Hyperthyroidism (overactive Thyroid)

Online it states. Can you ever stop taking Humira?

Humira (adalimumab) is considered a biologic maintenance (long-term) medication. If you stop using your Humira, your condition may worsen. Your symptoms, like pain and inflammation, can return. Do not stop taking Humira unless your doctor tells you to . So if I stop taking Humira my symptoms will come back sooner or later. So I need to keep taking it forever. My blood work and colonoscopy report for my UC are excellent and the doctor is very happy that I have improved over the past few years. About my blood work for thyroid, the doctor only checked TSH, 3rd generation levels and mine is 0.13. I will get another blood work done at the end of next week so the doctor can confirm that I have hyperthyroidism. Thank You for replying and clarifying that other people on this forum have had symptoms of shortness of breath with thyroid issues.

Hi qwert, I re-read your post, but first I have to say that I know none or little about UC and Humira. That being said, I do see all your symptoms (anxiety, irritability, sleep, fatigue, shortness of breath, heat intolerance etc.) and reaction to exercise are pointing straightly to hyperthyroidism as my experience reminds me (I have been a patient of Gravis disease, a kind of hyperthyroidism, but now generally recovered and aiming to remission). Your TSH number is low and a test evidence of hyper. However, there are different types of hyperthyroidism. You may want to ask your doctor to find out (more tests to diagnose). Then seek the right option of treatment. GL

Ulcerative Colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease that effects the large intestine. It causes bloody stool and if it isn't treated immediately your Hemoglobin can go down quickly and you can die from bleeding. Yes I am going to get another set of blood work done next week to confirm the diagnosis and hopefully can get treated. Also I have few questions for you:

1)What medication were you on when you were diagnosed with Gravis disease?

2)Were there any side effects that you experienced from medication?

3)What symptoms did you have that lead you to going to the doctors and getting diagnosed with Gravis?

4)How long were you on the medication / or are you still taking it?

hello, i have diagnosed hyperthyroidism for five years now. and i would say shortness of breath is not one of the symptoms i have experienced... mine were just initial weight loss, which was gained back because of methimazole (it makes me eat more), enlarged thyroid gland, irregular menstruation, hand tremors (which have thankfully gone away now), and changed bowel movements. no shortness of breath at all. i hope you well in your journey with hyperthyroidism!

Hi qwert, I think the UC you suffered with is a possible cause of, if diagnosed, hyperthyroidism that due to autoimmunity because of UC your immune system is compromised. AW, you are way ahead of yourself. The key is obtain a clear diagnosis first. There are different types of treatments for different types of hyperthyroidism. I found out I might have thyroid problem when my annual blood panel showed thyroid levels were upward to the upper limit. But at the time, my pcp dismissed the case as borderline condition. The only noticeable symptom I experienced was getting tired often and became worse as time passed, but I dismissed it for aging. Not until my endo verified and confirmed my case to be GD, not thyroid disease, not thyroid cancer, not..., then suddenly many hyper symptoms (fatigue, breathing, heart pulse, anxiety, sleeping, irritability, stressful, weight loss, ...) flared up and I lost all control of my body. TSH down to 0! and it got even worse when my endo persistently suggested removing thyroid be the best cure which I rejected as it is not a real cure (then you become hypo permanently and must take medication lifetime). So I was prescribed MMI to control the condition. It did reduce some of the symptoms, but did not totally reverse the condition and TSH hadn't budged a bit. I started to research and discovered it's autoimmunity. Went on naturalpathy and took care of my dietary problem: AIP (autoimmune dietary protocol) and took supplement and herbs and change lifestyle... it's a long long journey... during the process I kept reducing MMI dose without Endo's approval and no joy to hear Endo's continuing threat on thyroid surgery. At a point when I was certain my efforts on controlling the condition effective (TSH and thyroid levels became normal), fired Endo and made to be treated by an Endo of UCSF professor. This Endo is great in the way that he like me to work with him, not to treat me, to improve my case. Afterward, my condition was totally under control and almost fully reversed. Now I only take a minimum dose of MMI occasionally when I got too stressed up. I hope you soon have a clear diagnosis and make a good start for treatment. As always, patience is a good medicine. Wish you well.

Hi rainism, Thank you. I am well aware of some hyper patients may not or little suffer shortness of breath. After all, all hyper patients cases are in some way different because no patient's physical condition is same and different patients may have different causes for the hyper disease. AW, I wish your condition is all under control now or better that in full remission.

I understand what you are saying. I am really concerned with my shortness of breath because I use to be able to run without issues. I also have irritability and anxiety that are really concerning. I will get more blood work done this week and hopefully this can really get sorted out. I want to get back to exercising again.

My advice for you: if you can't or won't slow down with your exercise routine when you have hyper condition, it will get worse, not better. Lifestyle-change is a key. GL

Yes mike I understand what you are saying. I was an active person who would play basketball and run. Now I cannot do these thing and until I get an answer from the doctor as to what I really have I wont do too much vigorous exercise.