anything to go back to my normal life

[marysmum]

I have had graves disease since 2006 and my levels were stable up until my daughter was born premature in 2007 and passed for months later in the nicu. I'm pregnant again and i have been sent to a high risk graves disease specialist and they switched me from methamzole 10mg to ptu 40mg and atentolol100mg right now all i have witness was sore throat so far. I felt a bit better on methamazole but im not complaining. I would do anything to feel normal again, I want to know is their anything i can do to feel normal again, surgery, i have heard alot about RAI the good and the bad and i don't feel comfortable completely with that choice, but have anyone had their thyroid taken out? how did u feel? soemthing has got to give nobody can live like this.

[tm514]

As for surgery, yes, I had my thyroid removed a little over 2 years ago as treatment for Graves.  I feel better now than I have in probably 5 years.  I had an easier time of it than some getting my synthroid dosage right.  I do not regret for a minute having my thyroid removed.  I didn't really want RAI, and since I also had the eye problems that sometimes go along with Graves, my endo really advised against RAI anyway.

I know my first endo warned me about taking Methimazole if I got pregnant, and the doc on the medical side of this forum has always recommended PTU during pregnancy.  I know you felt better on the Methimazole, but there is a reason you aren't on it anymore.  I wish you the best of luck, you sound like you have been through some tough times.

[Rite760]

Hi, I forgot to say earlier, that although I don't know the answers to all the technical stuff about RAI etc, please wait for the more experienced people here to see your post and give you advice, coz they're absolutely great at doing that.

[peggy64]

Rite is right! This disease completely changes things and life will probably never be the same. Unfortunately, these diseases are not caught early enough to prevent damage to other organs, and therein lies the problem.

I am using this lesson and telling everyone I talk to that has anything closely related to thyroid symptoms to get their thyroid checked.  Hopefully, I will be able to prevent my kids from going through what I have, in case they start exhibiting signs.

I said I was going to have a bumper sticker made that says "Had your Thyroid levels checked lately?" and put it on my vehicle. And I hate bumper stickers, that is how much of a change it has made to me..........

You have to develop a new "normal"  Apparently mine is going to be 2-3 hours of sleep. But like Rite said, I could be worse off.

[Rite760]

Hi, Unfortunately I haven't got the experience to give you the advice you need as I'm new to this disease. But I just wanted to say, I know exactly how you feel. Since starting with thyroid disease this year, my favourite phrase is " I would give anything to go back and feel like me again!" And it's true I would. But then I look at other people with worse problems and feel ashamed. And yet I admit, I would still give anything to be "me" again. But I am learning to face the fact that things will probably never be the same again, it's hard to do, but with the help of people here, I'm keeping plodding on and taking each day at a time. Anyway, hope you are feeling better soon, and I just wanted you to know you are not alone.