Graves' Disease Support Group
Graves-Basedow disease is a medical disorder that may manifest several different conditions including hyperthyroidism (over activity of thyroid hormone production), infiltrative exophthalmos (protruberance of one or both eyes and associated problems) and infiltrative dermopathy (a skin condition usually of the lower extremities). This disorder is the most common cause of...
there's so much happening in my life right now, all these decisions i need to make and so many choices that require my attention. i'm just getting overwhelmed and am finding it hard to stay calm and handle.
to make things worse, my TSH is below the min range 0.22 (0.35 - 4.94 RSA range) which makes me slightly hyper again. i had it tested cause i was feeling overly anxious, pounding heart, pressure behind my eyes with a terrible headache, nausea, abdominal distress and i actually cant recall anything else. this has been going on for like 4 months, if not almost 5 now. my normal bpm is actually quite low, like 50odd when normal is 60-75 for my age, so my pounding heart is very noticable. but my endo said my ft4 is fine, which it is.
i'm just freaking out, feeling really overwhelmed by everything around me and in my life and i just need it all to stop. i'm stuggling with an emotional issue regarding my weight and envy. in a nut shell, (this is shallow i know, i'm sorry) there's a person i know who depresses me and angers me all at the same time, cause she reminds me of who i want to be on the outside, and who i was. the thin pretty CONFIDENT person i used to be. the strong person i used to be. she angers me cause she has an eating disorder which is the reason why she's so thin (yes she is borderline underweight and she has bones sticking out etc, but its not that ugly yet) and she had a boob job and an hour glass body shape and she's just a pretty person in general. obviously i'm not looking at the shyt she has had to endure/put herself thru to get where she is. oh thats where i was going with the story, the family is concerned but no one can help her unless she wants to be helped. she's also a compulsive liar, which enfuriates me as well, cause that also reflects me... it just pisses me off that she's been babied when what she needs is tough love. i jsut dont know, i hate myself and what i've become, who i am am now and how i treat the one person i "love". i dont know what love is anymore... i've had my trust broken one too many times.
ugh, this post is so disjuncted... sorry. work is stressful cause of changes and i dont handle change too well. i used to, i used to be so adaptable and dynamic, since graves (2004) i've become a hermit. a mean horrible person. i dont even know what i'm trying to say. i am just so overwhelmed i want to cry. i want it all to stop, just stop so i can relax. but i spend my nights vegging in front of the tv, then drug myself up with sleeping pills and wake up multiple times around 4 hours after the pills. i sleep so badly and i think that also contributes to the anxiety. i'm almost sure of it. i also think the pills contribute. i've read stories of ppl who are on zolpidem and sut cry uncontrollably and dont know why. i was addicted for around 7 years, went on rivitrol (klonopin) for about 6 months (which worked wonderfully for the first 2 months and then stopped working) and now, back to zolpidem.
i must admit that NOT feeling anything when i was on rivitrol was amazing, i was fearless, i went for an interview for a promotion which i got, i was feeling strong like nothing could touch me. but then it stopped working and i was back to my usual paranoid android depressed self.
ugh, what am i going on about... let me just stop here, this is way too confusing... i just want to be happy and confident and feel.
i'm a mess
I am sorry you are having issues.
Since you have been diagnosed with Graves' Disease what are the TSI and the TRAb antibodies numbers?
If the thyroid antibodies are positive, the TSH cannot be used to as the numbers will be skewed. Instead knowing what one's thyroid levels of the Free T3 and the Free T4 are doing will help.
To be as symptoms free many people with Graves' Disease do better with the Free T4 at mid to the upper third lab reference range and the Free T3 at mid range.
{{{hugs}}}
my tsh level then was 1.25, categorized are euthyroid. i wasnt feeling like this. :(
you've been a great help, thank you for the info. i still wish the anxiety would go away tho, but
as my endo says, just breathe.
the tests he asks for are ft4 and ab receptors. due in nov, so will see how i'm doing then... still so far away. these past weeks have seemed like everyday is a blue monday. and the sad part is i really do have a lot to be thankful for, instead of being petty over ones looks. envy really is a monster.
but thats just the tip of the iceberg.
:) thanks for listening to me rant.
Yes, I understand those feelings. I would really make sure to get the Free T3 done because that one can be tied in to how one feels with the anxiety and panic attacks.
Are you on any thyroid meds? If so labs are needing to be done more often.
{{{hugs}}}