General Medicine

» nurseheatherone - Newly diagnosed with Graves Disease

In response to Newly diagnosed with Graves Disease posted by daisyelaine:

Hi elaine , I have a GD symptom question. More recently I have noticed that I have felt a very full feeling in my throat right about where my thyroid is that makes me feel short of breath. It does nto happen all the time but sometimes it gets worse to the point that it starts to make me nervous like my throat is closing or something. I had a thyroid ultrasound done before I started treatment and my thyroid was only slightly enlarged and there was no nodules seen. I started thinking that it was one of the supplements I have been taking because I just recently found that it happens after I takes the acetyl carnitine, but then today I didnt take it and still have the same feeling. I am just wondering if you have heard of this before. I am also wondering if some how some way this is my body telling me that I am getting hypo? I have been on Tapazole for 6 weeks and have not had my thyroid levels checked yet. The only supplements I am taking are Mediclear,glutogenics( L-glutamin,aloeand licorice root)Co Q-10, B complex and Bio gest( digestive enzymmes) and I was taking 1gm acetyl carnitine. The only meds I am taking are 10mg Lisinopril and 10mg tapazole. ANy info would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks, Heather

-- posted by nurseheatherone

» Elaine Moore - Newly diagnosed with Graves Disease

In response to Newly diagnosed with Graves Disease posted by nurseheatherone:

Hi Heather,
Enlargement of the thyroid gland (goiter) can occur in both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism. When it occurs after starting ATDs, the usual cause is hypothyroidism. Here, thyroid cells enlarge in their efforts to trap more iodine and produce more thyroid hormone. This is one of the body's natural ways of attempting to correct thyroid hormone deficiency.
As the thyroid enlarges it can compress other structures in the throat and cause difficulty swallowing and hoarseness, especially if the thyroid is situated further back in the throat. Hypothyroidism itself can cause shortness of breath.
Sounds like you may need to have your levels checked. Best, Elaine

» nurseheatherone - Newly diagnosed with Graves Disease

In response to Newly diagnosed with Graves Disease posted by daisyelaine:
yeah I have a feeling you might be right, I decided not to take my supplements today and only took my tapazole and Lisinopril and I feel the same,maybe even worse except now I am really tired! I have an apt with my primary care on Monday so I will have my levels checked then. Thanks again
Heather

-- posted by nurseheatherone

» nurseheatherone - Newly diagnosed with Graves Disease

In response to Newly diagnosed with Graves Disease posted by daisyelaine:
So I got a little nervous about my symtoms yesterday so I called the endo on call, and thank god I do not use this Dr, he was awful! I told him about my syptoms and about the supplements that I was taking and he basically yelled at me. He told me that nothing natural was going to help me and that he did nut understand why I would take any of those things because they cannot be controlled. He then proceeded to tell me that it as way to soon for me to become hypo and that the symtoms I am having are either my body adjusting, the disease running it's course or that I am developing a toxicity to the tapazole I am taking. I was practically in tears after that phone call, he also recommended that I not take my tapazole till Monday and call my endo. Today I did not take any of my medications and I feel the exact same. I have not talked to my endo since she put me on my tapazole so I have no idea how she is going to react to my natural approach but all I know is I had an apt. with the endo I got on the phone two days after I follow up with my endo because he was supposed to be the best in the area! Thank god I found out when I did! I am gettingnew levels drawn at my new primary care tomorrow and I am going to run all fo my symptoms by my endo and see what she thinks, This is not an easy road, I think finding a good understanding Dr. is half the battle!
Heather

-- posted by nurseheatherone

» Elaine Moore - Newly diagnosed with Graves Disease

In response to Newly diagnosed with Graves Disease posted by nurseheatherone:

Hi Heather,
You can become hypothyroid quite easily while on ATDs if the dose is too high. And you can also be hypothyroid even when your labs are within range if they're too low for your body's needs.
I hope your new doctor works out better. Best, Elaine

» cybee - Test results...hmm...what does it mean?

Hi, Elaine! I am a voice from the past..I have a mild case of eye thyroid disease (still have, but not bad and I "think" getting ever so slowly better...eyes just water at times and a little swelling between eye and nose area). Anyway, I had my thyroid lab test taken and they are FT4 = .76 ng/dl and TSH is 4.57 miU/L. Their overall assessment is "low (borderline)" and I am to be retested in 2-3 months. What do they mean...I am borderline hyper or borderline hypo? Please advise, and thanks!

-- posted by cybee

» Elaine Moore - Test results...hmm...what does it mean?

In response to Test results...hmm...what does it mean? posted by cybee:

Hi Cybee,
I'm glad to hear your eyes are improving.
Your labs show that you have hypothyroidism. It's close to borderline but both levels are in the hypothyroid range.
The reference or normal range for FT4 is usually 0.8-1.8 ng/dl so your level is low.
The reference range for TSH is 0.3-3.0 mu/L with levels higher than 3.0 showing hypothyroidism.
Hypothyroidism can cause eye swelling or technically periorbital edema, which means you can see swelling all around the eyes and eyelids. Hypothyroidism can also cause joint pain, depression, constipation, weight gain, hearing loss, and other problems.
Your doctor may want until your next labs to start treatment, but if you notice any symptoms of hypothyroidism he may want to treat you sooner.
Best, Elaine

» Geezette - Itching with methimazole

Does anyone know if itching starts right away with this med, or can it take a month or so to show up? I'm right at my first month with this med and strange itching has just started, so I want to know if it's normal to get a side effect this late and it's something to tell the doc.

Newly diagnosed with Graves....asymptomatic until I had an emergency appendectomy and then Pow! everything (except hair loss...that's scary) at once. Oh well, life happens.

-- posted by Geezette

» cybee - Test results...hmm...what does it mean?

In response to Test results...hmm...what does it mean? posted by daisyelaine:

Dear Elaine,
Thank you for your information! I was wondering if that is what they meant, but here I had been thinking I was "borderline" hyperthryoid! Last time they told me I was "borderline" but gave me no number or clarification. From my readings of other posters, I do know thyroid levels can fluctuate. However, since they found grave's antibodies when testing for my eye symptoms last spring...are not the antibodies more associated with hyper rather than hypo, or can they be present in either case? Yes, my eye symptoms are more of the swelling around the eyes(lid)and wateriness at times but are thankfully getting (v. slowly) better. I will watch for those other hypo symptoms! Thanks( (I used to be hypo (took 50 mg synthroid) but when my eyes acted up last winter/spring, I quite taking synthroid assuming I was going hyper. Apparently not..well, I will wait and see, eh?) Again, thank you!

-- posted by cybee

» Elaine Moore - Itching with methimazole

In response to Itching with methimazole posted by Geezette:

Hi,
Itching can start after a month or whenever your dose is too high, which usually occurs at 4-6 weeks. At this time the hormone stored in your gland is used up and you need less of the ATD, just enough to reduce production of new hormone. As soon as FT4 falls into range, regardless of your TSH level the ATD dose should be reduced. Rashes usually resolve with the dose reduction. If rash persists in an allergic-type reaction, people are usually switched to PTU. People who react to one ATD generally do fine with the other. Best, Elaine