tired & can't see

[djbailey]

I was diagnosed with Graves Disease in May.  I have gone Hypo & am now on 100mcg of Synthroid & ?? Cytomel.  I have been on this dosage since Aug. 2 and am still suffering with extreme fluid retension on my face, fatiguem weight gain, & vision problems.  I am most worried about my vision.  Besides constantly 'weeping' due to the fluid, I am having great difficulty focusing.  My vision was checked in March, but am wondering if I should try to fight my insurance company for another vision check or if this symptom will go away.  I am told by my Endocrinologist that my symptoms should dissipate in time, but am beginning to wonder if they ever will.  I wake up every morning with my face so swollen that sometimes both eyes don't open at the same time!

[djbailey]

Thanks for the info.  I called my eye Dr. today and hopefully will get a call back soon.  I am hoping she can advise me.  I'll post my status as I go through this horrible process!  I was very surprised when I got the blood tests back saying I had already gone hypo.  The Dr. originally told me it could be around 6 months before I went hypo, but I did it in 1.5 months.  That was a little disconcerting to be, but I trusted he knew.  Nothing about this roller coaster has been text book for me.  Originally I had extremely swollen feet and ankles when I went hypo.  They put me on 75mcg of Synthroid & I started plaining out within 3 weeks.  Then about a month later, I started having horrible headaches, 0 energy, my hair started falling out in clumps and all around my eyes were swelling - a lot.  Another blood test and they bumped my Synthroid up to 100mcg.  My headaches are less and my hair is not falling out as much, but the swelling and fatigue are almost overwhelming.  I also saw a ND (Naturopath Dr.) and she suggested I start drinking Dandilion Leaf tea.  I had to order it and hope to receive it soon.  Thanks again for the support and I'll keep posting with my progress!

[LittleEd]

I don't want the symptoms you have, but I wonder how you got to be hypothyroid so fast? Did you have surgery or the RAI? That blows me away. But at least an underactive thyroid can be controlled somewhat, right? I might not even have one before long, if they get to cutting on me.

[tm514]

If I were you, I'd find an opthalmologist (an MD, not an optometrist OD) who has seen some cases of Graves Eye Disease.  I'm not saying that is what you have, but the constant weeping was the way my eye problems started.  Also, when you say you have difficulty focusing, do you seem to be having double vision?  That is another symptom of GED.  Not sure what the swollen face is about.  

I believe there are blood tests for the antibodies that cause Graves Eye Disease - they are not the same antibodies that cause the thyroid version of Graves.  If your eye symptoms persist, perhaps you can ask your doctor to run that test?