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...

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How to deal with the exhaustion

lillyblossom
lillyblossom

I am a 22 year old female and I was diagnosed with Graves' disease on march 2016. It's been a roller coaster. From barely being able to walk because of joint pains, to anxiety attacks, to bad mood swings. All of this while holding my 40+ full time job. This has been challenging, specially when it comes to dealing with customers and managing my department while suffering so much. But I am a hard worker and I've somehow managed to keep it together and not letting it affect my work too much. 


The problem I'm facing now, is the exhaustion. I've been constantly tired through all of this. But now it has become an exhaustion. Which in turn affects my mood. I am so exhausted ALL the time. And unless I drink about 3 cups of coffee I barely make it through the day. I'm usually a pretty optimistic person, but I'm not sure how I'm going to keep working without depending so much on coffee. Which I don't want to do. How do you guys deal with the exhaustion?


mmztcass
mmztcass
Hi:

It sounds like hypO or over medicated symptoms to me. You may want to know where you are at with the thyroid levels of the Free T3 and Free T4 are doing especially. I am assuming you on such meds as an ATD (antithyroid drug) and a beta blocker? How much and how often? How often are labs being done?

Most people do better with their Free Ts at the mid to the upper third ranges. If any ATD is being taken, usually doses are very low by now under 5 mg (or under 50 mg for the PTU) and less per day.

Hopefully your doctor is not dosing the meds to the TSH levels when it is the Free Ts that needs to be looked at and dosing the meds to.

Post the last few labs along with lab reference ranges if you are wanting to know how to interpret them.

{{{hugs}}}
lillyblossom
lillyblossom
I'm taking methimazole 5mg every morning. I actually just switched doctors because I developed Graves eyes disease and my old doctor kept saying my eyes and graves were not related... I went to the eye doctor and as soon as she saw my eyes she knew what it was.
So I just went to my new doctor on Friday and she ran some new tests to see where my numbers are and to go from there. As soon as I get those I will post them as well.
Hugs!
ellieg
ellieg
Hi I was diagnosed in June and it has also been a rollercoaster. My thyroid levels (T3 and T4) went low, and was a completely different feeling to the fatigue accompanied with high hormnes (eg palpitations, shakes, skitty). I think you should ask your doctor to get your levels checked more regularly, as they can change a lot in the first few months, I have read. Three months in and my levels are just stabilising. I still have palpitations, which is my biggest concern now. Hope this helps!
josieafib
josieafib
what are you taking for the Graves. I take methamozole twice a day and I have had Graves for about 25 years. Its awful. I have the same problem plus I get afib frequently.. do you
josieafib
josieafib
Does anyone get afib a lot because of the Graves? I am so tired of having this and being tired and feeling nervous all the time. I think it is a lifelong problem and that's it. We can have the thyrod killed but you can go into thyroid storm while trying to kill it and it is very dangerous
lillyblossom
lillyblossom
It depends where my numbers are. I was getting them constantly to the point you could see my pulse on my neck. They stopped but now I'm starting to have the heart palpitations again.
I'm considering having surgery at this point, and hopefully that will help to have my numbers more stable. Because I can not imagine having to go through this roller coaster again.
mmztcass
mmztcass
I can say one thing, if we don't learn how to try to stay as balanced as possible with thyroid levels one way such as using the ATD (antithyroid drug) we will continue with difficulties with not being balanced with using replacement meds.

I have read that many doctors out there like to under medicate their patients once the patients have gone through surgery or RAI. So with moderating at another thyroid board, we get these poor people coming to us for help after they have had the surgery or RAI because they're suffering from being under medicated with their doctors keeping them hypO.

I've learned to read my lab results after so many years (13+ years) and work on keep my ATD amount just at the right amount taken to keep my FT3 and FT4 levels where I need them to be. I do the best I can and also watch my diet as well because this will also have an effect on my thyroid levels.

{{{hugs}}}