Hi I'm new here!!!

The dry gritty feelings in your eyes and the palpitations are certainly compatible with symptoms of Graves. The aches and pains I have but are due to arthritis. My physio thinks it is some type of inflammatory arthritis, not the wear and tear kind. If so, this means it is autoimmune.

Removing sugar from your diet helps a lot.

It almost sounds like you have both Graves disease and Hashimoto's thyroid disease.

Hiya.

Prior to my graves diagnosis i suffered with really achy legs, it was often difficult to climb stars. This all improved once i started on the meds. I got a few other syptoms you have described too.

Hope you get some answers x

I agree with Linda, you may have both GD & HT. I have both, and believe that may have been a reason why I went undiagnosed for either for over 20 years. When tested in most of those years my TSH was always "in the normal range." It's always best to get copies of your lab results, paying attention to where you are at within the range, and knowing whether you are tested for free or total T4 and T3. The antibody tests may include TRab which shows autoimmune involvement, TSI (Thyroid Stimulating Immunoglobins), TPO antibodies which destroy the thyroid and Thyroglobulin antibodies which are also indicative of HT. Those are the most common tests I have had run.

Hello everyone and thanks for you replies and advice. I appreciate you words and will keep you all informed, I have to see my GP again on Monday for the results of the blood test so will let you all know what happens x

I have graves disease and went undiagnosed for years, I have your symptoms especially the legs it is a unique feeling undescribable no libido, and bad hair loss. now taking methimazole still not feeling well, but good luck with your doctors

Hello All,

I'm new to this site and first time writing. I'm a 47-year-old woman. I've had symptoms of hyperthyroidism for almost a year now but didn't start medication until about 4 months ago (methimazole (tapazole) 5mg - 3 times a day). The doctor told me it would be a slow healing, probably several months. I have felt somewhat better, but it goes in spurts. I have days when I feel strong and energetic, and then the next day I feel fatigued and need to rest all day. It's never consistent! About 2 months ago I was having horrible constipation and my doctor suggested I take 2 tablets/day instead of 3. This has helped tremendously. I recently had a blood test that showed my levels are within normal range, but I still feel awful most days. My legs are extremely weak and I often feel like I'm having an anxiety attack (heart palpitations and breathlessness; I need to sit down if I'm standing). I also don't sleep soundly, so I get very tired during the day. Some days I get irritable and snappy. I'm glad to know that all of this stems from my thyroid issue, and I'm not going crazy (like some people I know have suggested - it's difficult when people don't believe you because you don't "look sick"). I used to be very successful in my career and very social. I was active and hiked and biked. I hope that one day soon I can reclaim some of my previous qualities that I treasured so much...and took for granted. I am fortunate that I met a wonderful man (now my fiance) who is patient and supports me in every way. I couldn't go through this alone. I welcome any feedback that you have, especially if you have experienced a full recovery, or significant improvement in your condition. Sometimes I get depressed, thinking that I will be this way the rest of my life, and losing hope that recovery is a possibility. I believe in natural healing and eating healthy and taking supplements. I also am working on getting my body alkaline (most of us are acidic, which is not good for our health). So maybe things will get better and I need to be patient. Healing emotional challenges and removing stressful life circumstances are important in the healing process, too. Thanks for reading this - it's comforting knowing I'm not the only one out there with this condition!

Welcome, Veronica, I hope you get the help you need. On another post Linda mentioned Carnitine... I'm still not exactly sure about it and perhaps she will comment more about it here, too... I am still investigating it myself, but I am suspecting I am genetically carnitine deficient and that it is the root cause of being miserable while "in the normal range" with the thyroid labs. Now I eat more beef which is rich in carnitine, and I can function better with my thyroid symptoms.

Fern, you can get your carnitine levels tested by a blood test which of course has to be ordered by your doctor. A Naturopath might be able to order this as well. II know I was carnitine deficient when I was tested. I am not a big red meat eater so that is probably why. Also I had thyroid antibodies when I was first diagnosed and they are gone now. They went away after I started Carnitine supplementation.

Thank you for the carnitine info, Linda and Fern...I will check into it!

Regarding carnitine as related to hyperthyroidism...I just found this article about carnitine helping with the treatment of hyperthyroidism (see link, below). I am always researching and never came across this info. Also, no professional I have been to has ever even mentioned it. Thank you Linda and Fern!

http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2007/dec2007_report_thyroid_01.htm

It is Acetyl-L-carnitine that was the most effective. I tried regular L-carnitine and combination L-carnitines and although I got a small elevation in my TSH with the regular L-carnitine, the Acetyl-L-carnitine combined with Methimazole is what really brought my TSH up very quickly to the normal range. Also got rid of my antibodies.

I am not surprised that professionals don't know about it or won't approve of it. I have worked for doctors for 40 years and doctors "follow the herd" which means that even if new evidence is presented to them, they don't buy into it because they tend to stick with what they have always done even if their patients would benefit from a new, less toxic treatment. My boss, who is a genetic metabolic researcher, told me that L-carnitine would not hurt me when I showed him the article by Dr. Salvatore Benvenga, who did a clinical study on the use of L-carnitine in hyperthyroidism, so I tried it and got dramatic results. With the Acetyl-L-carnitine, I found that you do not need a high dose at all, in fact the lowest dose combined with Methimazole would probably work the best. You will probably find that you can lower your Methimazole dose when your TSH rises.

I know what you mean about the "follow the herd" mentality of many doctors, but it seems like endocrinologists are even more rigid about it. I think mine is a newbie, though, so he may be a little more flexible. My PCP wouldn't order the test because it wasn't on his list, and because anything that smacks of the thyroid being involved needs my Endo's approval. So I'll see what he says next week.

I'm very much into "alternative" treatments and don't usually believe in conventional medicine, although I realize that there's sometimes a need for it...but I use it as little as possible! Anyway, one doc I have is a chiropractor who also is an expert at "muscle testing" (applied kinesiology). She's the one who helped discover that my thyroid was overactive. She sent me for a blood test for that. She's in Arizona, and I moved back to Michigan last year. I'm going to a clinic now where they specialize in hormonal issues. The doctors there are D.O.s (Doctors of Osteopathy). D.O.'s practice a little more non-traditionally, or holistically, believing in alternative treatments, when possible. However, both of these women never mentioned carnitine. I guess I'm a bit surprised. Here in the states, a D.O., chiropractor, or naturopath can usually order several types of blood tests through a lab. Perhaps it is similar in the U.K.? My D.O. believes in supplements and diet changes, and says that " an "anti-inflammatory" diet is important. Not much you can eat on it, however! I'm into organic and healthy eating, so I do my best. I also have been using organic essential oils in a diffuser (Cedarwood is one that is calming, so good for an overactive thyroid). I use "clean" products daily, too (toxin free; organic when I can). I'm going to get some acetyl-L-carnitine, though...that's for sure. Thanks!

Some people who lean more towards holistic treatments will treat their hyperthyroidism with Bugleweed, Motherwart and Melissa in addition to acetyl-L-carnitine. I did not find that the acetyl-l-carnitine did anything on its own. It was when it was combined with a low dose of Methimazole that it improved my TSH results.