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in reply to: Just wondering? #1064313

In the very recent past, there was another post addressing this issue. I think there was a reply by Bobbi or Kimberly, can’t remember which one. Look for RAI in the search panel, and scroll through posts in the past week. If I see it, I will write to you again, tell you which one it was.
In your case, I think it matters a lot on what you were told. Or have you been told anything on this subject? But, as I reaall from other posts, yes, sometimes steroids are given before RAI, especially with TED signs.
Shirley

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in reply to: Hyperthroid with inflammed thryoid #1064309

Hi Tamara,
It is discouraging to have a sore throat. Did any of the docs you saw prescribe a medicine to help you with your acid reflux? They really do help.
Acid reflux HURTS, and definitely can cause a sore throat, as I imagine they told you.
Shirley

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in reply to: Hyperthroid with inflammed thryoid #1064307

well, not sure how long "quite a while" is, but there has been a ton of summer sore throats this year, all viral, so that is a possibility. Assuming you mean "sore throat" and not sore neck.
I think doctors have quite a bit of clue, really. There certainly are doctors out there who are more preferable than other doctors. Are you going to an endo for your thyroid meds? If so, he took a look at your throat, said it was red. That fits with a sore throat.
But if your sore throat is like all the others in the US, it hurts a lot for a few days, maybe a week, then begins to get better.
Sometimes with/without a fever.
If you mean "sore Neck" since your thyroid is inflammed, it may hurt. Inflammed things do hurt. That makes perfect sense.
You said you are hyper. What are your symptoms of hyper? From the lab ranges where I live, both of your TSH’S re in the normal range. But that really does not mean anything. If you are on tapezole, he is trying to get you to a normal lab state, and with a reduction in too much thyroid hormone, it is likely that you should feel better (re feeling agitated, eating a lot, losing weight, heat intolerance, very fast heart beat) Are you experiencing, or have you experienced any of these symptoms?

You will learn by reading this board that having Graves’ is not a quick fix. All of use want it to just go away, and unfortunately, it takes a while, with many steps, and a good endocrinologist experienced in Graves’ disease to help us through it. I am sure the facilitators will jump in with helpful thoughts for you. One of my faults is that I tend to write too much and too long. Sorry for the length of this.
Shirley

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in reply to: Hyper again-What should I do? #1064350

Cynthia,
I think I had a sub-total thyroidectomy. I have written for the operative note, but have little chance of getting it after all these years. It was 50 years ago! If this is the case, I got along very nicely with the tiny bit of thyroid tissue that was left for many years. I was euthyroid (normal levels, felt normal in every way) for over thirty years. I did have thyroid labs every year or so.

When the labs said I was a little bit hypothyroid (and I was more tired than usual) I began Synthroid, and over the next decade, it was increased based on my labs. I always felt good. In the past year or so, I have worked with the endo to reduce synthroid doses, for the endo before this one, let me maintain 150mcg even though now the labs said I was hyPERthyroid, though I felt fine. Free t3 and free t 4 in normal range.

He wanted to have me have the amount of thyroid hormone that put me in the normal range, yet where I felt good. He wanted to decrease it because of the increased risk of osteoporosis and of atrial fibrillation. These are very small risk factors when you are in a hyPERthyroid state over time. Although I was in that state only by the labs, not how I felt. I agreed to reduce Synthroid because the cardiologist was concerned that my TSH was suppressed. As we reduced the Synthroid, I began to feel cold, sluggish and generally felt like crap, could not eat, had slow gastric emptying.
So, two months ago, we upped Synthroid to 100mcg from 75. I feel good now.

My situation is odd and unique, and there is no explanation for the prior endo keeping me with a suppressed TSH except that I felt fine. There is not much for you to learn from my situation ezcept for the fact that Graves’ is a wacky disease, and everyone is different.

Regarding you, I am very glad that you will probably follow with the cardiologist. It is important. I AM a cardiac patient, so I take some. For you, I think it is a good time to finish recovering from your very successful thyroidectomy, which you are doing magnificently.
BUT, I would not jump to the conclusion that taking the Synthroid "caused" your rapid heart rate and high BP. That is why when you can manage it financially, you definitely should go to the cardiologist for a cardiac work up. That is important.
It is POSSIBLE that you had some thyroid hormone racing around your body after your surgery that was already "made," and the addition of Synthroid a couple weeks after your surgery created too much thyroid hormone. There are not clear cookbook answers to all this. I suspect your endo stopped your Sythroid for this possibility. You were referred to the ER and cardiology because that is the only right think to do for a person with a pulse of 250. A pulse rate that fast that is not controlled, can be life threatening. That is why drugs are given to slow it down, and to manage the BP, if that is the problem.

These are just my thoughts, that you can read in any basic textbook. I can tell from you emails that you are MUCH LESS hyper, and much more grounded, than when you began to write a few weeks ago. YOu are making tons of progress.
I think you and I are probably older that most of the people who are writing, so there are always more possibilities to consider and rule in and rule out, simply because of our age. I am saying that because we are both Grandmas!
You are doing great, keep the record without worrying about it. I imagine your endo will want more labs in a few weeks, to see where you are. And he probably will want to hear from the cardiologist after you have some of your tests.
I have worn a HOlter moniter before. It’s easy and a bit cumbersome, and tells a story of what your heart is doing over a 24 hour period.

The reason I take cardiac meds is unrelated to anything related thyroid stuff. It is because I had a boatload of radiation and chemo for a couple of breast cancers, and there was some damage from one of both of them. I am doing just fine, though.
Shirley

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in reply to: Hyper again-What should I do? #1064348

Hi, how are you doing? Have you had a chance to think about your options? The third option was lightly referred to in Kimberly’s post, but I wanted to tell you that there has been a lot of conversation lately from people who have chosen the surgical route, for their own sets of reasons. YOu might be interested in taking a look at their experiences. I also chose surgery, and have been extremely happy with my choice. For many years, I took no thyroid replacement at all, now I take a little bit of Synthroid. I was on PTU, but for a very short period of time, just long enough to get my levels down, and out of the extremely hyper state I was in, so I could have the surgery.
I think most people on this site, whether surgery, RAI, or anti thyroid drug, have been pretty content with what they chose. A big part of that is having an active role in what path you do choose.
Best wishes, how do you feel, are you getting more hyper?
Shirley

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in reply to: after surgery #1064363

Hi Cynthia,
I think you know this now, but with either chest pain and heart rate of 250, a trip to the ER is the safest way to go. I am extremely relieved that you have seen a cardiologist, and that he will continue with an appropriate cardiac work-up for you.
I am trying to write as a lay person who would know this if they took a basic CPR class, and ignoring my background in ACLS.
I am sure the nurse wigged out big time,and very happy that you have such great vital signs with the lopressor.
You have been through A LOT. You will get better, and resume chasing your grandchildren around. Maybe not as fast as ten years ago!
I just re-read your note, and saw that you won’t be able to follow up with the cardiologist for the tests because of finances. I am hoping that your recent health history will be the key to the insurance people to approve them. Is there any possibility of that? For now, take the lopressor, be sure to call the office of the cardiologist if your vital signs take a nose dive in the other direction. Sometimes the lopressor dose needs to be tweaked a little bit. Right now you have really groovy vital signs!
I think your endo may have stopped the Synthroid to provide an added piece of information. It is possible that the Synthroid has nothing at all do with your heart rate, and you might have a little independent cardiac thing going on.

Now I feel better writing this, for I AM writing from experience! I see a cardiologist regularly, along with the endo, for I have cardiac issues (and meds) that are totally unrelated to Graves’. I had all the tests that were recommended for you.
It is possible that you might be assuming the cardiac tests are not covered, but they might be. I hope this is the case.
I am assuming that your insurance covered your surgery and subsequent hospitalization through the ER, plus the ER.

The facilitators will have some great comments for you I am sure.
The important thing is that you got the treatment you need. And, you are certainly a wonderul role model for someone who has had a thyroidectomy! You are doing swimmingly well post op!
Best to you, Shirley

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in reply to: Really Dry Eyes Starting Restasis #1064483

I think you are right about that. I will explore the whole thing further. I had asked before @ rx eye drops, and the eye doc said, "there is one that is rx, but you don’t want that." Well, this is an eye doc I no longer go to, so I don’t want him, either! Thanks, ewmb

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in reply to: Very wierd #1064316

Sounds like a fun day (except for the cramps!) They might have simply occurred. Who knows? Sounds like you did A LOT!
Maybe a little too much?

I do not recall if you re hyper at this time, or not. I probably should look before I write this.
You certainly do not need to stop LIVING, when you are hyper, but your whole body is in overdrive and racing, and that consumes a lot of energy. When I was hyper, I was like a whirling dervish, without anyone to tell me to take it a little easy. I wish they had. But it was abnormal, frenetic hyperactivity. The facilitators have said that doing a lot of strenuous work out, going for really long runs, in other words, take it easy, is the best way to go when you are hyper.
Moderation in all things is a good way to think. But your day sounded great until the cramps, and it is wonderful to forget that you had Graves’.

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in reply to: Really Dry Eyes Starting Restasis #1064481

I have the same problem. Have been using all kinds of eye drops. So far, systane ultra the best. Will look for Systane balance. Sheila, thank you for your detailed responses @ REstasis. I know you said good results, but does that mean you have less tearing all the time? I know I have dry eyes, and I understand the dry eye/tearing conundrum. I am really plagued by the tearing, and have to blot my eyes super frequently, especially the first four hours of the day. I do use lubricant at night. I do have plugs, but I have not noticed a BIT of difference, except the very high bill I got for the 2 seconds it took to insert them. I can never decide for sure if my tearing was worse after the plugs.
I’d like to look at Restasis as the magic bullet. Have you tried to stop using it, and did the symptoms increase again?
Or have you ever taken a vacation from it?

I will have strabismus (eye muscle) surgery in September, and would LIKE to think that photophobia and tearing might be better after that surgery. But nobody has said/not said it would improve, I always forget to ask!
Shirley

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in reply to: after surgery #1064361

Hey Cynthia! how are you doing today?
Shirley

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in reply to: Hopefully end in sight! #1064325

Hi teacherhelper!
It is a very reassuring feeling to have a PLAN, rather that total limbo, with your very interesting and challenging situation with no response to PTU, and unable to take meth. Sounds like you have a good endo, and you are content (well, resigned and ok with,) your decision. Anything that is an action that indicates moving forward, to that someday when you will back to your regular self, is itself, very empowering. Good for you! Re diet, try to make it a fun challenge to be on a low salt diet. Most of us (I am an exception, I hate salt!) eat too much salt. YOu might/might not be interested in a product Morton Salt makes, called, LITE SALT. But I am not sure if it is non-iodized, Now lite salt that is an oxymoron if I ever heard one, but you can check the grams of sodium against regular salt the next time you are in the store.

I don’t recall your other posts, so do not remember if you had eye issues, or thyroid eye disease. You said you were going to call your endo tomorrow, regarding RAI and prednisone and eyes, but I am not sure where you are with all that, so calling your endo is definitely the way to go! Do you have tED? Have you gone to an eye doctor?

Think of every day that passes is one more day to getting back to baseline, even if it might take a while.
Re your diet, my empathy and sympathy abound in great quantities to you while you refrain from dairy products. I love’em too!
Enjoy your trip to Wisconsin. I am "going back" to Iowa at that time.
Shirley

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in reply to: after surgery #1064359

Hi Cynthia, I know you are in my general age demographic, and it is not necessary to know all of your health history in this forum. But I do recall from some of your other posts that you have some additional health problems.

The fatigue is easy to answer, for after a surgical procedure, anesthesia, etc., fatigue is a natural outcome,and it decreases as the weeks pass. No reason to be 100% energetic, or even close, after surgery! (:

However, with CHEST PAIN, my thought is that you be seen by a doctor today. Usually that phrase suggests a trip to the ER for a cardiac evaluation, to be sure nothing else is going on that is completely unrelated to your Graves’ or your surgery.
I am not sure the endo is the right doc for you to call, for you might not even get a call back the same day, especially now, for you are pretty much regarded as a surgical patient right now. Or they may call back and tell you to call your surgeon.

From my view, if you are having CHEST PAIN, I think you should consider going to an ER to be sure there are no cardiac issues.
Shirley

I

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in reply to: Question about pets/animals #1064332

Hi Kari, what a marvelous gift you are giving to those baby animals! It brought back memories of all the "rescuing" we did on an Iowa farm. Our rescues were the same as yours, plus a family of six newborn opossums one year. I was waiting for Kimberly’s response before I answered, for this is a subject that would never occur to me. My initial reaction was that it was a non-issue for you. Thank you for having a small creature rescue.
Shirley

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in reply to: ????????????????? so many questions. #1064520

newbie10 and scgirl,
It is great that you are on the path to being informed and will work with your endo to be in charge of your health care.
There is A LOT of junk on the internet. This is a a good, reliable and safe place to bring your questions for clarification, as well as your docs, of course. But there is a lot of junk, including off the internet. This site, Kimberly and Bobbi, and all of us, can help by sharing our own experiences. I love this site!
Shirley

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in reply to: Refresher on Normal Levels please #1064340

Hi, labs differ in their normal ranges, sometimes even in the same city.
For me, TSH ( 4- .4-5)
T3 (2.3-3.9)
Free thyroxine (.6-1.2)
I take Synthroid, the generic does not "work" for me. I am not sure if it is real or imagined on my part. I also take Cytomel, which is prescribed by the endo because I wanted to see if I had more energy with it. I really don’t have an answer to that, either!
I do think, for whatever reason, that a change of drug can make a difference, but the big message there is staying on the same one, so it is apples to apples in the labs over time.
I think there is a biochemical difference between Levoxyl and Synthroid, but leave that to the facilitators to address.
Shirley

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