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My thyroid is no longer in my body. My first surprise [and I don’t like medical surprises] was when Dr. Peter had me stand to mark my neck in the pre-op room. Wow! Not a little incision like the gallbladder. Oh no, this is right across the neck, like I went to Sweeny Todd’s barber shop!
The anesthesiologist was a total a** but he did a really good job. I had no troubles coming out of the fog, which is unusual. They kept me in recovery for four hours to watch for bleeding and then was sent up to a room for the night.
Dilud was added to my IV during the surgery and then they gave me Vicodin by mouth. Now that I am home, I don’t think I will need any more pain relief. It has reduced a lot.
I have been instructed not start the thyroid replacement before Saturday.
My dilemma now is, I have a huge gash across the front of my neck and instructions that include no turtlenecks. I don’t own anything but turtlenecks for winter weather. Tomorrow I will try different scarf-typing techniques. I can’t not go anywhere for 14 days!
All for now,
*smtucker*
in reply to: Significant hair loss #1177330I too have been loosing my hair, but I have been told that this is a symptom of Graves, not the drugs.
When my sister was diagnosed with Graves, the hair loss was her only symptom. I am not on any of the same drugs as you, and my hair is coming out at a rapid rate.
I leave for the hospital to have my thyroid removed in about 3 hours and hope that the hair loss will no longer be an issue when I have no thyroid to be screwy.
I am on another drug that can lead to hair loss, but didn’t loose any until I tried the methimazol and then stopped it. My only “Graves” drug right now is the propranolol which Endo #3 prefers to the atenelol for some reason.
Hope this helps.
in reply to: Frustrated with treatment and Diagnosis #1177326lam,
I am now on Endo #3, and am finally comfortable. I think it is worth searching for someone who works with you to find your solution assuming you have health insurance.
I was one of those rare folks that had significant issues on the Methimazole with my liver, so I am opting for a TT. No more babies for me so no thoughts on that one.
in reply to: Unsure about response from Endo re: Eye problems #1176619Well, that is one way to diagnose a disease. Odd. Graves’ doesn’t seem to be this doctor’s area of expertise.
in reply to: Unsure about response from Endo re: Eye problems #1176617You don’t say what specialty the doctor who “seems” to know something has. I would request a referral to an Opthamologist [one with a fair amount of Grave’s experience] so that they can do a baseline set of measurements. Could be helpful later on.
Hope this helps.
in reply to: TED advice #1176614My story is completely different than yours, but I too am seriously considering going to UofM. The segmentation of my specialists, none of whom know what the other has suggested, much less what they said during the last visit is beginning to worry me. At the moment, I am treatment-less and I can feel my eyes getting worse.
I am fairly sure that my insurance would not pay for treatment this far away. That is the biggest consideration. I am considering MGH because of this.
All the best deciding what to do.
in reply to: One Month; Feel Horrible #1176015I did do the right thing. No wonder I found myself “disappearing” over the past two days. Twice yesterday, I had to sit on the floor because I was sure I would fall over.
My blood pressure, which was severely [for me] elevated on the 13th is now 80/60. She checked it four times, once lying down. CBC counts are elevated as well. Still waiting for those other numbers to be posted.
This doctor really listened, and thinks that I made a series of correct decisions. Probably should have gone in sooner.
in reply to: One Month; Feel Horrible #1176013Sadly, This has all gotten much much worse. Talking with the endo is non-productive. Do they all cut you off mid-sentence, drawing conclusions before they have all the information? Stopped the Methi-Crap on Saturday as a full fledged flu bug took over my body. Evidently, I did feed people, but I slept most of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
For the first time ever, I feel emotionally unbalanced. Can’t sleep well and having these OCD dreams, mostly writing a letter to this endo suggesting that she consider a course on listening. I suspect that I have now written about 20 versions of this letter, each with its own special emotional snark. At least I can see again, and focus on the written word.
I am off now to get some blood work done, and see a primary dcotor. I need help managing all of this, and I never, ever ask for help.
How does one do a second opinion? Do you have to go to a different medical center? I think I need one of these.
in reply to: So Graves’ Disease is a frame of mind??? #1176079::tongue in cheek::
Your friend mixed up the cure emails. Asparagus doesn’t cure Graves Disease. When properly spritzed with lemon juice, butter is optional, it cures breast cancer.
::removing cheek from tongue::
in reply to: Graves and Dating…possible? #1176043My sister met her partner long after being diagnosed with Graves online. However, they met on an Animal Rescue website, not a dating site. Wasn’t that what our grandmothers always told us? Go to a place with interesting people and you will meet someone interesting.
No one I know has successfully met the person of their dreams on match.com or their ilk. None of them have actually tried either, to my knowledge. I hope you find your “spot” soon.
in reply to: Going to get RAI in a few minutes #1175978shaylee,
Sorry about the nausea; that is no fun at all. Have they considered something like compazine or zofran to help with this? Both of these drugs are generic and cheap. How much longer will you be locked away in the guest room?
in reply to: Going to get RAI in a few minutes #1175972A full night of sleep will always make the world look like a better place! Will be looking for your reports of how you feel following this treatment.
in reply to: Newly diagnosed #1176003I am one month into this Graves Disease so don’t have much experience to share. I too am doing the Methimazole treatments, but have been told I am not a candidate for radiation since my eyes are showing signs of TED.
My goal will be to avoid surgery if at all possible….
Anyhow, just a small welcome. Sounds like our paths are going in similar directions.
in reply to: One Month; Feel Horrible #1176011Just pulled up the bloodwork [love online portals] and she did do the Free T4.
On 11/15/2012, the day I agreed to be treated it was 2.4; on 12/13/2012 it was 1.8. So that is going in the right direction? She did not order the T4 and T3 in December, though they were included in the November bloods.
I think I will get through this weekend and the holiday and if I don’t feel better on the 25th, I will call the hospital where my Endo works. Since I am at a teaching hospital for all of my care, I am more likely to have an endo who keeps current with all the research. One of the reasons that I am treated there.
To be honest, I love hearing and observing my doctors teaching during my appointments.
Thank you so much for your thoughts….
in reply to: One Month; Feel Horrible #1176009Thank you cat so much for responding. Still learning the personality of this site…. 62 views before anyone responded.
I had bloodwork last week, but for some reason, no TSH. Instead, all she added to my monthly tests was a liver test. This was only because my sister couldn’t take the Methimazole for long since her liver started to shut down. I was very surprised that the TSH wasn’t included.
My last TSH was on 11/15/2012, and was a <-.02>. I have gathered that this isn’t a good thing. My endo is away right now and won’t be back until after the holiday. I have more bloodwork scheduled for January 10th. I will confirm that the TSH will be included this time.
Guess I can tolerate this for a bit longer. May not have a choice.
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