worth a try, especially if you do computer work. I have all four of my puncta cauterized, but my case is severe. You will probably love having the lower puncta done.
You might also download this little utility that will remind you to blink frequently: http://www.dryeyezone.com/reminders/index.html One of the reasons being at the computer is difficult is that we fail to blink when we should. I have to force myself to blink every 6-10 seconds or keep that "blinker" on my desktop. (The blinker is a little blinking eye, and is available in a choice of eye colors.)
The eye disease will usually become inactive after a period of time (around two years), meaning it will stop getting worse and possibly even improve some. That doesn’t mean it will return to normal. In a few people with the milder forms of the disease, and in some fortunate people with moderate forms, a lot of the eye changes will reverse, but for many others, especially those with significant proptosis and eye muscle involvement, and who have fat deposits in the tissues around the eyes, the changes are permanent without corrective surgery, and even then in cases such as mine, the eyes will never be normal. In spite of all the best treatments, I have disabling dry eyes and can’t spend time outdoors or in any moving air, as I’m continually fighting against painful corneal erosions. So use everything you can, but unfortunately you can’t expect it to go away.
THANKS FOR THIS INFORMATION. My eye doctor prescribed SYSTANE for me. This was last month when I had my first check up with him. At that time, I already have the retraction, more evident on my right eye. He said it is still "mild and we have to wait further before the right treatment could be administered. I can understand that since at that time, I was still waiting for my thryoid function test results to arrive. Then, when I came to see my endocrinologist. He prescribed methimazole 10 mg. twice daily. He said that my hyperthyroidism is mild. But because I have the related Graves Opthalmopathy, I need to be treated with anti-thyroid drug on a minimal dosage.
As for my eyes, one month after my visit with my opthalmologist came, today- my eyes are reddish, tired, dry and has burning sensation at times. They are puffy and my eyelids are swollen.
I have to wait to see where it is leading to for how long? Just sharing here….thanks.
in reply to: Hereditary? #1073455I didn’t know Graves Disease runs in my family (maternal side) until I told my sister to ask around if we have relatives who have this illness. A few days later, she emailed and said that a male cousin of ours aged 51 just had his thyroid removed. So, that answered my question . And it does and seem to manifest in my family’s case, during the middle years. My parents didn’t have GD (both had passed away). But I remember about my mum’s first cousin (my second degree aunt) who had thyroid problems and had a surgery when I was in kindergarten. This remembrance came to me as I was reading my sister ‘s email about our family health issues. In our case, GD manifested during our middle years. When I went to see my endocrinologist last week, I reported this information to him about my second cousin. However, during my first meeting with him I was not able to share this information due to lack of knowledge on my part. Now, I know better.
Just sharing here some info. Thanks for listening!
in reply to: Pls Recommend an Opthalmologist from SFO, CA #1073709SFO stands for San Francisco. Thanks for your reply!
in reply to: Support Group in Bay Area? #1073841Thanks a bunch, NANCY. I sent you an email from my private account.
in reply to: HAIR – Thank you!!! #1074217I was just diagnosed last month with GD and GED. It was my hair that gave me first the alarm that something must be wrong with me. My hair started to become very, very dry and brittle. I had falling hair, too. Likewise, I had split ends prior to having a hair trim last month. Then, I noticed the size changed in reference to my eyes.
I just started my medication of METHIMAZOLE this week. 10 mg Twice a day. My endo said that my hyperthyroidism is mild. I live an active life and workout 6x a week and do weights-20 minutes, cardio-30 minutes, and stretching-20 minutes. I have just taken the pills for four days now, and luckily, I am not observing any side effects yet. One thing I noted though is that the itchiness of my eyes has diminished right after I began the medication. However, they still are puffy, in fact more than the way it was before I had the treatment began. QUESTION: Is it really effective to put a cold or warm compress to help minimize the swelling of the eyes for people with GED? How do i know which one would work for me?
I wasn’t given any medication for my GED except for he eyedrops to help lubricate my eyes. My eye doctor said that my GED is just starting and mild. There are days when they are very swollen and itchy as if I have conjunctivitis.So far, the eyedrops help lubricate them.
Thank you.
in reply to: HAIR – Thank you!!! #1074215Aren’t you supposed to inform your endocrinologist about this severe falling here you are experiecing right now as a side effect with your treatment? If you have a strong reaction to your medication, am sure your doctor do change your prescription and make sure you are all right. Good luck.
in reply to: Support Group in Bay Area? #1073839Is there one? I am from the city…it would be great to meet others! Thanks.
in reply to: Anti-Thyroid Drugs #1073893Dear Lorrainydaz,
Thanks for your encouraging words! Yes, am in the midst of finding a different opthalmologist. On the other hand, my endocrinologist is a good doctor, one who is not on-a-rush to explain my medical issues. I am due for thyroid function blood test this Sunday in preparation for my visit to my endo next Wednesday. Right now, I have no idea on what’s going to be the verdict in terms of my medical treatment for GD. But this early, I am know I am not for RAI but would consider the ATD first and see what happens. I got some warnings from other people who said that RAI does not work well with people who have TED like me. I hope that my Graves’ Eye Disease gets treated-the same time as my hyperthyroidism. For some I know, the eye disease is an illness on its own.
Presently, my hair has become so dry. It has split ends and hard to manage. In the morning, it is tough to brush it. I have freezy hair. The other day, my husband helped me in doing so. But so far my symptoms apart from this, my symptoms are mild regarding my hyperthyroidism (except perhaps for my bowel movement that has become more frequent each day).
I work out 6 days a week on a one and a half hours each session. I have been a health buff for two years now and I feel good. It’s just sad that I got this GD. But I will beat it!
P.S. The only time I experienced an uneven heartbeat was thrice since December 2008. Otherwise, am ok. I eat healthy and even bake our daily bread (100% whole wheat) for two years now! Thanks and cheers!
in reply to: Anti-Thyroid Drugs #1073891Thanks, SKI. Your response is quite informative. Also, I don’t mind if you deleted the double entry here of the same thing. Actually, I was trying to delete one but didn’t know how and I was jsut glad you did it. Thanks!
I met my ophthalmologist for the first time last week. I was excited to know what he was going to tell me. To my disappointment, he was an impatient and insensitive man who had no empathy at all to sick people like me. I came there at his clinic to find answers to my problem and all I got is this repulsive attitude of a Harvard trained doctor.
I was sad and felt so alone. In his mono-syllabic way, he said that my Graves Eye disease is just in its earlier stage; that I don’t need medication for the mean time, except to use eye drops to lubricate my eyes.
Fine. I took a deep breath. I just felt no empathy from him.
It was kind of offensive to be treated coldly by a doctor who I just met last week. He measured my cornea. Left eye is 70 and right eye is 80.
“You have mild protrusion on your right eye but you are still within the norm.” Then, I asked what is the norm? He didn’t answer.
Soon enough, I said that I was going to show him a one-page photo print out of my eye photos. He at once dismissed me and said that he more or less knows how they look like. When he responded to me in such a hurried and insensitive state, I felt so hurt and slighted. I wondered how he’d feel if he were in my shoes and had the Graves’ Eye disease.
I thought of shifting to another ophthalmologist right there and then. My husband recently got laid off so the two of us have lost our health insurance. In effect as soon as it happened, we applied for a new health insurance policy as private enrollees and pay up a monthly fee that is affordable to us. As such, our co-pay for each visit to a doctor is a hundred bucks. With what I experienced with my eye doctor last week, I just felt robbed!
Is there anyone of you who had the same experience as I just had?
Thanks for listening.
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