[vanillasky]

in reply to: OMG! Graves’ Rage and it’s fury! #1178377

@Kimberly, thanks for the link. I forgot all about it today. He’s not worth it. But good thing I don’t own a gun or I’d bust a cap and then be in jail.

Just read about a man who had Graves’, commited murder and got away with it. Hmmm…………LOL!

(sorry, I’m silly today_

[vanillasky]

in reply to: Menapausal insomniac… #1178389

thanks for the suggestion about Gabapentin. I took that years ago when I was peri and it didn’t work for me. Just made me so tired I couldn’t get out of the bed. I hated that “doped up” feeling.

Also, almost had a car accident with my mother in the car while on the drug.

My gyno told me recent studies show that Gabapentin does not work for hot flashes and neither does soy. He said “it ain’t worth a damn.” So I don’t understand how it works for some women, but the studies were not at least promising.

*Please note: it’s also a weight gain drug!

[vanillasky]

in reply to: OMG! Graves’ Rage and it’s fury! #1178375

good to know I’m not the only one. Never had an anger problem until this diagnosis and yes, I think menopause in the mix has made me a royal b.

I’m just sick of taking crap from people who should mind their business but then I am Sicilian and come from a pretty tough family, but then I doubt it would take this many years for that hot, Silician temper to develop. LOL!

The thing is I feel so lousy most of the time and then sometimes when you don’t feel too bad, there is always some moron that upsets the apple cart like this creep at the store.

I’m laughing about it now.:lol:

[vanillasky]

in reply to: Menapausal insomniac… #1178385

Have you tried a tranquilizer? I am menopausal too and have night sweats where it wakes me up and I have to change my nightgown sometimes 2x a night.

I tried Lunesta, Ambien, blah, blah..nothing works for me either.

I find that 0.5 Klonopin before bed works but I still can’t make it through without getting up to change the soaked night gown. I dry myself off and then put on another clean one and back to bed.

Sometimes I wake up anyway, but the Klonopin is the only thing that has helped so far and my doctors say it’s okay for me to take it. Also helps daily with anxiety and if things get really bad, I am able to take two.

[vanillasky]

in reply to: Heart palpitations #1178336

There are all sorts of things that cause me to have heart palpitations. Even before I was diagnosed with Graves’, I had them periodically.

I went to a couple of different Cardiologists and had stress tests, Ecko-cardiograms, EKG’s, etc. and what they found is a leaky valve. He said it’s pretty common to find these in a lot of people and not to worry. I was also diagnosed with Mitral Valve Prolapse.

He said to try to get enough rest and lay off the stress (yeah right) but being hyper is like constant palpitations for me. And maybe being over-tired, angry, some people claim caffeine, personally I eat all the cholocate I want, they never are the cause of it.

So Beta blockers are the drug of choice. I only use them when the Graves’ kicks up and I’m hyperthyroid. Never had them when going hyp0.

[vanillasky]

in reply to: how to not obsess about GD and TED – any advice? #1178251

For me, I try to not think about it. I visit with friends and laugh,laugh,laugh! Laughing for me is definitely the best medicine on the most rotten day I can have.

I love to watch movies. I watch my favorite actors like Tom Cruise, (thus my screen name “Vanillasky”) and Brad Pitt. Love some deep conversations with my mom, she always makes me feel better.

Being with my dog, Achilles is a joy! He’s my best little buddy so if you have a pet, spend some time with him and play or talk to him. Sounds silly but dogs love the sound of your voice.

When all else fails, there is always my tranquilizers. Not good, I know but I have a feeling if and when this thing is over, I’m going to rehab. But then I try not to worry about that too. Living with husband is a lot like living with little kids, I don’t think there is much difference.
Karen

[vanillasky]

in reply to: Uncaring husband(have to share) #1178119

Dear Shannon, thank you so much for your kind words of wisdom. We sound a lot alike with the husband problem. For me, it’s like kicking Jesus as he walked to his own death. But then Jesus got up and kept on walking, covered in blood and with the heat and burning sun.

I always think of this and what he said when he died on the cross: “forgive them Father, fore they know not what they do.” And that’s exactly how I feel.

I try to be tough and you are right. It’s kind of like sticks and stones can break my bones but his words will never harm me.

I can’t get out because of the health insurance. That is the only reason and that’s it. Otherwise, I have no reason to stay. Too bad we don’t have universal health care in this country!

If you don’t mind, can I PM you?

Karen

[vanillasky]

in reply to: Feeling hyper again, sort of… #1178234

Hi Amy, I have taken beta blockers for a long time through the years and in my personal experience,, the only thing I ever felt was drowsy.

If you feel warm, (God I hate! that) and are having a problem exercising, I would say that rotten feeling is hyper happening. Believe me, I have been going through this for years. Yes, I sometimes get a cold nose, cold feet and cold hands, but the rest of me is burning up! And as my doctor explained hyperthyroidism is a feeling of continuous warmth. Well, not sure I agree with this because I have had a TSH of 0.01 and still had cold spells. So what does he know? He’s not a Graves’ patient.

[vanillasky]

in reply to: Uncaring husband(have to share) #1178117

Thank you everyone for your words of support and sympathy. I frankly don’t know what I would do without any of you. I am so glad I found this forum.

My mother is always working on something from getting me free mamograms to free medical care. I just met a woman tonight that has no insurance but her doctor works with her.

My goal is to get well and then LEAVE! Right now, if I were to leave, and even if I could work out payment with my endo, how would I drive to Cleveland? It’s a long ride for us. About 4 and one half to 5 hours. I would have to stay at the hotel by myself. My girlfriend works and I have 2 other great girlfriends that also work long, long hours. I don’t think any of them could go with me.

My mother is so crippled with arthritis, that she can’t travel and has problems walking distances. She’s 87. My father is dead and I have no sisters nor brothers to help me.

I pray a lot. The good news is my tumor hasn’t grown in a few years so I keep thinking maybe it will stay at 3mm and I wouldn’t have to worry about that.

I can get RAI and get my thyroid blasted and begin hormone therapy and then my horrible menopausal symptoms should pass. Haven’t had a period in about 2 years now.

I just keep hoping things will get better and I do believe in karma. He will GET his. Actually he already has. He has diabetes and a spinal disease but I have never been cruel to him or discounted his illnesses. In fact, he cannot bend so I tie his shoes each day! And this is the thanks I get? Not right. I can be burning up in bed but yet have to get up to go to the kitchen for an ice pack. He never helps me with anything.

I told him I wanted a divorce. He says he will never divorce me but that doesn’t mean I have to stay in this house. I can still leave. When I did leave him a few years ago, I did meet someone else. Unfortunately, that didn’t work out but I do have some fond memories of him. He was very, very attentive to me but he turned out to be a drug addict, sex addict and had other girlfriends he never told me about so I had to put an end to that. He was a phoney. And to top it off, he came from great wealth. I am not a gold digger but it would have been nice to marry him. Oh well, men can’t be trusted in relationships, I guess. No offense to our male members. But I have not been very lucky when it comes to a good man.

I will PM some of you and babble on and on. Once again, THANK YOU FOR BEING THERE. I LOVE YOU ALL.

Karen

@Kimberly: you are such a saviour. I will look into everything you said. I live very close to the library and can use the computer there and he won’t know anything. My mother also as I mentioned is always calling here and there. I am hoping something good happens with Obama Care, but I was told by Lifespan that wouldn’t be revealed until October, 2013.

In a nutshell, my whole problem is insurance and dang! if I could only work a full time job he wouldn’t see my dust. But if I could handle part time, I still wouldn’t get enough hours to get health insurance.

[vanillasky]

in reply to: Uncaring husband(have to share) #1178109

Kimberly, you have bear with me because I am abit ignorant or stupid for lack of a better word when it comes to all this abuse stuff. I don’t know what DV resources are?

I am 55 years old and I got married when I was just 22. I don’t understand all of this stuff because back in the day, we didn’t know about spousal abuse or child abuse. As a kid, I was beaten with a belt and nobody came to my rescue. I guess now a days kids can get help, but not when I was a child.

It’s the same for marriage. My grandfather used to beat my grandmother. She lived with it for years and years. He has never hit me, I will be honest in saying that but he is very volatile and makes himself come first in any situation…And I’m very stupid to him, but he is the one who is stupid because he just does not believe in anything I am doing. As a matter of fact, he objects to this forum but I come here anyway. He isn’t going to win!

[vanillasky]

in reply to: Uncaring husband(have to share) #1178107

@Kimberly, thanks for the link. I will look into it. My mother and I looked into things like this before and hit a brick wall. I need yearly mamograms, MRI’s, and have to go for bloodwork once a month because of the Graves’ disease. I have menopause which is super bad and need help because of that.

I cannot work because of the menopause/Graves’ disease, anxiety, depression and also I have a brain tumor.

The MRI’s study the brain tumor and watch to see if it is growing. It was at 5mm and my neurologist gave me a pill called Cabergoline to try to shrink the tumor. It shrunk to 3mm. they wanted me to keep taking the pill but it lowers my blood pressure and I already suffer from severe hyp0tension, so I was fainting all the time and bedridden for 5 months. It also gave me headaches so badly, I couldn’t leave the bedroom. If the tumor grows again, I either have to have brain surgery or go back on the Cabergoline which I hate, but they tell me the surgery is very tricky.
Everytime I have an MRI, it is $2,900. The Cabergoline pills are $500 a bottle. So as you can see, I have to take his verbal abuse and cruel treatment. I have no choice. If I were to leave, he has threatened to kill my dog and call United Health Care and cancel my policy.

I have to decide if I should just say “to Hell with the insurance, tumor and Graves’,” and just get my freedom or put up with his garbage.

Karen

[vanillasky]

in reply to: Uncaring husband(have to share) #1178104

Well, hard to say. He has always been a difficult person. I left him 3 years ago to go live with my mother. I had to come back because she didn’t know what was wrong with me and at the time, neither did I. I was always so hot and feverish, palpitations, she got scared and called him. he dragged me back home. And here I am. He is also very threatening. You see, I have to stay. I am too ill to work and he has the health insurance. If I leave, he will cancel my health insurance.

[vanillasky]

in reply to: Goodbye and so much good luck to all. #1178130

And Shirley, just want to let you know, that you have given back a million times. I’m new to this nightmare of Graves’ and I’ve learned a lot from everyone on here. But being sarcastic and disrespectful to the moderator, is just not right!

And yes, I received some whack-a-do PM’s and won’t say who they are from but after going years with a misdiagnosis and then thinking I’ve finally found out what is wrong with me and the possible solution, I don’t need a fly in the oitment. What is it they say: “the power of positive thinking.” That’s what I’m trying to do and this “person” just is so negative and brings me down. Now I see them chasing me around on here and too bad, ignoring a person like this is the best possible thing not to add fuel to the fire. I hope they go away and if they don’t? Well, I’m not going anywhere!

[vanillasky]

in reply to: TED again? Double vision again? Not sure I can do this again #1178166

Shirley, just a note to let you know you have my blessings and I hope that this gets better! I, personally, cannot relate. I don’t have TED, but definitely feel for you.

I wish there was just some way we could all be done with this horrid disease. I am so sick of hearing how sick we all are. We all need to get well and carry on with our lives.

Karen

[vanillasky]

in reply to: Just curious about RAI #1177967

You know I’m not feeling well today and somebody here is lucky they don’t live where I live because they are cruising for a bruising. LOL!

I’m gonna just chillax. You all go ahead and fight. I’m not into it.

Karen:)

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