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in reply to: I can’t do this any more – sorry :( #1069262

Movies, hugs and time with your children, such QUALITY TIME hyperm, GOOD FOR YOU!! I’m SO HAPPY that you’re not feeling the GUILT, your children & husband DESERVE YOUR TIME, TIME we cannot put a price on with your family and will NEVER GET BACK, so TAKE IT TO HEAL YOURSELF!! I decided, after my IV treatment today, to go to the pool (it was a cloudy, overcast day, as I know the sun is not good for steroid treatment), came home and took a 5 HR. "NAP"…yes,"NAP" !! I just want you to know how PROUD OF YOU and the decisions you make today to spend time with your CHILDREN & your HUSBAND !! They DESERVE your time, they love you and isn’t just an unconditional hug from your children THE BEST?? My son is 25 yrs. old now and lives 3,000 miles away from me so I only get those unconditional hugs a few times each year. ENJOY THEM while your children are small !!

I agree with Nancy, PLEASE, PLEASE call your doctor when you can and explain how you are feeling, otherwise they do not know !! Like I said, I’ve actually documented my depression(s) and when they come on, I can usually tell..I do know it’s physiological because I see the changes in my body leading up to it and they usually take approximately 4 days to be full blown. I’ve explained them to my dr. and so when I feel them starting, I call him and he knows now that my levels are changing and sends me immediately for bloodwork. And, there is ALWAYS my ANSWER, I’m not CRAZY !! Surgery is NO JOKE, your body is going through so much just trying to heal from that sick thyroid for so long!! No one knows their body better than YOU, so hang in there!! You’ve LOVED by your family, you’re LOVED by all of your friends HERE !! Please let us know how tomorrow is for you hyperm!!

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in reply to: Intravenous Glucocorticosteroids #1069641

Hello Carla…that’s EXACTLY my husband’s words, 1 step forward and 2 back all the time. I have my second treatment today…I noticed yesterday that I had a beautiful red glow all over my face, like I had been in the sun for days from the treatment. Someone actually asked me if I’d been in the sunshine and I said no, just tons of steroids. I’m sure your daughter is worried about gaining weight, but what I’ve come to realize is that once I get well, I’ll worry then about my weight. For now, I just want to feel better…After my first treatment on Thursday, as CRAZY as it sounds, I woke up and had gained ANOTHER 2 lbs. on Friday morning. I did read in a magazine though yesterday to drink 2 cups of dandeloin root tea (you can get at the drug store) because it helps with water weight. I believe most of this MUST be water weight from the steroids b/c I’m not eating anymore than I did and I’m not hungry from the metal taste in my mouth. I think I’m going to buy some to see what it’s like and if it helps me. Tell your daughter we’ll get through this with her, that we’re here for her, all the way across the world and we want to just see her get well, AND SHE WILL!! Hang in there.

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in reply to: Better times will come #1069238

That’s very sweet….awwwwhhhhhh……
Thanks for sharing!!

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in reply to: TSI question #1069242

I’d call and DEMAND your Endo call me back immediately or make another appt. I agree, the front desk has THIS ONE WRONG!! I’d like to hear the follow-up answer as I’m very interested. Please let us know!

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in reply to: I can’t do this any more – sorry :( #1069251

Hyperm: Oh honey, if you’re having double vision YOU MUST let your Endo doctor know and get an appt. with an opthalmologist. I’m blessed, in that I have an eye specialist in my area that has studied GD for over 30 years and understands my frustrations, etc. If you’re having double vision, I would ask for an MRI of the orbits of your eyes. My right eye superior rectus muscle is 3x the size of the left one and that’s why my eyes are misaligned right now. Until I get stable, I can’t have surgery to correct it, which sounds fairly easy to do. Please let us know that you’ve called your drs. and when your appt. is scheduled. It’s very IMPT. to follow-up on your vision issue. My understanding from BOTH of my doctors is that the TED is SEPARATE and INDEPENDENT from GD. A facilitators on this site can confirm my statement. Hang in there, we’re here for you!! Remember, with everything I’ve read, GD ONLY ATTACKS Type "A" people, the strongest of the strongest sista!! We’re ALWAYS there for everyone else…well guess what, IT’S YOUR TURN, YOU’RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT!
I don’t mean to sound like my husband is a horrible man, he’s just not sensitive to my issue/disease. It’s not HIM so he’s NOT INTERESTED! He’s a good provider and I know he loves me or I wouldn’t have been here for 30 years my dear, but what I am telling you is that he’s SELFISH, but I made him that way by spoiling him. I’ve always been INDEPENDENT and my own person and that’s what he expects…

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in reply to: I can’t do this any more – sorry :( #1069247

Hyperm: I did read your post, every word and I just want to THANK YOU for putting into words the way I feel these days too!! No lie!! I don’t have the support at home from my husband either, don’t have a cleaning lady, etc. As long as I get up every day, put one foot in front of the other, I’M WELL!! Well, I"M NOT!! My husband tells others that I have GD, but doesn’t really understand what it means to have this disease. I can’t get him interested to read ANY of the posts. He forgets when I have an appt. and my girlfriends say it’s my fault because I don’t remind him or don’t tell him. What’s the use? He’s not interested! And, like others, I just feel like I’m complaining, WHEN I’M NOT, IT"S REAL!! What I’m trying to explain is that you’re not alone, I PROMISE YOU!! We’re soooooooooo lucky to have this site to post and talk to each other.

I’m currently taking IV Solumedrol treatments for my TED and have dbl. vision EVERY DAY! It’s frustrating and I too hide behind my mask of happiness when inside, I’m dying too. I took my first treatment yesterday, have another one tomorrow & one on Monday. I’m gaining weight from all the steroids and just MISERABLE!! I can tell you that I’ve PHYSICALLY felt myself going into suicidal thoughts and even told my dr. that. Those TRUE FEELINGS come and go for me…don’t worry about being here…we’re here for you, TRUST ME!!

I know we have a lot of men on this site, but they can be so selfish BECAUSE WE SPOIL them…we are the nurturing ones, remember THAT!! Your children NEED YOU, stop those NEGATIVE thoughts hyperm NOW!!

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in reply to: Help ! Work Issues from Eye Issues #1069281

Hello erobinson. I too have the TED. It affects my work EVERY DAY as I have double vision and usually find myself wearing a patch over one eye every day until I can get to a point where surgery can be considered. As a matter of fact, yesterday was the first of my THIRD IV Infusions treatment of Solumedrol…so I woke up this morning at 2 AM ready to come to work and of course, had to wait til 8 AM to report. I’m sure by the end of today, I’ll be a basket case, but you understand, I’m sure. And, I found out that crying doesn’t help TED either, it just causes more inflammation and it’s painful, so DON"T CRY!!

I know, in my company, I can go out on what’s called a "temporary disability", pending doctors approval. There are a couple other solutions you might talk to your dr. about too, especially if the steroid treatments worked almost 3 yrs. ago. I had 10 days of radiation therapy to my eyes, which was recommended by the GD eye specialist and I did those treatments in February.

I know how you feel as I’m your age and it seems we worked so long, for what? That’s why I continue to get up every morning, do what my drs. recommend and in the end, if I have to go out on a short term disability for ME and MY HEALTH, it will only make me a better employee when I return. Every situation is very different, but my bosses are very supportive and understand my health concerns so I can talk to them. As a matter of fact, my boss can look at my eyes when they are misaligned and say to me, "Well, doesn’t look like a good day today, where’s the patch?" I told her that I just gave her an extra bullet for her resume, "working with the disabled". I wish you luck. Please let us know how your progress.

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in reply to: Swine Flu effects on Graves #1069275

Hello Stephg: I’m not the person to answer your question, just wanted you to know that you’ve come to an exceptional board of facilitators that are so knowledgable!! I’m sure one of them will answer all your concerns. WELCOME!

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in reply to: Disability #1070407

THAT"S TERRIBLE Paloma!! I was truly trying to state a fact because GD isn’t visible to most people, ya know? But that certainly was a mute point since your brother was denied!! I AGREE, frickin’ GOVT!

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in reply to: Agranulocytosis #1069374

Thanks hyperm for responding…I think that I’ll casually ask how my WBC is next week when I go back to my Endo since I just went yesterday for a series of bloodwork. It seems my Endo dr. is always cking my calcium (b/c I have osteoporosis) and vitamin D (it’s always low even though I take 50,000 IUs per wk & 1200 daily), TSH, TSI, Free 4, but I haven’t seen him run anything on a CBC, which would tell him my white blood count, right? I did notice though he’s running one new blood test this time, so I’ll ask him what it was all about!!

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in reply to: Graves’ and Lupus….Bonus Score!!!!!!! #1069298

I’m so sorry Rhonda for your dx, but at least you know what’s going on now!! I’m having trouble coping with GD along with TED so I can’t imagine what or how they will treat both. Please let us know your progress and what the rheumatologist says. It sounds like you have a very interested dr. on your side and I’m interested on how the rheumatologist decides on your treatment! You & your family are in our thoughts and prayers through this challenging time!!

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in reply to: Hives Question? #1069419

Hey Julie…I’m feeling like a dumb dumb again after reading your post. Just when I thought these crazy hot flushes were from the GD, they could be from tapazole?? I currently on 20 mg of tapazole a day. Sometimes I don’t know what is what and all I want is to get well and I’m just so confused. I also have the TED and had my first cocktail of three (1000mg. Solumedrol IV) today. My GD TED dr. sent me in for the inflammation so maybe it will help with all the other symptoms I’m having too. I’m starting to feel anxious again b/c I can’t seem to get my hands around SOMETHING / ANYTHING that will make me feel better & in the meantime, the lbs. keep packing on. I told my TED dr. to go ahead and put an extra 10 lbs. on each hip before I even went for my first treatment today…ARGH!!!!!!!!!! I"M SOOOOOOOOO FRUSTRATED!!!!!!!!!!

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in reply to: nancy patterson #1069405

Krystal: I know you had the question for Nancy, just wondering how you were doing on your new meds. I start my first of three treatments today of IV Solumedrol…leaving in a min. to get it administered and NOT looking fwd. to it!!

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in reply to: Phew I made! I am now thyroid free and home! #1069468

Hyperm, We are certainly not getting fed up with you needing reassurance, STOP IT!! That’s why we are here for each other (we are BLESSED to have this site) and to hear the reports that your swelling is going down in your neck does my heart good. Hang in there!!

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in reply to: Hives Question? #1069417

I saw my GD eye dr. today and he asked me WHY I had hives all over my face and I laughed!! He told me that the hives are not a symptom of the GD; however, the GD makes you HYPERSENSITIVE and that something else is causing them…OH GREAT!! Julie, you’re right in that I guess it could be the tapazole, but it seems strange since I’ve been on it now since last Oct…who knows!! I’m so frustrated…now I have something else to try and figure out…

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