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Graves/Hyperthyroidism

Posted , 5 users are following.

davids76
davids76

Hi

I've had Graves etc for at least 5 months.

I am off work right now (on holiday) until Saturday.

Supportive GP is likely to give me sick note if I ask and I am feeling awful - weak, feel sick, tired etc and I have a job that involves heavy lifting and with my weakness, i've been adjusting and now my back hurts and my already painful legs are struggling even more.

Finances are not an issue so I can afford two weeks off, but will it help?

My main concern with taking time off is an employment one and how it will affect that long term, but I need to be as healthy as possible.

I plan to see my GP tomorrow or Wednesday, whenever an appointment is available, and i'm back at the specialist next Thursday.

I take carbimazole and was told in July their was a slight improvement, but not much at all.

I know I need the time off to rest but I guess i'd like some reassurance.

Thanks

0 likes, 35 replies

35 Replies

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  • dambudzo
    dambudzo davids76

    Posted

    hi David

    and to add further to Linda's post, look online for a graves/hyperthyroidism support group. they should have some sort of generic explanation of the condition that says something about fatigue etc. if you think it is worthwhile, you could print it out and pass it on to the HR dept as a supportive rather than antagonistic type of  'here you are just for general information' to the HR dept.

    best wishes

    • davids76
      davids76 dambudzo

      Posted

      Hi

      The sheets I gave work suggest tiredness and muscle weakness. I have given them copies at their request and just hope it will be enough.

  • linda187
    linda187 davids76

    Posted

    Again David, you don't have to justify your position.  Your medic should just say you are ill and unable to fulfill your duties because you are ill.  Any further details are none of their business.
    • davids76
      davids76 linda187

      Posted

      I just fear for my job to be honest. It's the most secure of the two, but would rather be complient and not upset them too much.

      Ironically, the Store Manager is in the middle of being off for 4 weeks redface

    • davids76
      davids76

      Posted

      Really annoyed.

      The Endo was running about 30 minutes late so we all had about 5 minute appointments so he could catch up (and go home I suspect).

      No time to discuss anythingfrown

  • linda187
    linda187 davids76

    Posted

    I would call his office and tell the secretary that the doc was rushed and didn't have time to answer your questions and you wondered if you could book a longer time with him to do so.

    • dambudzo
      dambudzo linda187

      Posted

      i agree

      that is not sufficient.

      you could also send your questions to the endocrinologist and ask if he could answer them, given the fact that your appointment was cut short.

       

    • davids76
      davids76 linda187

      Posted

      Unfortunately on the NHS, that is unlikely to happen. I will speak to my GP when I see her on Tuesday.
    • davids76
      davids76 dambudzo

      Posted

      Possibility, but as I say to Linda, will ask GP what I can do on Tuesday,

      It was annoying as he told me according to bloods last week I am now borderline Hypo and cut my medication. Didn't get chance to have my data from the tests or ask any questions about diet which i'm struggling with and also he just told me I may also have other medical conditions and I should speak to my GP despite all the facts, lab data and my symptoms pointing towards Hypo.

      He checked my eye movement for 5 seconds and tapped my arm where it bends, hmmmmm'd and asked me questions (clearly to find out if I had Hypo symptoms, on reflection) and said he would see me again in 3 months.

      I'm a little annoyed.

    • joy87504
      joy87504 davids76

      Posted

      I`m not surprised you`re annoyed David, that appointment was basically a waste of time for you! 

      My husband and I discussed seeing a private endo at BUPA which is the Spire Hospital, if we found we weren`t getting the answers we needed with my NHS endo- or the next appointment was months away.

      I called them to get some idea of the price and a consultation with the an endo would`ve been approx £250. I spoke to my GP and they said they`d refer me if I wanted but because my appointment came through quickly I didn`t.   Of course I don`t know your situation David - but could you ask your GP to do the same for you?  At least you`ll know whats happening!!

      thinking of you

      Joy x

    • davids76
      davids76 joy87504

      Posted

      Well, it was aside the reduction in meds.

      That may be an option for me. I don't want to end up paying that though and finding out it's no different.

      What I would really want is to find a good dietician. I've looked into the naturopath and the nearest is a few miles away. We do have a natural health centre. They may be worth visiting.

      I hear Organic food would be better too. I may go down that route.

    • davids76
      davids76

      Posted

      Linda - the L-

      Carnitine

       Is it safe with Hypo as well as Hyper.

      After my results, i'm all over the place, I now don't know what to think, eat, do etc to help myself. I'm really annoyed that when they saw my results they didn't contact me to tell me that I was over-medicating for a week.

      Maybe I ask too much, but if I was  a GP/Endo and saw the results, i'd call the patient they were actually making things worse.

  • linda187
    linda187 davids76

    Posted

    David,

    I read a report by Dr. Chris Sinclair from Brown University in the States. He said hyper people are always carnitine-deficient and to a lesser extent so are hypo. I had my Total and Free Carnitine tested (blood test) before I started on L-Carnitine supplements and I was carnitine-deficient. Perhaps you could ask for that test also. You may have both Hashimoto's and Graves Disease. I would ask your doc about that as well. There is a lady on this Board who posted about having both and needing L-Carnitine to feel normal. She felt really awful if she didn't take it. I think her name was Fern. You can search the U.K. site for her posts. I think it was under L-Carnitine and Graves. If you are hypo just from overmedicating, and you don't have the test showing you are carnitine-deficient, I would then not take it as the Carnitine tends to do the same thing the methimazole does.

    • davids76
      davids76 linda187

      Posted

      I will ask my GP all of that - I bought some L-Carnitine 500mg caps as they were half price. They are there if I need them.

      Well, i'm guessing they are saying i'm borderline Hypo and reduced the medication believing it may be the meds.

      Sadly my Endo sends out his reports about a month after I have seen him.

  • dambudzo
    dambudzo davids76

    Posted

    David

    your GP should be able to refer you to a dietitian.

    Please make sure that you do see a properly registered dietitian or a public health nutritionist (check credentials). 

    From my experience, it is very confusing as there are a lot of people who claim to be able to give such advice, but here in the UK =14.4444446563721pxdietitians are the ones who are registered / qualitifed to give one-to-one advice on nutritional advice on the basis of sound scientific evidence.

    good luck

    • dambudzo
      dambudzo

      Posted

      ooops don't know where that number 14.44 whatever came from!
    • davids76
      davids76 dambudzo

      Posted

      I will ask her on Tuesday. I know how reluctant they can be.

      I will check them out before seeing them. I know their are lots of bogus people out there, unfortunately.

    • davids76
      davids76

      Posted

      GP says she's going to leave the Hashimotos test to the Endo if he wants to do it. She's not 100% what they do in a Hashimotos test.

      Refered to dietitian but only visits surgery once a month.

      Pretty bad week - better today, but each day is different, so we'll see what tomorrow brings.

    • dambudzo
      dambudzo davids76

      Posted

      good luck with it all.

      these hormonal things take a long time to sort out and it's all up and down until levels are regulated. i think of it like making soup - plenty of ingredients to juggle with and adjust a bit here and there until it tastes good.

      just need to focus on other things when it's a bad day and make the most of the good days!

    • davids76
      davids76 dambudzo

      Posted

      Thanks.

      Yes, they said it will be all over the place for a while. I really hope it sorts itself out though as can't live like this forever.

      Sometimes I find work days better than non work days in a strange way - i'm more focused as opposed to days off where I do things much slower.

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