Hyper VS. Hypo
Posted , 9 users are following.
My family doctor along with my specialist said its easier to treat hypo than hyperthyroidism. My doctor said they may purposely put me in to hypo. My Specialist is of course gone on a very lengthy vacation and finally comes back Monday so I can consult with her. BUT I would like your input on whether or not being put into hypo is good. I have been trying to decide about taking the radioactive iodine or having my thyroid removed and then I know I would go into hypo... All I do know for sure is I can't keep living how I am living. I have gotten way better from when this first has all started about 6 wks ago But I'm still not there and I'm still having symptoms. Like today my heart rate wanted to go hay wire and it took longer for my atenolol to start working. A different day I have horrible anxiety. When will all this stop? Only after I go into hypo? And then I'm left dealing with the symptoms of hypo... Feeling beat right now and getting not only physically worn down from this but mentally too. 
0 likes, 12 replies
shelia50385 cheryl08343
Posted
It's not good, I am hypo and my sex drive is almost gone, your hair began to fall out and your nails get very brittle. I wouldn't do it, but that's just my opinion. Good luck on whatever you decide.
cheryl08343 shelia50385
Posted
shelia50385 cheryl08343
Posted
madge1979 cheryl08343
Posted
Who in This world could choose between these two diseases ??
But I know members of my family who have suffered for fifty years with being Hypothyroid and one who is almost at the en of her life with illnesses associated directly with having No thyroid !
So ... Learn to love your thyroid ... It is your immune system ( if it is Graves' disease ) as it is in my case , that's attacking it that's causing all the problems
Try to heal your immune system so it leaves your thyroid in peace ! And if you can do so .... You may be able to stay in remission .
Surely that would be better than becoming Hypothyroid for ever ....
And have all the associated ill health that may accompany that condition .
Think carefully before you allow someone to remove your thyroid or destroy it ! Why not
Learn to control it ..
Good luck in your decision it's probably one of the most important you will ever have to make ...
Mx??
tatiana12 madge1979
Posted
Hi Madge and Cheryl, as a Graves disease patient for over 4 yrs now, I have gone through Thryoid storm ( undiagnosed hyperthyroidism by both my cardiologist and my GP !!) with most of the symptoms described in med literature - until my goitre made it clear to me here was a medical miss,and ultrasounds showed to what extent my disease had gone.
by then my eyes were affected too, unfortunately, still wonder how my cardiologist could not see that! Put me on atenolol for months!
Just showing, Cheryl, that a doctor s word is not necessarily trustworthy. Get 2d and even 3d opinions!
After being diagnosed a last, I was on 45 mg Methimazole daily for one month and atenalol for my racing heart rate. Now down to 5 mg , and attenpt to wean myself off it last summer was a flop. Symptoms were unbeareable, extreme sluggishness, dizzy,nauseous etc.
I believe I was in fact suddenly heading towards being hypo.
Glad my endo urged me to re start my meds , all went back into place.
yes it does mean bouts of anxiety,but if you know where they come from , it s easier to muster them.
i developed claustrophobia too, being asthmatic as well. Trying to control myself as much as I can.
again, knowing " why " is paramount in being able to understand and live with one s HT .
Madge, did you find a way to " heal " your immune system? Is there a magic approach to do so I am not aware of? It would be a life saver, in the true sense of the word!
i am on probiotics due to irritable colon, twice a year for 4-5 weeks -
they have greatly helped me to fight off colds and flu I was regularly getting, even in Summer! Big support for our immune systems.
I suppose keeping one s stress within reasonable levels makes all the difference.
if there was any solution for the latter I d try anything!
madge1979 tatiana12
Posted
Healing my immune system Tatiana was something I didn't know anything about until I came across this site one year ago ... in fact I had no idea
what Graves' disease or Hyperthyroid disease was .
My GP said there was nothing wrong with me .. he thought I was just an anxious person ... I had every symptom in the book racing heart shaking to the very core of my body, hair falling out , nails broken and coming loose
itching all over, terrible joint pain , restless legs ....but the worst thing was the anxiety I felt like I was going downhill in a car with no brakes at a hundred miles an hour ... everyone looked to me like ... they couldn't see that I was screaming inside with terror ...... I wanted to just.... die .
please believe me when I tell you just how bad I was ...
But ...today I am Euthroid
...because I was determined that I was not going to have a very important piece of my body cut out.... or destroyed !!
I know how my body works and I tried to imagine I could see my thyroid being attacked by antibodies ... my immune system was responsible for this and so I thought maybe I could calm it all down, or heal it .
I started to read everything on my iPad I could, regarding Graves .. and many people, afraid to take strong medication , had resorted to taking natural supplements .. so that's what I did .
Google these supplements and see How they work and see if you feel you could take them too ....
Bugleweed
Motherwort
Lemon balm
Magnesium
Selenium
Zinc
Cooper
Vitamin C
Vitamin B1
Vitamin B Complex
VItamin B 12 ( must be sublingual .. under the tongue ...it's faster )
Vitamin E
Acidophilus ( I take 1 X 20billion capsule a day )
The Vitamin B1 B Complex and B12
are for energy .. and they DEFINATELY work , I've given them to
friends and family who also swear by them too.
YOu have nothing to lose .. maybe only a few £s or $
Google them all individually and see if they might suit you too .
I know my GP would never have prescribed them for me ... and it's MY
body , so I went ahead and bought them, as I had no intention of continuing to live the way I was
I have to tell you I went , after diagnosis , to an Endocrinologist..who really only chequed my blood test results ! but , who did put me on 20 mg of
Carbimazole per day , then down to 10mg ... and then 5mg and about 3 months ago I was told I was Euthroid !! I didn't really feel that I was !
and started to take L Carnitine ( google it please ) which I weaned
myself off Carbimazole with !!
the Bugleweed, Motherwort and Lemon balm ... calmed my thyroid activity and helped me sleep , as did the B VItamin combination.
I read that around 75 per cent of your immune system is in your gut , so the high potency acidophilus helps right at the core , as well , of course , as the other vits and minerals .
Vitamin E and Magnesium , I'm sure , in my case , anyway,stopped
my restless legs
Why not do some research online and see for yourself how to take this faulty immune system .,
Google each Vitamin ... for example ..
Google VItamin B deficiency and thyroid
... and see what it comes up with .,., then see if you recognise yourself in the answer .. you'll be amazed .
I wish you the very best of Luck .. I believe no one will cure this but I know now ...that we Can control it .. and perhaps become Euthroid or be in remission from it ....by using vitamins and minerals that we all should have in our bodies .. but may have become depleted, over the years and we should replenish them if we know how to do so. I don't believe a GP will take the time to figure all that out for you .. so .. we need to self medicate !
TRy to be strong ... and be in charge of your body. take supplements that heal your immune system and research and learn all you can .. If I did not
have my wonderful IPad I would still be very ill ... my iPad gave me knowledge ... to control and manage my illness .
Today I feel like my old self and I thank God for it .
You can do it too ... have some of these ?????????????????????
to make you smile and know there's hope ...but only you can do it for you.
mx??
Yeroliza madge1979
Posted
I would just like to say how really helpful and in depth your reply is. Some people give their opinion and advice without any rational explanation on what TO DO which - nice as it may be - is not useful or practical. Your reply lists exact vitamins and minerals,together with if they worked for others - always useful - and all in all a truly great reply. I intend to try it all! Thank you.
madge1979 tatiana12
Posted
kristyk cheryl08343
Posted
Hi cheryl108343, I had to have my Thyroid removed in 1998. I had a multigladular goiter that was growing backward toward the back of my neck. I also had Graves Disease and did not want to have the surgery but didn't really have a choice. After recouping from the surgery it in nly took a couple of adjustments to get the right dosage of thyroid medication that I will have to take for the rest of my life. I've taken it since 1998. I had to change dosage two times over the years which isn't bad actually. Sometimes you have to do what you must. I suffer from Sjogrens, Raynauds and Fibro but that could have happened either way. I think everyone who has posted their opinion is correct. Think hard about your choice. Weigh all the issues carefully before you make your decision. Good luck to you and God bless you. Sending prayers your way.
Kristyk
cheryl08343
Posted
I have had hyperthyroidism for years and was just recently diagnosed. I am physically and mentally worn out. I can't keep living the way I am being scared of everything and anything. I'm terrified to take my meds I'm scared to let my kids go to school. My heart races if I don't take my atenolol and my wonderful Endoc tells me to get off it then leaves on vacation for several weeks with no fill in Doctor. I finally went to see my family doctor after not taking the atenolol and my hr getting to 154. He was mad and said get back in it before I have something bad happen. Having to take a RAI isn't what I want to do and I am in the process of researching everything and anything so I know my options but I am seriously at the end of my ropes here and I am desperate for any kind of relief and the life I am living now isn't good for me my kids my husband or my poor mother in law who has to basically step in and take over the house hold. This is not me or who I am!
I have started eating right and makin sure I take a multi vitamin. I am also taking a folic acid pill do to a rare blood disorder I have called PNH which is another auto immune thing. Argh, thanks for listening and giving your opinions it will help me on my decision making
sandi36602 cheryl08343
Posted
I recommend you follow your specialists advice. I didn't think surgery would be necessary. I thought I could fix it myself with the beta blocker and the anti thyroid drugs... I wasn't a candidate for the RAI because the disease moved to my right eye. Well here it is 16 months later and I'm losing my hair so bad, its coming out in handfuls, it's still in my right eye, I'm emotional l, I cry a lot, I'm depressed BUT I didn't let the depression hang out long (it's not worth wasting life being sad) and I'm finally seeing a surgeon at the end of this month. I think it's better to be hypo. Just make sure you read about the different hypo drugs that you (I) will have to take the rest of our lives.
veronica28452 cheryl08343
Posted
Hi Cheryl I have had Grave's disease for 25 years, I have been treated with PTU and propanolol, however after 3 relapses, the last one after 18 years in remission (I believe brought on by the death of my husband), I decided to take my Endo's advice and have RAI, mainly because I was so very ill with cardiac effects, and all the other symptoms you describe, 7 months post RAI and I haven't felt as good in a long time. I read many horror stories, but I had to do what I felt was best for me. I am a busy mum and grandma and need to get on with my life. I know that I may go hypo at some time and I am prepared for that, it is preferable to the risks of going hyper again! There is no easy way to deal with this disorder. Your medication will reduce the symptoms and help you to feel well again. Good luck and take care.