Overactive thyroid, graves - Part 1

I had the swine flu jab but this is more of a common cold, being a man thats realy bad lol

women win arguments because of the thyroid problems, men loose arguments because of thyroid problems, it just aint fair!

i go to hospital this thursday, it should have been 2 weeks ago but for the snow then they said i never phoned so didnt make another appointment (I bloody did!) hence waiting longer than i hoped to see the doc again. ill have to phone them tomorrow to check theyre not gonna pretend that i didnt phone again.

dave

ps - the wife still isnt back from her mums

shes back, still not talking to me though!

Ha Ha poor you damned if you do , damned if you dont. Hope you get on ok with your appt. hospitals tend to to pass the buck but, at least your back on track. Went to docs today levels are ok at mo but think i may be having rai feb or march. Leet us know how you get on. Elaine.

been back to hospital, theyve done the blood tests and will tell me what to do next, im awaiting a letter

Hi Dave, Hope your blood results come back ok. I have to see endo on mon to discuss when i will be having rai so, fingers crossd. Elaine.

my bloods are back im to drop to 20mg from 40mg of carbinazole a day and repeat rai on 4th march, bloody great!!!!!!!!!!!!!

here we go again, this should kill it off once and for all though, hope so, how did you go?

Hi David / Elaine

I've been following your posts with great interest and thought you might be interested in my RAI experience. I was diagnosed with Graves July 2008 with an undetectable TSH, T4 of 148 and a resting pulse of 168 and irregular. Had gone to GP as I was feeling rather 'fatigued' and she sent me at once to hospital! Docs couldn't understand how I was still alive, I underwent all mannner of tests and the outcome was Graves (probably had it for years they reckoned). I could list all the hideous symptoms I had and looking back, I can't believe how ill I had let myself become without doing anything about it. When symptoms come upon you one by one and gradually it's amazing how you dismiss them. Anyway, after a week in hospital under the expertise of a fabulous Endo I felt 'brand new'. It took until September '09 to get me to within 'normal' ranges for TSH & T4 using decreasing doses of Carbimazole. I started to put on weight and replace muscle that had wasted away over the years. As it was very unlikely I would go into remission and to prevent a repeat of Thyroid Storm I decided to have RAI in November 2008. I didnt have a goitre so surgery not necessary. I would go Hypo afterwards but hey that's the safer & easier option isn't it? So, I had a MEGA dose of RAI in November, stopped the Carbimazole and by January 2009 it looked like I was heading Hypo - T4 down to 10. By March 2009 (next Endo clinic visit) I was overactive again with TSH 0.1 and T4 of 23. Mmm.. the RAI hadn't worked after all. My thyroid was clearly rampant -it will not calm down!Back on Carbimazole and remained at the top end of T4 normal range (9 - 19) between June and October 2009. By then I was taking only 5mg per day and was happy with this. A 2nd dose of RAI could have been taken but I didnt see much point. I was feeling well and had no adverse reactions to Carbimazole. After Christmas 2009 I started to feel odd - muscle fatigue again, sleepless nights, freezing cold all the time etc. Some of the symptoms were the same as my early Hyper days (although in no way as severe) - the same and yet somehow different. Blood test mid January confirmed that I had gone most definately Hypo - TSH 22 and T4 of only 7 !!! Ok so this explains the weight gain despite living on lettuce leaves. Endo telephoned and instructed me to stop carbimazole, he thinks it might just be possible that the RAI has worked after all despite it taking 14 months. I see him on 4th Feb and new blood tests will be done to determine the effects being drug free have had. This is an exciting and most unexpected development. :shock: I'll let you know what happens next.

Good Luck to you both and look after yourselves.

HI, Thanks for your post lotte very interesting. I am having rai next mon they are going to give me maximum dose to try to kill my thyroid as, it cannot be controlled. Not looking forward to it but, know it must be done. Have been told i have to take 27 days off work & wont be able to see my grandchildren so thats a bit upsetting. Dave how did you cope as you have small children? Elaine.

Hi Dave, Just realised what you had written.Bloody hell hope it works for me they are giving me maximum dose so fingers crossed!!! Hope all goes well for you the 2nd time.Keep in touch.Elaine.

Hi Lotte,

thanks for the post, very interesting, i keep getting cold now ad have put on weight, i dont think mine knows shat to do go high go low. They are gonna check me again when i go back to se if i need the rai again but have booked me in for it, if its up and down id rather just have it blasted again once and for all. im sick of my carbinazole going up and down, my eyes are sore but the last few days my symptoms have been, wel about as normal as thy can be. some days im more tired than others, some times my eyes get sore and it makes me look tired, somedays i feel ok, some days i feel ok but then feel tired all of a sudden. Its like being 4 seasons in one day, i bit like the wife every day, ha, ha!

good that we can all share these symptoms and experiences, they are all so similar yet different if you follow me. its not an exact science but changes eevry day and from person to person. im sure in 6 months we can all laugh about this, thats what i keep telling nicola anyway!

take car both of you, keep me informed of how your getting on, i like to read and know whats gong on, cheers dave

Hi Eliane,

It was dificult not seing my kids. I had to wave to thm from the end of the drive, horible though but what can you do?

When do you have rai?

Ive had relly sore eyes lately, im getting sick of people asking whats wrong with my eyes, seeing th endo monday i wonder what he will make of it they are swollen but its not obvious unless you are used to seeing me normally.

Hi, Im having rai on mon they are going to give me a large dose in the hope it will kill off my thyroid.Have to have 28 days off work think i will go insane!!! Got to stay in bedroom for 12 days bloody great. I know that after having rai it can bring on thyroid eye disease i hope you dont have that but, it can be sorted. Will keep you posted on my progress.Take care.Elaine.

Good Evening.

Elaine - good luck for tomorrow. Fingers crossed it works swiftly for you and all the yo-yoing will stop once and for all. I know it must be very difficult for those of you who have children and grandchildren and not be able to get a cuddle from them just when you need one most. All I had to do was kick husband into spare bedroom for 2 weeks (no hardship there)and, not having children, was more concerned about whether or not I could be in close contact with my dog and horses. I had to consult my vet on that one!

Dave I do hope a 2nd dose works quickly for you too should you need to have it. My eyes often felt a bit gritty and dry when i was hyper and now that I'm hypo they water quite a lot. I personally am so bored with this whole thing now but I do feel there's a bit of light at the end of the tunnel. I saw Endo on Thursday and he was amazed at the amount of weight I'd put on (just what a girl likes to hear) and he arranged for more blood to be taken - he's going to 'phone me tomorrow with the results. If, as he and I strongly suspect, I am still hypo I am to start on thyroxine pretty much straight away. The fatigue in my arm and leg muscles is getting worse daily and something really weird is going on with my digestion (or should I say lack of digestion).

Husband is very excited at the prospect - he has been reading my thyroid book and seems to think that once my thyroxine levels are sorted I should stop having so many mood swings?! I wasn't aware I had been having any so naturally I hadn't bothered reading that chapter :wink:

Look after yourselves and let us know how you're getting on.

Hi Dave & Lotte, Well i am now radio-active!!!! Had the strong dose 800 instead of the usual 400 so, am hoping that will get me sorted once & for all. My hubby is off for 3 weeks with a bad back so, as you can imagine we make a good pair lol. Dave i do hope that if you do have to have more rai it will get you sorted as for the eyes like i said after having rai it can bring on ted so if i were you i would get eyes tested. I guess i will have to wait & see if it affects mine anymore. At the moment they get sore & very tired(docs tell me its cos i smoke) what rubbish i know people who have never smoked & they still got ted. Lotte keep that book away from your hubby he doesnt need too much info on mood swings lol. Well take care & keep in touch. Elaine.

hi elaine/lotte,

gee its all happening at the moment isnt it. good luck with the recovery elaine, they didnt tell me what my dose was but i presume quire high as my levels were through the roof.

I saw the endo yesterday and guess what, im grossly underactive, no not lazy, grossly hypo????????????? he said that explains all the symptoms i took he trouble to write down. iv gone on the sick today as my energy levels are rock bottom, ive come off carbinazole and should feel better in a week they tell me. i see the endo in a month to possibly start thyroxine. i hope they take me off propanalol and whaferin, not sure why i still need to remain on it? he said my eyes look fine but they still hurt, i smoke the odd cig, maybe one or two a week and my eyes do hurt more just after one, sorry elaine!!

Ill probably take the week off work to rest, maybe go back in later next week and take it from there. i am delighted im finnaly under, it should just speed the process up for me now. the wife said all the arguments last week were my fault because im off my head being over, i said she was starting the arguments knowing she could just blame that, im looking forward to being smug telling her i was under all the time. bloody women!!!!!!!!

must remember to cancel my second lot of rai, or at least put it on hold for now.

good luck to you both, take it easy. 12 days in bed, reminds me of being a teenager!