Diagnosed yesterday with hyperthyroidism - anyone else suffer with this?

[Imabadmum]

I actually think this is a good thing, as it explains a lot about my recent irritability, tiredness, hyperactivity, etc etc. just wanted to share with some else who is experiencing this.... And what to expect from treatment. Anyone?

Anyone?

Yes, I had it decades ago, but there are also other mumnetters, too.
What were your symptoms and what treatment are you on?

I had it after having an underactive thyroid, it went bonkers for a while after having DD. I lost a ton of weight, had the shakes and felt jittery. It went back to underactive though

I had all the text book symptoms as I was young. Weight loss was the first I noticed, then being irritable, blowing up at nothing, rapid pulse, palpitations especially in bed, high blood pressure, sweating, shaking hands, being paranoid. Later swelling of the feet and legs including thighs. The last was breathlessness and weakness, took me 20 seconds to get breath back after every step of the stairs. But mine was diagnosed very late and only when my Thyroid swelled up into a goitre and my eyes bulged. That was 43 years ago.

ps
And being ravenous and never stopping eating despite losing weight.

Treatment in my case was to take carbimazole which slows the Thyroid down, but i was overdosed and it stopped working altogether. Treatments are much better now. Then , after 4 years had the operation to reduce the size of the Thyroid, and had no problems since.

Yes, I was diagnosed with this in September. I had fast heart rate, tremor, very rapid weight loss and a goitre (although I didn't notice anything other than weight loss). I was given blood tests for thyroid antibodies and a kind of x-ray which shows what's going on in the thyroid (toxic nodules, Graves' disease etc). I have Graves' disease and possibly a toxic nodule as well.

I was given Carbimazole and was very worried about being over-medicated and becoming hypothyroid. I've been told that the best way to prevent this is to completely block all thyroid function and replace with synthetic thyroxine (known as block and replace therapy) and so I'm currently on 2 x 20mg carbimazole and 100mcg levothyroxine a day. I get regular blood tests (basically if I'm concerned that my levels aren't right I get a blood test done then phone my consultant to chat about how to adjust my medication).

The plan is for my to have surgical thyroidectomy in the next few months because I also have unrelated problems with my parathyroids which need surgical removal.

Had a busy day, so only just caught up with this.

My symptoms, well. I think it's been going on for years. My db and dgm bth are bi- polar so I have been going to the doctors on and off for 4years ish complaining about going a bit mad, depression, exhaustion. Even had 6 months of counselling in 2010. Finally asked if it might be menopause setting in (am 42) so they suggested a blood test. My TSH Is 0.02. Am awaiting referral to endocrinologist so shoud find out more. So my symptoms are irritability, anxiety (verging on panic attacks) palpitations, heart racing, sweating and flushes, excessively hot, aching in upper arms, hyperactive (can't sit still despite being dog tired). Sadly the only symptom I didn't get and would have quite enjoyed was the weight loss, sods law.

Thank you all for your posts. Slightly frightened about surgery, and those of you that are on medication... Is that for life?

I think if you have an underactive thyroid then medication is for life, but with hyperthyroidism, I think you can get over it. My friend has been of medication now for about 14months, she had graves disease.

I had the same symptoms as you. It took a long time to get proper treatment as I had to wait to see a consultant. I found that beta blockers made me I'll so I stopped taking them. I was on 40mg carbimazole a day which has since been reduced to 20mg. I feel fine now and will go back to the endocrinologist in a few weeks.

10 years after my op, I went to Germany to live and DR, there said I should have had my Thyroid stopped with Carbimazole and supplemented with the correct dose of Thyroxine, as I had terrible and dangerous effects of being so underactive to be inert, and he couldn't understand why that wasn't done. It was 1970 and 1974, so they are more clued up on it now.
I met an older woman later who had an overactive Thyroid Gland diagnosed, but she put weight on, which DR did not understand, but it happens with her..

I was on no medication after the partial Thyroidectomy, until 22 years later, when my Thyroid for some reason became slightly underactive, although had grown back to normal size. But did not feel any symptoms

I was diagnosed in September 2011 with Graves. First put on carbimazole, but I did a lot of reading and didn't fancy the chances - at least 18 months of treatment, not guaranteed that it works and a very high percentage of people relapse.

My endocrinologist also said that I should not get pregnant during the treatment (I was 33 and we just started ttc) and according to some studies, even people who have their Graves under control, might still have problems when pregnant due to antibodies.

So taking into account the above, I had a thyroidectomy in May. Very happy with the decision, now on thyroxine and feeling great.

Hazelnutt
Mine was a sub-total Thyroidectomy, so cut down really small, but was not put on Thyroxine afterwards. Such a long time ago, but know I had blood tests, so must have been OK.

Did you have a total Thyroidectomy, then?

digerd yes, they recommend total nowadays for Graves, to get rid of all the tissue the body is attacking. Luckily thyroxine works fine for me, levels very stable.

I have Graves, and I'm on 50mg carbimazole a day (increased as 40 wasn't having any effect). I've been on it for almost a year, and even now if I forget to take one dose I get dreadful shakes, diarrhoea and insomnia. I have a feeling that the consultant will want to remove it soon, but I am unwilling to lose it just yet.
OP, once the meds work you will feel so much better you won't believe it. Grit your teeth, hang in there, it will get sorted.

10 years after the my sub-total, I was TTC and on the fertility pill, in Germany, and it gave me rages.
My Gyny gave me a test, that I had never had in UK, which she was very shocked at. It tested the function of the Pituatory/Thyroid interaction and it came back not normal. It was diagnosed as an infection of the Thyroid and was put on Cortisone tablets.
I never did get pregnant, but was 41 by then. May have been better to have had the Thyroid totally taken out, and lived on Thyroxine, but who knows?