Diagnosed with Graves Disease

[Sujt]

I found out via an email that I have Graves' disease . 4 weeks ago I learned I had hyperthyroidism and was placed on methimazole 10mg2x a day. The email for the type came 3 weeks later and it was frightening to read about. I felt exhausted for months had stomach issues and lost 15 pounds in a month.
4 weeks into the medication I have a distended stomach with pains and horrible rashes.
All that said I'm completely stressed about the eye issues that come with graves. Right now I have soreness and redness of the eyes.
What tests should I get and how often to monitor the hyperthyroidism and can you recommend an opthamalogist in the Roswell / Atlanta area? I've read a number of posts that mention TSH levels and iodine etc
I have my second appt tomorrow with the endocronoligist and want to be prepared with questions.
Given the fact that it seemed routine for them to give me such a diagnosis in a format where I couldn't ask questions I'm not comfortable to go in not knowing what to ask.
Thank you

[Sujt]

Blood work at 4 weeks TSH down to 237 from 337. Now T3free 2.1 low and T4 free .6- low so the dr is adding levothyroxing 25mcg so I don't go hypo. I just or these results from a July 10th lab. I get labs again on 8/10.
Still have hives so just taking benedryl .  Your thoughts on the labs?

[Sujt]

I will be getting copies of my blood work but in the meantime they told me my graves antibody count is 337 and should be 140.
I also have the side effects of the methimazole. I have hives etc. we are going to try tamazole to see if the fillers in the generic are the problem . Otherwise going on PTU but there is a chance for problems with the liver she said. I'm also going for a neuro opthamalogist consult. My eye lids are puffy but no bulging yet. Have you heard how the bulging eyes start are swollen a symptom. The dr measured my eyes today as a baseline. Also took blood work which I have to repeat in 4 weeks.
Thanks again for responding!

[Barb135]

If you don't have copies of all your blood work, you should make sure you get them.  Your doctor is obligated, by law to provide them upon request.  You can use your blood work as a running record of your illness.  Mark on each set of blood work, what symptoms you had, what medication, dosage, etc.  By doing that, you can keep track of all the details, since it's never a good idea to leave all of that to the doctor.

Any questions asked, which received vague answers should be re-asked for specific answers.

You might ask if there is another medication that might work as well that won't cause the hives/rash.

[Sujt]

Thank you for your response. I have had the ultrasound and blood work . The Dr specifically tested for the Graves antibodies and said I have them. That was in the second round if blood work. I have no idea where my results are compared to the norm and I will ask today.
The way my results were given to me didn't allow for a conversation. I had emailed back and asked a few questions but the responses were vague.
Stomach pains started in the 3rd week of medication , hives started this week the 4th week of medication . I spoke to the pharmacist who said the build up if the medication could be causing the hives.
Thanks again for your response

[Barb135]

You need to have TSH, Free T3 and Free T4 tested on a regular basis.  TSH is a pituitary hormone that stimulates the thyroid.  Free T3 and Free T4 are the actual thyroid hormones that the body actually uses.  When FT3 and FT4 are high, TSH should be low and when they are low, TSH should be high.

On what grounds were you diagnosed with Graves Disease?  Thyroid Stimulating Immunoglobulin is the definitive antibody test for Graves, so if they didn't do that, you may not have it.  There's another autoimmune thyroid disease called Hashimoto's that's, typically, associated with hypothyroidism, but is often characterized by periods of hyperthyroidism in the early stages.   The 2 antibody tests used to diagnose Hashimoto's are Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies and Thyroglobulin Antibodies.

Make sure you get copies of all the blood work that's been done and that gets done each time, as you go along.  

You should get tested, approximately, every 6 weeks or so, to make sure your levels are stable.  Hopefully, your endo will send you for a thyroid ultrasound to check for nodules that could be producing thyroid hormones independently of the thyroid.

When did the distended stomach, pains and rash start?  Where are the rashes?

Ask your endo for a referral to a good opthamologist. If he's well versed in Graves Disease, he should a list from which to choose.