# response time to medication and natural remedies



## star_gazer (Oct 12, 2013)

Hi, I'm new here. I was just diagnosed with Graves' Disease a little over a week ago, though I think I've had it for awhile.

I'm wondering how long it takes before the thyroid medication begins to work? My heart is still racing, and I hate taking the beta blockers. They lower my heart rate, but I feel worse on them, shaky. I don't want to take them anymore.

Also, has anyone tried any natural remedies or supplements? Like ThyroSoothe?


----------



## HotGrandma (Sep 21, 2012)

Stargazer do you have any labs with ranges you could post. Everyones case is different but the average on ATD's (anti thyroid drugs) is 3 months to bring your levels into range then maintenance total 18 months before successful remission. Its important to get your labs done every 4 weeks never longer. Also its beneficial to put them into a chart or spread sheet to track your progress. Some of get flushed into hypo hell so its important to get the labs. Many graves patients are deficient in so many vitamins and nutrients and you have to take it slow to not upset the body any further. Some of what you may think and read may not be right for you. My heart rate was uncontrolled for 22 months its finally where I can hike without feeling like I was gonna die. Graves isn't like the flu you have to be patient cause its a long ride.


----------



## star_gazer (Oct 12, 2013)

Hi, Hotgrandma. Thanks for your response. My lab results:

FREE T4	3.9
T3FREE	13.5
ANTITHYROGLOBULIN AB	<20
TPO	24
TSH HIGH SENSITIVITY	<0.019

I don't know what the numbers mean. I just know my doctor prescribed me 10 mg of Methimazole twice a day and Metoprolol 50 mg twice a day. But I told my doctor that the lopressor was making sick, more jittery and shaky and my heart pounding. They have prescribed inderol (sp?) which I have yet to pick up. I took passion flower, motherwort, and lemon balm this afternoon and it did bring my heart rate down. And I just started juicing.

I know have to be patient. Any experience related is greatly appreciated.


----------



## HotGrandma (Sep 21, 2012)

Can you also post the ranges for your labs. Like you I started taking a bunch of stuff at the same time. I soon realized that now I had other symptoms like me feet and ankles swelled for no reason. It was because I was deficient and my body rejected things. Geaves makes your body fragil and the antibodies are in control. It would be best to see a Naturalpath to help you design a regiment for natural healing. What may have worked for others may make you worse. If you post your labs with ranges we can help you understand what they mean. Have you had TSI or TRab tested? How often are you having labs drawn?


----------



## star_gazer (Oct 12, 2013)

Yeah, I think I've already done that. I know I'm being impatient. Natural doctors are expensive, and health insurance doesn't cover it, so I was thinking google would be enough. I am slowing down though and have asked my friend who is an herbalist for some help. My endo doctor didn't inform me about anything, though I should have asked questions.

I don't see these tests: TSI or TRab in my lab results. I'm getting retested in about two and half weeks. I don't know how often I should have these tests.

My lab results in full (my results are in the third column):

TSH, ULTRASENSITIVE
TSH HIGH SENSITIVITY	0.350 - 5.500 uIU/mL	<0.019

FREE T4	0.8 - 1.7 ng/dL	3.9

T3FREE	2.3 - 4.2 pg/mL	13.5

THYROID ANTIBODIES PANEL

ANTITHYROGLOBULIN AB	<40 IU/mL	<20
TPO	<35 IU/mL	24

CBC W/ AUTO DIFFERENTIAL
Component Results
Component	Standard Range	Your Value
WBC	4.0 - 10.0 K/uL	6.7
RBC	3.80 - 5.10 Millions/uL	4.61
HEMOGLOBIN	11.0 - 15.5 g/dL	12.6
HEMATOCRIT	33.0 - 46.5 %	37.8
MCV	80 - 100 fL	82.1
MCH	26.0 - 34.0 pg	27.4
MCHC	30.0 - 36.0 g/dL	33.4
RDW	12.0 - 16.0 %	13.8
PLATELETS	150 - 450 K/uL	317
MPV	7.0 - 11.0 fL	7.2
DIFF TYPE Automated Differential
NEUTROPHILS RELATIVE 51
LYMPHOCYTES RELATIVE 40
MONOCYTES RELATIVE 7
EOSINOPHILS RELATIVE 2
BASOPHILS RELATIVE 0
NEUTROPHILS ABSOLUTE	1.7 - 6.4 K/uL	3.5
LYMPHOCYTES ABSOLUTE	1.0 - 3.5 K/uL	2.7
MONOCYTE ABSOLUTE	0.1 - 0.8 K/uL	0.4
EOSINOPHILS ABSOLUTE	0.0 - 0.4 K/uL	0.1
BASOPHILS ABSOLUTE	0.0 - 0.2 K/uL	0.0
NRBC	<1 /100 WBC	0.0


----------



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

stargazer11 said:


> Yeah, I think I've already done that. I know I'm being impatient. Natural doctors are expensive, and health insurance doesn't cover it, so I was thinking google would be enough. I am slowing down though and have asked my friend who is an herbalist for some help. My endo doctor didn't inform me about anything, though I should have asked questions.
> 
> I don't see these tests: TSI or TRab in my lab results. I'm getting retested in about two and half weeks. I don't know how often I should have these tests.
> 
> ...


Firstly, thank you for posting the results with the ranges. Different labs use different ranges.

And secondly..........................



You are hyper; no question of that.

May I suggest an RAIU (radioactive uptake scan) if you have not had one and these 2 tests?

Trab
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17684583

TSI
Normally, there is no TSI in the blood. If TSI is found in the blood, this indicates that the thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin is the cause of the of a person's hyperthyroidism.
http://labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/thyroid-antibodies/tab/test

It is rare; very rare for someone who is hyper to go into permanent remission. And since this could be and often is a life-threatening autoimmune disease, I would like to urge you to stay within the parameters of accepted medical protocol.

Thyroid Storm Symptoms
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001437


----------



## StormFinch (Nov 16, 2012)

Welcome stargazer. 

The TSI or TrAB should be run once now and again in 18 months if you have those antibodies, and I'm guessing you probably will. The reason for having it done in 18 months is that that's how long you need to be on the antithyroid drugs for any chance of remission, and antibodies need to be down before stopping the drug completely. The Free T3, Free T4 and TSH are the ones that should be done every 4 weeks as HotGrandma mentioned. Once your Free T4 is down under the top of the range your MMI can be reduced.

Definitely give the Inderal a shot. Quite a few people here have used it to good effect, and you really need to be sure that your heart rate is under control until your antithyroid has a chance to work. There are also several other beta blockers available if you have problems with the Inderal, and typically the side effects subside once you've been on them for awhile.


----------



## kristiemarie (Oct 7, 2013)

Once your T4 goes down, it still takes time for your T3 to go down. T3 is basically the byproduct of T4 so it lags behind and T3 is the hormone that's making you feel all the symptoms.

I used Inderal and it didn't work as well as atenolol for me.


----------



## star_gazer (Oct 12, 2013)

Andros & StormFinch: Thank you, I appreciate your input and welcome. I've been emotional about this whole thing, the why-me thing, but I will follow my doctor's advice. I didn't at first. But I've made an appointment with an ND. I'm going to ask me endo if he will work with my ND for traditional and holistic care. I'm already going gluten free.

KristieMarie: Thank you! Knowing why it takes a while is comforting. Are you on Lopressor? That stuff made me feel worse.

Thank you so much, Everyone.


----------



## J.S. (Nov 3, 2013)

Hi, Everyone.

Just happened to be surfing and figured I'd check in on anyone dealing with Graves' Disease lately. I've thought about putting my healing story up on the internet somewhere (just so others can see what worked for someone else and get ideas) but I haven't as of yet so here it goes. Hope you find what works for you...I'm not a doctor or nutritionist but I like knowing about my body, especially when something goes wrong.

The Shortest Version I'm capable of:

-Started feeling weird late 2006, went to Dr., tested thyroid b/c my mom had problems at my age. 
-TSH levels confirmed hyper, radioactive-iodine uptake confirmed Graves'. 
-Endo recommended some med (I forget what) to "calm thyroid down" and I'd have to take for 1 1/2 to 2 years to see if it worked and if not get my thyroid removed or zapped, then be on hormones for life.

What I did:

-I said thank you, took nothing and started looking up things about the role of the thyroid and the endocrine system (all the while feeling SUPER ****ty...like I was hungover constantly)

What I "discovered":

-Learned the glands of the endocrine system were in a line like those "things" I had learned about in that yoga class I had taken for a year, 5 years earlier. 
-Researched those "things" and found they were called chakras. 
-Felt a bit outta my element with that idea so decided to track down that yoga teacher (found out she had moved back to England but got her email and wrote to her about what was happening to me).

What She said:

-Don't panic. 
-Trust yourself.

BEST ADVICE EVER!

-She also recommended the book "The Thyroid Solution."

What I did next:

-I read a lot. The book that helped me the most was "Living Well with Graves' Disease and Hyperthyroidism"

http://www.amazon.com/Living-Well-Graves-Disease-Hyperthyroidism/dp/0060730196

Why it helped:

-I resonated with a small bit of info I found in it - Iron, Copper and Zinc work together in the body. A theory presented was that too much of one can deplete the others. Further, supposedly, too little copper could contribute to hyperthyroidism. 
- DING, DING!! I had been taking Zinc pills (prior to diagnoses). Once diagnosed I also was told I was anemic (low iron) - WHOA! Too much Zinc may have contributed to my low copper (Graves') and low iron (anemia).

What I did once this all started clicking:

-I decided I wanted my approach to be least invasive to most invasive. 
-I decided I wanted to be open-minded and maybe try stuff that I thought was weird and a bit "wacko" but supposedly might help (like Reiki). 
-DID NOT want to take any more pills for minerals and decided to research foods and nutritional info more thoroughly. 
-Made a plan.

Here's what I did:

-Looked up foods low in zinc but high in copper and iron. (I used Nutrition Data Nutrient Search Tool)

http://nutritiondata.self.com/tools/nutrient-search

-I increased those foods in my diet and really reduced anything with zinc (lots of foods and cough drops add zinc) 
-I stopped consuming alcohol and sweets (mainly because I felt SUPER crappy if I had alcohol or anything with too much sugar) 
-But I missed beer so researched beer. BASS ALE is brewed in copper - COOL. That's one of my favs. When I really wanted a beer I only had one and only Bass. 
-I bought cast iron skillet and cooked in that. 
-Buckwheat groats became my breakfast grain 
-I tried Reiki and had a GREAT experience with it. Just went the one time for the Graves' but have seen the same person about 3 more times since for other things. (I called around before just going to someone. Made sure I liked their vibe). 
-I incorporated mediation, visualization (of my thyroid healing) as well as this cool breathing exercise where you put your chin to your chest and inhale quickly and deeply and, if done properly, it feels as though you are breathing through your throat. Repeat 4 times. [I had a phenomenal experience with this...the lump I felt in my throat (that doctors could not feel) went away during this exercise]. 
-I started craving cruciferous vegetables only to discover later that they help calm the thyroid down!

http://thyroid.about.com/od/symptomsrisks/a/All-About-Goitrogens-thyroid.htm

-I read about chakras and did stuff for the throat chakra

http://chakraenergy.com/

The BIG THING I did:

-Of all the things I did I personally think that one has helped my thyroid the most. In reading about the throat chakra, somewhere it was recommended that a person with a blocked throat chakra may have something to say. The info I read mentioned healing methods such as singing or reading poetry or talk therapy. While a lot of that sounded good I knew talk therapy was likely the best option and I might as well give it a try.

-I used the Psychology Today website to find someone in my area that I liked.

End Result so far:

-Within a few months of making these changes in my life my thyroid calmed down. I NEVER TOOK MEDICATION. 
-I have still been in therapy on and off over the past 7 years. A lot of things have come up. There have been a lot of things I've never talked about with others and I personally think that my body turned to Graves' to help me get to therapy. I am currently dealing with some big issues which are difficult but I know 100% that this is what I'm supposed to be doing. 
-I never went to the Endo again after that first visit but my regular doctor as well as my GYN continue to monitor my thyroid levels regularly. I'm no longer anemic but close so I have to watch my iron. My doctors know everything I've done and I'm very fortunate to have their support in what I do. They also know of my therapy. Including my doctors on this step was a great choice for me because they know a lot of my physical aliments come from what I am working through emotionally. (I take no meds at all...not that I don't think they work for some, but I knew that wasn't what I needed at this time. It has been a very good choice for me).

Oh yeah, one more thing that is kinda weird but I REALLY think it helped:

-One day, early on, I felt really sucky and super tired. For me, no matter how long I slept I felt tired and as if I was hungover. I had the thought that it felt as if my blood was poisoned. I decided I wanted to donate blood. Now...please understand...I am NOT a blood/needle fan at all. But I felt so bad and I just wanted the "bad blood" out. 
-Even though this was just my theory, I didn't want to make anyone sick by donating Graves' blood. I researched the requirements...here's a good place to start:

http://www.redcrossblood.org/donating-blood/eligibility-requirements

-Somewhere I found that if I had the meds in my system I couldn't donate. But that was cool...I didn't take any. 
-But I felt like crap..so I waited until I felt a bit better. 
-But my iron was low....that's okay...they don't take it if your low. They send you home with a list of foods to eat to increase your iron. I ate those like mad and was good to go. 
-Donated blood a few times fairly regularly. (maybe 5-7 times since 2007).

----------------------- 
Interesting side note:

During all my research I read about how one's eyes can bug out due to the pressure. To me, my eyes felt strange and one even seemed a bit more "open" than usual. I included my optometrist on what was going on and he measured my eye pressure for me. It fell within the normal range (but at the high end). Thing is...he's tested my eye pressure several times since that bout of Graves' and my eye pressure (while still within the normal range) has never been as high as during that first visit.

-----------------

DON'T PANIC.

TRUST YOURSELF.

FEEL BETTER.

With Love,

J.S.


----------

