Hyperthyroidism

[Fluffypoms]

Hey guys

After waiting for what seems like an age I've finally got a diagnosis of hyperthyroid.

My dr is sending me to a Endocrinologist but in the mean time will start me on meds
She did say that I won't Enjoy how they make me feel.

I feel awful right now anyway and mostly its the palpitations that I HATE.

Does anyone have any idea with How the medication works or what it makes you feel like??

I'm not sure what I will be taking as the dr is calling the Endo and will leave me a prescript at the desk when she has and will call me to say its waiting for me..

Thanks in advance x

[Walnutcakelover]

Hi fluffy, I have been following your post, I am glad you got your diagnosis in the end. I think the medication that you will be put on is carbimazole, it basically balances your thyroid. You will have to have a blood test every 8 weeks to see how your thyroid is doing, whether it has responded well to the medication. If your thyroid is balancing out then the endo will reduce your dosage, because sometimes you can go underactive if not careful. The side effects that I found with carbimazole were anxiety, being on a short fuse and always very angry, I really hated being on the medication, but you may be different. I started on 20mg, so it wasn't that much of a high dose, after 8 weeks the endo put me on 10mg, then after that I was on 5mg for nearly a year. I have been of the medication for 14months now, but still have to have blood tests every 3-6 months.

[HazleNutt]

the meds will make you feel better, in my case the shaking hands and racing heart were gone in a week or two. I went hypo quite quickly though and was put on thyroxine as well as carbimazole, so was battling with other set of symptoms.

[Fluffypoms]

Thanks for your replies.
My gp has called again after speaking to the specialist and want to hold off the meds

They think I've thyroiditis as my levels are higher but each test has been up and Down. So want to test my blood again in 4 weeks.

I really don't feel like I can take this for another 4 weeks its seems anytime I feel I'm getting closer to a treatment and about to be made to feel better something else crops up.

I just don't feel myself and I want to get back to being me and looking after the DC their fathers being a great help but I want to do what I used too.

[Walnutcakelover]

Is thyroiditis inflammation of the thyroid gland? is that hypothyroidism, sorry don't know what it is.

[HazleNutt]

Ask your doc if he could prescribe you beta-blockers against the palpitations. They won't cure the thyroid problem, but would make you feel better.

[Fluffypoms]

Yes its an inflamation.
The little I know about it I think you can just a episode of hyper and then switch to hypo.

I have Beta Blockers which have calmed my heart rate a lot but I'm still having the palpitations and they are such a horrid feeling.

Its me really everytime I have them I feel so scared, that the drs wrong and its my heart although I had had so many tests including 4 ecgs and nothing has shown.

[Walnutcakelover]

Yes palpitations can be scary, I often felt my heart was gonna pop out before I got diagnosed, it made it worse because I used to start panicking. The palpitations and tremor went within a few days after being on carbimazole.

[Fluffypoms]

Yes I feel the same I panic and make them worse.

I will have to sit it out and wait for the next blood tests I guess.

Can I ask did it take a while to get a diagonosis?

[Walnutcakelover]

No not really, the dr suspected hyperthyroidism, and decided to order blood tests, and it came back as hyperthyroidism straight away.

[Fluffypoms]

Thanks glad you had a answer quickly.. I wonder why they are taking so long with me its been around six weeks or so Now

[HazleNutt]

Hyper was diagnosed quickly but if took a few more tests and ultrasound to diagnose the cause - first also suspected thyroiditis, but was actually Graves.

[Fluffypoms]

Its so bizzare how awfull all this thyroid business makes you feel.

Never felt like this in my life. Is graves detected by the antibody tests?
Think I'm having one of those next time

[HazleNutt]

Yes, the antibody test.

[Walnutcakelover]

Yes I had graves, I understand what you are going through fluffy I never felt so bad with anything, thyroid issues suck.

[Fluffypoms]

Thank you so much, I'm trying to explain to friends/family but its like oh well..

I don't know if I could have pushed more for treatment the dr did say 'is that ok?' After telling me I will have to wait another 4 weeks for blood tests again.

Maybe I should have said well No not really..?

[LurcioLovesFrankie]

Glad you've got a diagnosis. The carbimazole should kick in very fast - I found it was a matter of weeks, and the palpitations should go. Worth checking whether your doc is attempting carbimazole only (trying to reduce thyroid function to what it should be with just one drug) or "block and replace" where you get a large enough dose to completely shut down the thyroid, then get put on thyroxin as well to replace the natural hormone. My understanding is that it's much easier to get the dose right and control the symptoms with block-and-replace, which is what I was on.

The other good news is that if it's not the autoimmune form of the disease, then after about a year on the drugs there's a 50-50 chance it'll clear up and you'll have normal thyroid function (touch wood, mine's been ok for about 6 years now since I came off the drugs).

The symptoms are really crap, aren't they - palpitations, night sweats, insomnia and overwhelmng tiredness. Hope you feel better soon.

[dlady]

I went on Carbimazole and beta blockers and started feeling much better within about a week, not worse. I went hypo after a while so was on thyroxine aswell. My levels went back to normal after a couple of years (I had Graves) so after 6 months I came off the tablets. Unfortunately 2 years later it has come back, but strangely with no symptoms - I felt absolutely dreadful the first time. I was taken into hospital for something else and after a blood test I was found to have a T4 (I think thats the one) of 49. Although I was getting hot in bed but put that down to being peri-menopausal.

[Walnutcakelover]

dlady are you on carbimazole now then?
lurcio did you have graves aswell? you are doing well if it has been 6 years.

[MrsMiniversCharlady]

Just spotted this thread. I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism a month ago and had my first appointment with an endocrinologist last week.

I'm surprised how slowly the doctors seem to be moving for you Fluffypoms - when I saw my endo last week she immediately arranged for a thyroid uptake scan that day (which I couldn't do, so had it done today), I had blood tests for antibodies there and then and she prescribed me with 40mg carbimazole to take once I'd had the scan done. I've also got an appointment in 3 weeks' time to check my levels and adjust the carbimazole and add in thyroxine if necessary. This is despite me feeling absolutely fine and not really being aware of any symptoms I think it's a bit crap that they want to wait another 4 weeks when you feel so unwell.

[Fluffypoms]

Thanks me too I feel really bad today and a bit panicky which doesn't help the palpitations obviously.

I spoke to the dr AGAIN never even usually go drs..

But she says my thyroid levels while raised still have been up and Down that they think its an inflamed thyroid and don't want to rush treatment with tablets which potentionally I could be on forever.

But how I feel right Now I don't care.
I just can't think how I am gonna get through the Next 4 weeks when each day seems so long.

I don't know what to do.?!

[Walnutcakelover]

Oh hun, I really feel for you, I felt the same, just wanted the symptoms to stop. I just hope they can bring your appoitment forward, maybe go again and insist.x

[Fluffypoms]

Can I go in and cry like I have been all day at Home? I just don't know if they Know its my thyroid why they can't help me.?

She says so not to cloud the picture..
I just want to feel good can't take anymore x

[dlady]

Yes Walnutcakelover, I am on carbimazole again. I have an appt with the endo at the end of next month. It all starts again, bloody hell what a pain.

[Walnutcakelover]

Oh dear dlady, it's a nightmare isn't it? what dosage did you start with then? you say it took you two years to stable?

[HazleNutt]

I actually had my thyroid out. Feel totally fine now and there's no chance of relapse.