Advice Please - Medication to help with sleep with overactive thyroid/graves disease

[dee24]

Hello,

Posted a few weeks ago after being told it looked like I had graves disease. Symptoms were not really causing me any problems but over the past week I have been unable to relax (mind racing, heart pounding) at night and as a result can't sleep I'm finding that the lack of sleep is also making me more anxious during the day.

Could anyone please tell me about medication they would prescribe for this and if there are any side effects? I'm a bit worried incase I am given something and I am unable to get up in the morning or find I am drowsy or something.

Thanks!

I had this (from a child) and had carbimazole. What medication are you on? Once the dose is right you will start to feel normal again but I remember vividly the sleeplessness, the heart pounding, sweating, the hysterical behaviour etc etc.

Hope you get sorted soon.

Mine has gone now incidentally, I grew out of it by the time I was 19 then had a recurrence when I was about 24 then it went away again a few years later.

Touch wood, I'm ok now.

I am waiting on my appointment from the hospital so I do not have any medication at all at the moment. My gp at the time said if things get worse to go back and see him. I can deal with most of the symptoms as they are not too bad most of the time but I need my sleep.

A few people on here mentioned being prescribed meds to help them get to sleep just until they had been treated, I just can't remember what and just a bit concerned about any side effects (lol, as if they can be any worse!). My dd is only a year old so can't be drowsy/sleepy in the morning!

anyone?

What sort of things should I be eating/avoiding then? I didn't know that either. Thanks for pointing that out!
I must be lucky, getting about 4/5 hours sleep most nights. DP is on the couch again as the second he wakes me up I can't get back to sleep. And the fact I have my window open and he thinks the bedroom is freezing!
Got an appointment with my gp on Thursday so will see what can be given to help me until my hospital appointment comes through. I'm guessing that could be another couple of months Twice today I was told I look awful, one comment 'do you have the cold, your eyes look awful' and 'you look how I feel, like shit'. Charming!

I can't see why they aren't putting you on carbimazole straight away if your blood tests have come back and diagnosis is made. It can affect so much, heart rate, metabolism, sleep, diet, etc etc. I would go back to the doc and ask to be put on the meds now.

My doctor has referred me to a specialist to get a definate diagnosis and then get my treatment sorted. So I won't be put on any treatment/meds until then. He did say they can give me something to help relieve the symptoms but thats it.

Anyone had anything for this reason before treatment was carried out??

Hello! Wow, eerie coincidence. I'm off to see a specialist today, probably to get diagnosed with Graves' disease (I def have an overactive thyroid, plus I've tested highly positive for antithyroid antibodies)

I had to fight to be put on carbimazole straight away - my GP was going to wait and see what the consultant said. However, it took ages for me to get an appointment, and in the interim,I got a cold and my heart rate was going through the roof: resting 130bpm, even though I was on betablockers. I rang my GP in tears, she contacted the hospital and they gave her the go-ahead to start me on carbimazole. It doesn't start working straight away - takes a few weeks to see a difference, and three weeks on I think I'm starting to feel a little more normal. My main fear now is developing Marty Feldman bug eyes.

You can be prescribed betablockers in the meantime if you're having problems with your heart-rate and and anxiety, and I am quite surprised that this hasn't been done. Betablockers will have an immediate effect, and will make you feel a lot better for now.

God! That's scary, my resting heart rate is around 90/100bpm and I thought that was bad. Though funnily enough when I had the cold a few weeks back I was getting loads of palipitations throughout the day which I have not had before.
In fairness the dr mentioned beta blockers but I have psoraisis and he said it makes skin conditions worse. He told me to go back if I felt the need to get something but I am also concered as my skin is bad enough, I have been in admitted to hospital twice before But if they will help me relax and get some sleep then great, I have way too much going on at the moment!
Though I do have to say it is strange not sleeping great and looking awful, yet I don't actually feel overly tired??? It's so strange!

Hi dee - just thought I'd update you, I definitely do have Graves' Disease so if you ever want to moan about your symptoms with someone, let me know and I'll give you my email address.

There are a lot of different types of beta-blockers out there, I'm sure there will be one that won't aggravate your psoriasis. You just need to pester your GP about it, he'll have a big book called the BNF which is basically a bible of all the different meds available, he'll be able to check which ones are suitable.

If beta-blockers aren't suitable, I think my doctor was trying to edge me towards anti-anxiety drugs, as my the main problem I have with my Graves' disease is how emotionally unbalanced it's made me, and how I just worry all the time. So that could be an option for you too.

woohoo, he started me on carbimazole! He was running late so it was a bit rushed but he said it's what the hospital would start me on so prescribed 5mg to begin with (as my results came back slightly abnormal) and will increase if need be at my fortnightly check ups and blood results. I think I still need to go to the hospital anyway, as he said at my first appointment I had a large goiter and that the hospital would check that out.

So I'm glad as my dad was telling me that he was once prescribed beta blockers and his skin was really bad, as soon as he stopped it was fine.

But anyway, heres hoping I'm feeling better soon!