General Medicine

» acaryjohnson - pain in throat

In response to pain in throat posted by daisyelaine:

Thank you Elaine for your advice and for sharing your knowledge. My doctor just had me get another lab done and based on its results told me I just had a virus. I would have pressed him more to get an ultrasound, but my throat feels better and it's become more obvious that it is probably a virus because other people I'm around have turned up with the same symptoms as me - sore throat and lingering dry cough. Also, I'd like to thank you for your recommendation on my dose of PTU because after more than 3 weeks on 50mg/day, I'm still on the slightly hypo end: FT4 = 0.9, FT3 = 3.00, TSH = 2.53. I'm now finally down to 25 mg/day, so hopefully by the time of my next labs in January I'll be more in the normal range. Also, hopefully I can talk my doctor into maybe getting a TSI lab as well. Thanks again for your help.

AJ

-- posted by acaryjohnson

» cowlover614 - Graves

Elaine, I went to the new Endo yesterday. I do have full blown Graves. She said my problem is not my levels it's my antibodies. She said I have all three. She said if I didn't have Graves she would just abate my thyroid, but she said that would make my eyes worse. She thinks the best bet is a thyroidectomy said it might improve my eyes. She said I have both hypo and hyper thyroid funtion. We talked about B/R which I would have to do long term and she said ATD would cause liver damage. she did start me on 50mg PTU one twice a day. Isn't their anyway to calm down antibodies? I want to learn all my options I see the eye doctor Nov 6. I want to see what he thinks. I just don't want to jump into anything. It seems alot to go through on maybe. thanks Shirl

-- posted by cowlover614

» Elaine Moore - Graves

In response to Graves posted by cowlover614:

Hi Shirl,
PTU and Tapazole both help reduce thyroid antibody production. Selenium is reported to reduce TPO antibody production, and I describe it in the following article: autoimmunedisease.suite101.com/ blog.cfm/reducing_thyroid_antibody_titers

Anything you do to help your immune system heal, for instance avoiding sugar, saturated fats, cigarette smoke, aspartame, etc, and incorporating stress reduction techniques will also help you. It's also important to avoid known or suspected allergens and anything else that can stimulate your immune system, such as vaccines. Take care, Elaine

» nurseheatherone - Graves

In response to Graves posted by daisyelaine:
Hi Elaine! does this include the flu vaccine? I am scheduled to get one next week because of working in the hospital I have always gotten one. I have been off of ATD's for two weeks and that funny back pain is now completely gone. The only thing new that I am noticing is my hair coming out in larger quantities than usual. I know that my labs were going towards the hypo range and that hair loss can be a sign of this. I dont have a endo apt. until the end of november to re check my levels and am wondering if my levels should hopefully level out somewhat or is this something I should report to my endo? I read somewhere that most people that are overmedicated on ATD's become hyper again within a couple of weeks if not in remission. Occasionally I notice my heart racing again, and that usually brings on nerves thinking that I am hyper again but can these symptoms still persist on occasion when more hypo than hyper? It seems like I am having symptoms of both hypo and hyper. On the last posting I remember you talking about pregnancy and TPO antibodies, those were checked and they were less than 10. I also had a normal cycle again this month which I am hoping is a good sign, the hair loss worries me a bit though.

I started doing fish oil and Omega 3's again along with a mega womans multivitamin( no iodine) by GNC. I am hoping that this helps with my dark circles and swelling under my eyes too. I am tying not to take too many things at this point and watch for new symptoms as things are added in to find out what some possible trigers are. SO far I have figured out that after eating dairy I get some nervousness,when I slip up and eat a little. Also weddings,funerals during the cermonies, I guess any strong emotions make my heart pound and hands tingle, most of the time I am praying that I do not pass out. I feel like I am very sensitive to almost anything, very strange.
Thanks again!
Heather

-- posted by nurseheatherone

» Elaine Moore - Graves

In response to Graves posted by nurseheatherone:

Hi Heather,
It's not strange for Graves' patients to be unusually sensitive to lots of things.
Palpitations can occur in both hypoT and hyperT. You might want to call your doctor and mention some of your symptoms and see if you can have labs sooner if these palpitations increase. Hair loss is more common in hypoT although it can occur in hyperT as the hair becomes more brittle.
TPO antibodies are the ones most likely to add risk of miscarriage so it's good to know that your level isn't elevated.
Flu vaccines do stimulate the immune system. I too work at a hospital and did have flu vaccines every year until I developed Graves' disease. Now I never get them and never get the flu. At the large hospital where I work, it's reported that only 22 percent of employees get influenza vaccines.
Take care, Elaine

» nurseheatherone - Graves

In response to Graves posted by daisyelaine:
Hi Elaine, thanks for your response I am planning on speaking with my Endo tomorrow. I went to my primary care today for soem symptoms that are concerning to me. She was unfortunataly not very helpful and I am starting to think that no one can figure out what is the matter with me. About three days ago I developed a dull headache with some right sided aching back pain. The weirdest thing abou this pain is that it is worsened when I stand and it almost is a pulsating aching feeling in my back that then goes to my head and then I am nauseaus. I checked my BP and it has been OK and my pulse is normal as well. My Dr. told me that I have back pain that is causing me to have tension headaches and that can cause the nausea. She did not think it was heart related and gave me a muscle relaxer. I took the muscle relaxer and it only made me tired. I am really nervous that something else is going on and my body is trying to tell me that something is goign on. It is about two weeks after I have stopped the tapazole and about 3 weeks since I had my last labs done. I am just trying to figure out if they could be thyroid related. Not to mention I have to go see a dermatologist for two dime size hard bumps on my head and will discuss my hair loss as well. I wish I could find a Dr. who did not only have 10 minutes for me and who knew something about GD. any insight into these symptoms would be greatly appreciated. And I thought I was doen bugging you
Thanks, Heather

-- posted by nurseheatherone

» juicymango - Graves & MSM?

Hi Elaine
Thanks for your excellent site: it is the best one I've found in terms of integrating the medical and 'alternative' views and treatment possibilities.
Do you know anything about the use of MSM in Graves? My illness is temporarily under control through medication, but my TSH hasn't risen from 0.01 in the year I've been taking meds, however, they have left me very tired. Other supplements apart from MSM that I've tried (such as coconut oil) appear to increase energy by stimulating my thyroid, so I have had to discontinue them. As MSM is supposed to work by increasing cellular respiration I am concerned that in the case of Graves' sufferers it would allow a greater amount of thyroid hormones into the gland? This is just a lay-person's speculation; I'd like to be wrong as it's use seems favourable in other auto-immune conditions and it does give me more energy. Do you have any knowledge/ thoughts about this?
Thanks
Helena

-- posted by juicymango

» cybee - lab results.

I am a voice from the past again. Have mild TED. It seems to be getting better (but smoke does make it relapse, I note!). Anyway, latest labs are FT4 at .81 ng/dl and TSH at 5.96 miU/L. So I am to resume 50 mg synthroid. Last time (two months ago) my TSH was a4.57 and FT4 were .76! Is it unusual that my TSH has gotten higher and so did my FT4? Thanks! (also, when dx with TED, I was tested and they found graves antibodies. Curious I have not gone hyper as opposed to hypo (as I was (mildly) before).

-- posted by cybee

» cybee - Graves

In response to Graves posted by daisyelaine:

Hey, thanks Elaine ..I was reading your answer here (albeit not to my question) but it helped me in two ways! First, I was alos getting palpitations and finding it curious as my labs were indicating I was getting or was hypo! I did not realize that you oculd have palpitations with hypothryoidism! Second, I was just thinking about getting the flu vaccine myself, but will now hold off! Don't want to stimulate the immune system, thank you very much! So thanks so for your helpful advice! I am taking selinium and omega 3s too..hoping to settle things quicker (as eyes do water..but ever so very slowly getting better..but there are relapses.).

-- posted by cybee

» Elaine Moore - Graves

In response to Graves posted by nurseheatherone:

Hi Heather,
It's not unusual for headaches to be associated with nausea. Sometimes, the meds for headaches (aspirin, ibuprofen, etc) cause nausea, and in the case of migraines, nausea is a common feature. Could your headaches and backache be hormone related, for instance from estrogens or related to your menstrual cycle? A dull headache can have many different causes, including food allergies and hyperthyroidism. It wouldn't hurt to call your endo and see if you can have your labs early.
My allergist told me that food allergies often cause a dull headache and stuffy nose. Let us know what the dermatologist says. Best, Elaine