# Who all is unable to work? Doc is taking me off



## Lauruffian (Jul 31, 2013)

I've been getting progressively worse the last few weeks. While my numbers are more okay (at least they were a month ago), I'm getting more and more headaches and severe joint/body aches. Today I am terribly depleted and fuzzy headed. I called my doc (GP--I need to see my endo too, and see a rheumatologist this week) and shes going to take me off work for a while. I don't know how long that will be, but I feel so awful, I don't care. I just want to feel better.

Who all here is, or has been in the past, unable to work until the thyroid was stabilized? How long were you off?


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## jackpot13 (Jul 10, 2011)

Sorry your feeling so bad. I have had headaches on and off for two years. In fact I have had headaches for about 3 weeks straight now. I know how you feel. Muscle aches mostly in my neck and shoulders right now. My head gets fuzzy to. Almost like fainting but not quite. it's just weird. I have a lot of symptoms that can change daily. I have hashimoto's also and a large goiter. I have not felt like myself for 3 years now. Sometimes I feel like I want to take time off work too. I go between hypo and hyper. I am finally ready to call it quits and I have an appointment with a surgeon on Oct 14. I hope he says he will do it and soon! I want this thing out! I hope you get yourself straightened out soon. Theres a lot of people here that can answer your questions and give you good advise. :hugs:Hang in there.


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## Ginav (Jun 7, 2013)

hi - I was diagnosed with Graves in 2005 and was able to live my life for many years, but about three weeks ago I started to have terrible headaches and nausea with some vomiting, that no one could figure out what was wrong with me. I saw four doctors and not one of them thought that how I was feeling had anything to do with the thyroid - can you believe that? I have surgery scheduled on 11/1 and told my doctor to put me on a leave of absence until I can get things sorted out. I have to be in a good mood, cheery and positive for my work and that was not happening. Plus, this disease is serious and I think rest is best! I was concerned if I didn't take time off I may not be stable for the surgery.

I'm glad your doctor was the one to tell you to do it! Take care of yourself and allow yourself to heal!


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## JenneyCat (Aug 11, 2013)

I just went on sick leave yesterday, so I can't tell you how long yet  I went on leave because right now my treatment is on hold until a sleep study on Oct 21st (suspected sleep apnea, which btw can be caused by hypothyroidism I have just learnt from the sleep doctor). My endo is rightly wanting to see those results first without being too aggressive with medication, so I've been on 50mcg levo for 12 weeks now. In the meantime, I feel like crap and cannot meet the demands of my high pressure job.

Thankfully my GP is wonderful and said he'd agree to as much time off as I need. I tried for 3 months to work while going through all this and it just wasn't happening anymore.

The positive thing that you and I can get is now we have been allowed to focus on our recovery. I wanted to work because I hate the idea of sitting around without distraction or structure, but this is what I need.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

jackpot13 said:


> Sorry your feeling so bad. I have had headaches on and off for two years. In fact I have had headaches for about 3 weeks straight now. I know how you feel. Muscle aches mostly in my neck and shoulders right now. My head gets fuzzy to. Almost like fainting but not quite. it's just weird. I have a lot of symptoms that can change daily. I have hashimoto's also and a large goiter. I have not felt like myself for 3 years now. Sometimes I feel like I want to take time off work too. I go between hypo and hyper. I am finally ready to call it quits and I have an appointment with a surgeon on Oct 14. I hope he says he will do it and soon! I want this thing out! I hope you get yourself straightened out soon. Theres a lot of people here that can answer your questions and give you good advise. :hugs:Hang in there.


Consider low ferritin as a cause of those headaches.

Ferritin (should be 50 to 100; the closer to 100,the better) 
http://www.thewayup.com/newsletters/081504.htm


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Lauruffian said:


> I've been getting progressively worse the last few weeks. While my numbers are more okay (at least they were a month ago), I'm getting more and more headaches and severe joint/body aches. Today I am terribly depleted and fuzzy headed. I called my doc (GP--I need to see my endo too, and see a rheumatologist this week) and shes going to take me off work for a while. I don't know how long that will be, but I feel so awful, I don't care. I just want to feel better.
> 
> Who all here is, or has been in the past, unable to work until the thyroid was stabilized? How long were you off?


What is your ferritin level?

Ferritin (should be 50 to 100; the closer to 100,the better) 
http://www.thewayup.com/newsletters/081504.htm


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## Lauruffian (Jul 31, 2013)

My ferritin levels have not been checked. I have my doubts it's low, but it's something else to mention to the GP when I see her Monday.

I've fairly certain I have another yet-undiagnosed autoimmune condition going on. Sjogren's sounds pretty possible, but unfortunately, so does lupus. They also want to screen me for fibromyalgia; I assume that's something the rheumatologist will do when I see her Wednesday.

I had a suuuuper-tended lump/nodule thingy show up on the top of my head yesterday, which may be related too (related to what, I'm not sure). It felt like I had a cut, but there was no broken skin--just a pea-sized lump. Today the lump is still there, but smaller. The tenderness remains.

I'm a middle school teacher, so it's pretty demanding physically. I'm on my feet all day and have to keep a bunch of 11yros from going feral. I love them and love what I do, but right now, I've hit a wall. I think the abuse my immune system takes on a regular basis from the exposure to all of their germs, on top of the stress, isn't helping, especially since Hashimoto's is *auto*immune. My endo said my thyroid is already pretty sensitive to my immune system.

We'll see.


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## Swimmer (Sep 12, 2013)

Hoping for some really good and refreshing rest for you both. I'm curious if you consume gluten, dairy, lutein and beta carotene? I am not on meds yet (likely will be soon if this bump & my numbers don't normalize) in the meantime, I've been MEGA researching to see, is there anything I can do to turn down the autoimmune reaction? (My answer after searching: I don't know! Ha!) But there are people who apparently have some really good responses after cutting out those things. But I'm like - I like carrots (I'm good with those), whole wheat pasta works great with me, I'm good with dairy... Yet... I guess I'm going to give this a go, we'll see how long I can do this, and if this bump will disappear or not  Does anyone know if the synthroid will make the bump go down? (swollen thyroid - no nodules)


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## sjmjuly (Mar 23, 2012)

I toughed it out and kept working even though I thought I was going to die most of the time. I did miss some days, but kept getting up and going in everyday.
I am stable now and have been for about a year. It's tough though, and it takes alot out of you.


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## jenny v (May 6, 2012)

I'm the same as sjmjuly, I've toughed it out for over 10 years now and didn't stop working. But don't get me wrong, some days I literally felt like I was dying (today is one of those days, actually!) because the symptoms were so bad. But, I'm a very, very stubborn person and I need the income and health insurance my job provides since I'm on my own. But the older I get, the harder is is to push through the symptoms, so I'm happy to be having my thyroid removed later this week.

I think it's different for everyone and no one should judge anyone else for the choices they make in fighting through this disease. We all try to get through it the best we can.


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