Graves diease

This is a totally wrong use of an ER, go to your GP and he will refer you just as quickly if not quicker as the ER send a letter to your GP who will then refer you, so it is in fact slower to go via ER. I work in an ER and a chronic illness is neither an Accident nor an emergency unless you have a very rare thyroid storm. PLEASE DO NOT USE YOU ER /A&E TO TRY AND BYPASS OR SHORTCUT THE SYSTEM. IT DOES NOT WORK AND YOU MAY PUT OTHER LIVES AT RISK. YOU WILL ALSO HAVE TO WAIT A LONG TIME BECAUSE YOUR PROBLEM ISN'T URGENT,

T always seems when my thyroid goes under the eye symptoms get worse, my face is also really puffy, I get up every day at 5 to ice my eyes before work at 8 as to go out with my ice so puffy and big I would be embarrassed, the swelling makes the eye more noticeable, I lice in Northern Ireland, I phoned today and was told there is a 17 month waiting list so I can still expect to wait a year and even then I don't know if doc will help. Do steroids help the swelling ? I am very depressed at present I have people say the carbimazole makes the eye worse , I don't know weather to continue on medication or stop altogether to see does the eyes improve , 

Do not stop your Methimazole.  The eye problems are not caused by the med but are in fact, part of Graves disease.  Though it goes along with Graves, it is considered a separate disease.  Some people experience no eye symptoms, some experience mild symptoms like dry eyes and others are majorly affected with eye swelling and protrusion and double vision and require an ocular surgeon to correct the problem.  Also getting your Graves disease into remission will help.  For the eye problem, what others have told me they do is soak cotton pads in witch hazel and place them over closed eyes to get some relief.  They take selenium 200 mg or eat 2 hazelnuts a day.  Steroids are absolutely used in the more severe swollen cases and are necessary.  For getting your Graves into remission, taking supplements along with your medication also helps.  I took Regular L-Carnitine 3,000 mg after reading a research article about this that said it was  beneficial for hyperthyroid patients.  I also took vitamin D, 1,000 to 5,000 IU per day along with curcumin for inflammation and a few others.  Some hyper patients also take Motherwort and Melissa to calm them.  All of these can be taken along with your methimazole or carbimazole. 

I was interested to read your reply. I was wondering if you are a nurse, a dr or administrator.

When I had the same signs and symptoms the clinical lead sent me to the eye clinic the SAME afternoon. The eye clinic examined my eyes and I had a posterior vitreous detachment. I was then asked to go backto the eye clinic the NEXT DAY for review.

Going to A and E as it is known in Britain with eye conditions is NOT wasting anyone's time. Until one gets ones eyes examined then how can one know what the cause of the signs and symptoms are. In ophthalmology the signs and symptoms can be due to various serious eye conditions requiring urgent attention. It is best to err on the side of caution than to risk an irreversible condition.

We must look after our vision.

Are you a nurse or a dr?

Does your ER dept actually have a seperate eye specialist or ophthalmic department?

Do you have the necessary equipment to safely carry out weeye exminations? Hope you do not mind my asking.

o you have a slit amo

Jean

Are you a trained nurse or a doctor or an ophthalmic trained nurse?

I disagree with what you say. Eyes are precious.

It is no

Why is it an emergency? It is uncomfortable and unpleasant I agree, but you are not going to lose your sight within 24 hours so it is NOT an emergency! I also suffer from TED, so I understand what it is like with headaches, sore painful itchy eyes and puffy horrible eyelids, but whatever else it is not an emergency. Please will people stop using emergency services to try and get seen quicker. No wonder we all have to wait so long in ED. save emergency services for real emergencies. 

They do it differently in Canada.  I got referred to a cardiologist and had cardiac testing when I had cardiac symptoms because waiting 3 months for an appointment might have resulted in death. It is an average 3 month wait to get in to see a specialist and I am sure it is no different in her country.  I also once had a throat problem that was so painful, I could not eat and I could not sleep.  I would have had to wait 3 months to see an ENT doc.   I saw an ENT resident in Emerg who diagnosed my condition and gave me treatment immediately.  My GP did not know what it was.  Thyroid eye disease is a serious issue for some people.  They can lose their sight if they do not get immediate treatment.  Believe me I have seen TED patients at thyroid conferences and it makes me sad because if they had been diagnosed properly immediately, they might have not had their permanent disabilities.  Other patients with thyroid disease have mild eye symptoms such as I did and do not require urgent attention but I would not discourage her from going to an Emerg Dept.

I was actually referred to by the gp as endocrinologist at first dismissed the symptoms and told me it would settle with the carbimazole, I have another appointment with endo in 4 weeks, I don't feel the eye symptoms are taken seriously, when I was diagnosed she simply said yes that's graves you have, no explanation of the diease , symptoms, she was not at all helpful

Thanks Lydia.

You wrote.....

Graves' disease antibodies

Which antibodies in particular are you referring to?

I can get a dr to do them .

Jean

Lydia

Are you in the UK?

Hi Lydia

Yes unfortunately.

Jean