Autumn Reflections ... As you reflect upon yourself, your thyroid issues, what you've been through & where you are heading why not share with us here ...

[ChitChatNine]

what life's been like for you since your roller coaster ride has begun!

The photo above was taken by and is owned by MedHelp Member MJIthewriter.  I happened upon a collection of her Fall Photos this afternoon and this one, inparticular, stood out as an inspiration to help bring us together here, on thyroid.   I bet we all must have a reflection or two to share on this thread ....

C~

[HyperT77]

I was diagnosed with Hyper T in October 2007.  Have been taking Methimazole every since then to lower thyroid levels.  In the first few months, I went Hyper to Hypo, then back to Hyper.  I have now stayed within normal ranges for the past few months.  Have a fantastic Endo who listens to me and works very closely with me.

I do still have issues with moods, the slows, anxiety, and trouble sleeping.  However, stress seems to directly impact this.  My Endo does not anticipate that I will become Hyper T again.  He does however think that I'll eventually become Hypo and have to switch over to Synthyroid.  

Love this forum and have received alot of support and information on here.

Thanks everyone!

[Rainydeb]

For me it started when my husband deployed to Iraq in 2003, but I think I probably had a thyroid problem for a long time. The extreme stress of that period was just the straw that broke the camel's back. So instead of getting the Prozac I was hoping for, I got Armour instead and I felt wonderful. Still stressed but I could handle it. Then, for whatever reason, I started going down hill at about six months. It started with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome symptoms, which wasn't surprising because I sat at keyboard 8 hours a day at work, and everyone around me seemed like they were getting it. But I tested negative for that. Then I started blowing up like a balloon around the middle, etc. about every symptom listed on the long list of hypo. By a year after I was dx, I was almost dysfunctional with headaches, severe body aches, fatigue, shortness of breath and I would get so cold it hurt to be touched. TSH was showing normal at this time and so was every other test the doctor could think to give me, and he even explored the possibilty that my husband had brought some nasty foreign bug from Iraq that I had no immunity to. Finally, Doc labeled it Chronic Fatigue and I finally got my Prozac but I didn't want it!

Reflecting back on it, I think maybe it was just a delayed reaction to being under so much stress. My husband was home safe and sound, and I was free to have a nervous break down. At the time I was totally convinced it was my thyroid, though. Spring brought me out of it, not meds. I've always loved spring.

I've never been that low since, but I fear it, and I am always on guard, hoping to head it off at the pass.

I still have fatigue and body aches. Maybe I just have to accept it and go on.

[Applecore]

You all have heard from me so much and the rollar coaster ride that I seem to stay on.  I feel I am at the bottom of one of the hill and need the momentum to get up the hill.  My psychiatrist told me to divide my synthroid in two and take it twice a day.  Someone here told me that the half life was  7 days and that must be true because on the 7th day I started feeling worse.  I don't believe that I am getting the second dose in right because of eating.  Anyway I seem to be having mind fog, fear, anxious thoughts and stuff from years ago that I had troubling my mind.  I have tried to be compliant with what the doctor said but I think that tomorrow I will go back to being on my 1/2 pill in the am and not split it.  I take 37.5 which is 1/2 of 75 that I cut in half.  

I am about at my wits end in trying to work all this out.  I am also taking adrug called risperadol to help my thinking process.  He calls it thought glue.  I thought I was ok and went quickly off of it per doctors instructions and was fine for about 5 days and then it felt like dirt flooding into my system and then anxioius thoughts started.  I couldn't handle them so the doctor put me back on the same medicine risperadol and I go some better but I worry so much about taking this medicine and how I will ever get off of it that I am being my own worse enemy.  I am also taking .5 lorazapam twice a day to help with my anxiety.  I know that the Lord has a plan for me but I can't seem to stop worrying about this and it interfers with my being able to do all that I need to do as I work and take care of two elderly ladies in my home.  My husband does help but I have got to get a peace about this medicine.  Has anybody ever needed to take a medicine but had a fear of it, not of taking it but of how will I get off of it because of he bad reaction that I had the first time.  This drug is used for many things.  It is used for ADD children and of course for bipolar and schiziphrenia which I do not have.   I t has helped me in the past but since I had that episode I have so much fear about just plain being on medicine.  I hope somebody on this forum can help.  I know I seem to be saying to same old same old but it is still a problem and I still need to get past this obstacle to get back to normal.  The doctor said I could increase the risperadol if I still wasn't doing to well after 3 weeks.  I don't know what to do.  I don't even know if it is helping me to calm down at this point.  I hope I haven't run of too much .   Thanks for being there for me.   linda

[utahmomma]

I'm still on the roller coaster.

What started as an incidental finding on an unrelated CT scan, and me being "overly aggressive about such a small nodule" turned into an entire family diagnosed with an aggressive (recurrent, spreading) form of the "non-hereditary" papillary carcinoma.

Then there's all the fun with meds, body changes, complications, new diseases to deal with, and the ongoing concern of another recurrence.    Oh, happy 5-year anniversary on my thyroid cancer diagnosis on November 7th.  :-(

Good think is this forum.  It's so nice to be able to share with others.  This wasn't here for me (or my family) during the "year from hell" with 4 cancer diagnoses; 2 precancer diagnoses; and 7 surgeries.  Yahoo for this forum!!

I'm so glad I've met so many friends here - people who understand and still respond to your messages when you are having a bad day (shout out back at you bet643 and others).

To all of our new friends, especially those with new cancer diagnoses, you don't have to go through this alone.  That's such a wonderful feeling!

Hugs to all (and goodnight)

Utah

[bet643]

Like  to comment on your post. It was quite beautiful. made me think about my life in general. It's like a song in your heart. How wonderful.

[bet643]

It was like it was yesturday, when I was diagnosed 3 yrs ago. The ups and downs of Hashimoto's and pap. carcinoma. But believe it or not, what bugged me more than the cancer was my horrible Endo. I had to switch my Endo a few times. I'm still not satisfied with the one I now have.  My Endo is my cancer. I am grateful for this community that has offered me so much help and support that I could not get elswhere. It's my escape because it's my turn now to try to help others and give them my support. I feel as if I have met some of you in person. I worry about all of my cyber friends, especially Utah. It' feels good to send out a note once in awhile to check on someone that you have not seen posted for awhile. It's our lifes challenge, and our own little world. No one does it better.

[rellyrooly]

Thank you so much!!!

[ChitChatNine]

Relly,

You want to know the best part of the ride,  you have us along with you!  A mere 5-8yrs ago many had to wing this on their own ..but with Internet and communties and friends like us here .. you are not alone!

C~

[rellyrooly]

Life really ***** right now.  I was just diagnosed today with T Cancer.  More FNA's tomorrow.  Just beginning my rollercoaster ride...

Cindy

[Barb135]

My ride began about a year and 1/2 ago (May 2007) when my dr wanted me to see a throat specialist because of a very "scratchy" voice.  The throat specialist led to stopping smoking and 2 surgeries on my vocal cords, at the same time as being diagnosed with pernicious anemia and started on B-12 shots; while all this is going on I'm piling on pounds like there is no tomorrow and everyone, including myself, is putting it down to quitting smoking.  The B-12 shots made a huge difference in the way I felt, but no matter what I did, (right food, exercise, anything), I kept gaining weight, my heart rate went so low at one point that dr made me wear a holter monitor to find out why and as much as the B-12 made me feel better, I was still horribly tired so I finally asked to have my thyroid tested and here I am now waiting for the roller coaster to stop.

Thyroid was diagnosed in June 08 and I was originally started on 100 mcg synthroid and almost immediately started feeling better, but that was short lived.  Subsequent TSH was only 0.03 so synthroid was lowered to 75 mcg.  I went for new blood tests last Friday and awaiting results now.  

Through all this - my sleep pattern has ranged from not being able to sleep at night to not being able to wake up.  I have to get up very early (3:30 am) so go to bed usually around 7:30-8:00 pm and almost always go right to sleep, but end up waking up after only a couple hours and then the whole rest of the night, I wake up about every hour or so.  I've no idea what's causing this, but would love to find out what it's like to sleep through an entire night again.  I'm sure it doesn't help that my husband suffers with bouts of depression, which adds a lot of extra stress on me.  

In addition to all this, I've been thinking over the past few weeks that I might have some blood sugar issues going on also, so yesterday I stopped and bought a glucometer and tested my blood sugar several times throughout the day and the results were strange - bouncing up and down for no apparent reason (raising when I hadn't eaten anything, etc), so here's another thing to talk to doc about when I go in next week.  

I know my journey is not over yet, but hoping to see the light at the end of the tunnel soon.  I ran across this website by accident one night, and sure am glad I did because it helps a lot to know that I'm not alone.  My meds do help me to feel better and one day, I hope to have a great success story also.  

Thanks to all, take care and good night.  

[tm514]

Wow, where was I (three years ago, terribly sick with hyperthyroidism and too dumb to acknowledge it).  I consider myself lucky to not have died from a thyroid storm.  Finally, a really sharp PA noticed my high blood pressure and high heart rate, among other things.  Within weeks, I had a diagnosis (Graves/Hyperthyroid and a good case of Graves Eye Disease to boot!).  After that, I was off to the races - scans, ultrasounds, blood tests, and anti thyroid meds.  

I chose a TT after a year on the drugs, and realized while the ATDs made my thyroid symptoms better, it made my anxiety worse!  Two eye surgeries later, I feel better than I have in years, have lost a couple of pounds, and have a totally different outlook on life.  I have vowed never to ignore symptoms because I am afraid of what they might mean.  I also have come to the point in my thyroid travels to realized that not every problem I have is thyroid related!  It was so easy to blame bad levels for weight gain or irregular cycles or whatever.  I feel like I  have so much more control over my life and have learned so much about myself in the past 3 years.  

I wish every a speedy journey to this peaceful place.

[Cynnieb4]

I am thankful that I was tested this year. I am also happy that I am responding to meds! I will get there. I will know more in two weeks! Yippee. I had some excellent energy today. And the work day  made it even better:) I am getting my life back:)

[ChitChatNine]

I won't bore you with my story .. you all know it by now .. instead, let me share a favorite piece entitled Reflections written and perfomed by the late John Denver.  Released in 1973 on his Rocky Mt. High album, it only was only on one album ... it speaks about reflections, and this tune .. reflects me.

___________

Summer

Silently the morning mist is lying on the water
Captive moonlight waiting for the dawn
Softly like a baby's breath a breeze begins to whisper
The sun is coming, quick you must be gone
Smiling like a superstar the morning comes in singing
The promise of another sunny day
And all the flowers open up to gather in the sunshine
I do believe that summer's here to stay

And oh i love the life within me
I feel part of everything i see
And oh i love the life around me
A part of everything is here in me

Riding on the tapestry of all there is to see
So many ways and oh so many things
Rejoicing in the differences, ther's no one just like me
Yet as different as we are we're still the same

And oh i love the life within me
I feel part of everything i see
And oh i love the life around me
A part of everything is here in me

Fall

Reflections on the water like shadows in my mind
Speak to me of passing days and nights and passing time
The falling leaves are whispering winter's on it's way
I close my eyes remembering the warmth of yesterday

It seems a shame to see september swallowed by the winter
And more than that it's oh so sad to see the summer end
And though the changing colors are a lovely thing to see
If it were mine to make the change i'd let it be

But i don't remember hearing anybody asking me

Winter

It's cold and it's getting colder
It's gray and white and winter all around
And oh i must be getting older
All this snow is trying to get me down

There's a fire in the corner slowly dyin'
Sometimes i just don't feel like goin' on
And yet i know it's more than worth the waiting
For another chance to see the summer sun

Come on, shine on me!

Late winter, early spring
(when everybody goes to mexico)

(instrumental only)

Spring

Open up your eyes and see a brand new day
A clear blue sky and brightly shining sun
Open up your ears and hear the breezes say
Everything that's cold and gray has gone
Open up your hands and feel the rain come down
Taste the wind and smell the flowers' sweet perfume
Open up your mind and let the light come in
The earth has been reborn and life goes on

Do you care what's happening around you
Do your senses know the changes when they come
Can you see yourself reflected in the seasons
Can you understand the need to carry on

Riding on the tapestry of all there is to see
So many ways and oh so many things
Rejoicing in the differences, there's no one just like me
Yet as different as we are we're still the same

And oh i love the life within me
I feel a part of everything i see
And oh i love the life within me
A part of everything is here in me
A part of everything is here in me
A part of everything is here in me


C~