Diagnosis = Graves Disease
28 yr old female
4'11" 125lbs (was 132lbs 2 weeks ago before Adepex)
3 pregnancies/3births
No allergies/surgeries/diseases
Off and On Smoker
Rx: Adepex 37.5mg to assist with weightloss
Family history: Mother = Obesity, Asthma, Hyperthyroid during pregnancy only, degenerative disk disease
Grandmother - Cancer of lung, liver, brain & kidney, heart disease, goiter & synthroid
Grandfather - Cancer of the prostate
Father = Very thin, hearing loss began in early 30's
Grandmother - Cancer of lung
Grandfather - Cancer (unknown origin)
Symptoms: fatigue, body aches (shoulders, back), sciatic-like pain and joint cracking around hips/butt/pelvis, loss of appetite, difficulty losing extra 25lbs from pregnancy (4 years ago), waking up tired, difficulty falling asleep, can't concentrate, forgetful, irritable, crabby, short painful menses, dry skin - often red welts or pimples appear after scratching, sweating, generally low blood pressure (93/76) but recently higher (114/89) which might be the Adepex, headaches, dry itchy eyes, short of breath, wimp out easily with exercise, sinus problems.
Labs: Taken twice = T3, T4, TSH and FTI normal ranges (not free T3 or free T4)
Ultrasound = 5 nodules. 4 together, no more than 1.2 cm. 1 alone, 1.6cm Findings - slightly enlarged thyroid with multiple nodules
I123 = Four hour uptake is borderline increased at 22% (5-20% normal). Twenty-four hour uptake is increased at 39% (5-35% normal). Images demonstrate a thyroid gland which is enlarged measuring about 5-5.5cm. No hot or cold nodules seen. Findings: Abnormal scan suggesting hyperthyroidism with elevated four and twenty-four hour uptake. Negative for any dominant hot or cold nodules.
Doctor instructed me to keep taking Adepex for another month until I plateau with weightloss, then stop taking medication and begin treatment for Graves Disease using one of the three options given: medication, RAI or surgery.
1) Just need a second opinion on diagnosis of Graves before I jump in with treatment options. Anything else I should be doing?
2) My mother is one of those Reliv nutrition supplement distributers - and she is trying to convince me that if I would just exercise and eat even healthy that doing those things would lower my heart rate, increase my metabolism, make me sleep better and I would wake up rested. That treatment with surgery, RAI or pills is not necessary and that treatment is a lazyman's way out. Any suggestions on how I respond to this?
Thanks for reading, Arae