Graves’ disease overactive thyroid , surgery soon

[Jlp1996]

hi looking for any stories from anyone who has been in a similar position🙏 I’ve been having trouble since about April heart palpitations and anxiety. My thyroid showed overactive but nothing else was done fast forward to September I felt like I was having a heart attack went a&e never got seen after 8 hours due to how busy it was. Following day got ecg and bloods at gp and confirmed overactive thyroid. I was referred to hospital but told a year wait list. Can’t take beta blockers because I’m asthmatic , after 3 days on carbizamole got taken off due to white blood cell count dropping. Spent 3 nights in hospital and now it’s been decided I will have surgery and not been left many options. Radioactive iodine was a no go as I have 8 and 3 year old boys. My surgery is 28th and I’m scared and want to hear peoples experiences. I’m 28 and before all this lead a healthy normal life but I can’t even go to work at the minute. Thanks x

Sending positive thoughts. I have Graves which have badly affected my eyes. Surgery will be the next step for me.

There are some great private groups on FB which are full of useful and supportive information x

@MikeRafone im on iodine to normalise my thyroid before surgery do you think that will make a difference so it goes down earlier? With my heart rate I mean ? I’m really desperate to get back to work. With Christmas coming up and we go to Disneyland the week before I really want to get back to work to save all the pennies so my 2 boys have the time they deserve. And also to be ok to go on rides with them. Wouldn’t be crazy rides anyway my boys are young. I’m glad it won’t be visible by then, being centre of attention on the day with my fiance I wouldn’t want it sticking out like a sore thumb. Thankyou and I will keep you all updated x

@Saveusernsme that’s awful , my mums friend had her eyes affected and needed surgery to correct as they were sticking out. I hope you get it corrected and surgery goes well for you. My eyes haven’t been affected this far. I have a fast heart rate, anxiety, weight loss and a tremor with my hands xx

Hi OP,
how are you doing?
Hope you feel a little better 😊

@TheJoyousExpert hi thanks for writing to me. Still feeling pretty bad but hoping after surgery Monday I’ll start seeing the other side definitely hope so x

Good luck for the surgery OP, this is the first step to feeling truly recovered and your normal self. I would hope you'd be fine for rides at Disneyland by the week before Christmas. That's plenty of time for your levels to settle post surgery.

X

Hi @Jlp1996 😊
the surgery will definitely help with those Graves symptoms
did you say you were taking iodine (is it?!) - that might start to have an effect too in the meantime & hopefully make you feel a little better.
take it easy x

@Purple89 thankyou I truly can’t wait to be better🙏 thats good I think after all this I really want to bad a good time with my boys I feel. As this hasn’t just been hard for me, we’ve not been able to do much days out etc because of how I’m feeling x

@TheJoyousExpert really hope so 🤞🏼 yeh the consultant had me start that last Wednesday it tastes pretty horrid but they said it will help before surgery although I don’t really feel much better at the minute. Thankyou can’t wait for it to be over x

@Suzi7979 hope you're feeling a bit better? How did your appointment go? I had my thyroidectomy in July & have found the follow up support pretty poor (non-existent).

@Jlp1996 OP, hope you’re feeling a little better and the iodine has started to slow down your thyroid symptoms at least

@TheJoyousExpert I have had surgery. Waiting on blood results to see about calcium. Very sore but otherwise ok x

Ah @Jlp1996 I’ve been thinking about you today!

So glad you feel ok! those Graves symptoms will start to ease off now for you…..

fingers crossed your calcium stays just fine & you’ll be home tomorrow?

I found my throat was quite sore for a couple of days but then it was pretty much gone. my voice was a bit weak for a week or two.

try to rest now - upright of course! Although would imagine you’ll be checked on throughout the night tonight?

wishing you a speedy recovery! X

@TheJoyousExpert I hope so, I wouldn’t be up to doing much at home but would be good to be with my partner and my boys. Also missing a cuddle for my big golden lab🥰 would love nothing more than to be cuddled into right now. Throat is quite sore I’m on liquid morphine which helps me but not doing much for my throat pain if that makes any sort of sense. Yes I think I’ll be kept an eye on through the evening. I’m hoping I’ll manage to rest soon hard because I’m so uncomfortable. Thankyou so much you and everyone on the forum has been so helpful to speak to with everything can’t thank you all enough x

Thinking of you OP my throat was also very sore and like you said the painkillers don't really help with that soreness, the only thing that helped me was lots of fluids and some ice cream. Look after yourself xx

You’ll be home soon enough don’t worry 😊😊

I found ibuprofen more helpful than anything

you’ve done the hard part now - now it’s recovery and looking forward to your holiday

take it easy @Jlp1996 and let us know how you get on this week 😊

fingers crossed for normal calcium tomorrow and you’re on the home stretch!!! Xx

@Purple89 yes it’s difficult I have been drinking plenty and had ice cream. Makes a difference for sure. I am really struggling to sleep which is pretty awful. Hoping I can eventually sleep and I feel a little better tomorrow🤞🏼xx

@TheJoyousExpert i did have some ibuprofen but I didn’t feel it done much I’ve had a mixture of that and paracetamol between doses of morphine and I don’t feel any really ease the pain😔 my bloods were good this evening so hopefully good tomorrow🤞🏼 I know I’ll sleep a bit better at home with my fiance and our boys. I always struggle to sleep away from home. Thankyou xxx

Morning @Jlp1996
hope you managed some rest - although I didn’t get any really when in hospital!
fingers crossed for your calcium bloods this morning - did the surgeon say whether they’d managed to preserve your parathyroids? I’m sure it was all fine 😊
by this afternoon, I’m sure you’ll be home with your fiance and boys 😊 X

@TheJoyousExpert hey unfortunately my bloods weren’t ok not terrible but calcium has dipped, im getting kept in another night. There are no rooms in the wards so I’m still in day surgery recovery so only one hour visiting slot. Hoping for better news tomorrow. They didn’t say if they were ok or not. I managed to sleep for an hour there my mum brought me ear plugs. Still not feeling very good at all but hopeful to get home tomorrow xx

Hi @Jlp1996
ah no - I’m sorry you hear you’re spending another night. Try think of it as being in the best place for now - better they get your calcium levels sorted now whilst your there than having a calcium crash and having to go to A&E. you’ll be sorted tomorrow I’m sure.

Also, you’re bound to be feeling crap after the op & GA. You’ll feel better as the days go on now I’m sure.

i hope youre ok & manage to get some more rest tonight ❤️

Hi @Jlp1996
how are you feeling? Hope you’re getting on ok 😊

@TheJoyousExpert sorry I missed these I wasn’t feeling great at all for a while after surgery but the last week things have really turned around💗 over the course of the last 3 weeks it’s starting to look alot better and I’m feeling a lot better. I appreciate all the advice and help you’ve given me x
I’ll leave a picture incase anyone going through this comes across this thread in the future x

Hi @Jlp1996 ! So glad to hear you’re doing better!!!!! 😊
it can be a bit rough after surgery but sounds like you’re on the mend now!
im so pleased you’re doing better! X

@TheJoyousExpert thankyou it was but doing a lot better now hopefully it continues 🤞🏼 thanks so much x

So glad to see you’re doing better.

hopefully you can have a great holiday away with your children.

@MikeRafone I really hope so, not long to go now 🥰 thanks again xx