# New and Scared



## kimmy (Mar 24, 2011)

Hello all I have just been diagnosed with Graves Dx this week and and completely terrified. Funny though, I guess this explains some the strange things that have been going on with me.

For the last month I have had a headache, weak arms and legs, change in bowel habits and for the last year I have had trouble spelling, and using the correct words sometimes. This past Saturday I woke up feeling very flushed and my heart was racing, I had my husband take me to the ER where my heart was beating at 200 bpm. They ran and EKG and then told me they were going to give me medicine that would stop my heart but not to worry it would restart on it's own and if not they were there to help me. That just got me worked up even more and increase by rate higher. They did that to me times and then said my heart rate was high but a normal sinus rate and it must be a panic attack and gave me Adavan(not sure it that is how you spell it). They then sent me to have a CT with Iodine to check for pulmonary blockages. Then blood work drawn and a consult with and Endo doc.

I was sent home and put on beta blockers 3 times daily and saw the endo doc on monday. Had an ultrasound of my thyroid and blood drawn and a T4 drawn with came back at 3.9. The doc stated it was Graves Dx, he placed me on 20 mg of Meth. daily and a follow up in two months. I am so worried about all the side affects and afraid my eyes will become involved. Any advise will due.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

kimmy said:


> Hello all I have just been diagnosed with Graves Dx this week and and completely terrified. Funny though, I guess this explains some the strange things that have been going on with me.
> 
> For the last month I have had a headache, weak arms and legs, change in bowel habits and for the last year I have had trouble spelling, and using the correct words sometimes. This past Saturday I woke up feeling very flushed and my heart was racing, I had my husband take me to the ER where my heart was beating at 200 bpm. They ran and EKG and then told me they were going to give me medicine that would stop my heart but not to worry it would restart on it's own and if not they were there to help me. That just got me worked up even more and increase by rate higher. They did that to me times and then said my heart rate was high but a normal sinus rate and it must be a panic attack and gave me Adavan(not sure it that is how you spell it). They then sent me to have a CT with Iodine to check for pulmonary blockages. Then blood work drawn and a consult with and Endo doc.
> 
> I was sent home and put on beta blockers 3 times daily and saw the endo doc on monday. Had an ultrasound of my thyroid and blood drawn and a T4 drawn with came back at 3.9. The doc stated it was Graves Dx, he placed me on 20 mg of Meth. daily and a follow up in two months. I am so worried about all the side affects and afraid my eyes will become involved. Any advise will due.


Gosh, Kimmy! I am so sorry to hear this! Have you started he beta blockers and the Methimazole? Do you feel a bit better now?

Did the doctor outline a plan for you here? A goal?

You may wish to start a folder with all your lab results and ranges and for future reference, we do need the ranges because different labs use different ranges.

It would be a very very good idea for you to hook up with a board certified ophthalmologist NOW! This is to establish a "baseline" and also to get essential early intervention if need be.

Many things can trigger the GED (Graves' Eye Disease.)
http://www.caleyes.com/webdocuments/...ease_paper.pdf

We are here for you and welcome!


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## katbid23 (Oct 20, 2010)

Hello,
Absolutly correct about getting into the ophthalmologist. I did that as soon as I was dx with Graves. So far so good with my eyes. Well I have worn glasses since I was 5. But so far I have no muscle damage due to Graves. The ophthalmologist said that Graves could affect your eyes up to 5 years after dx. So stay on top of that. What did the US show? Do you have nodules or goiter? Don't get too worked up, just take it one day and one test at a time. Graves is a little harder to treat than Hashimoto, but it is treatable. Take care


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## Steal_My_Skin (Mar 18, 2011)

Kimmy! The symptoms you name were going on with me, too! I thought i was going nuts with not being able to find my words! And the weakness, ugh! And the headaches!

I'm still early into the treatment game, so I'm sorry to say I have little advice to give and no answers to your questions. just hang in there. Hopefully you'll feel better as the meds kick in.


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## Chase (Dec 10, 2010)

Kimmy,

Just keep in mind you're not alone in that. I, too, ended up in the ER with tachycardia (where your heart is beating way too fast). All the stuff associated with Graves' can be very frightening, but almost everything is treatable in one way or another.

I am on a beta blocker, myself, to keep my heart rate in check, and I am also on methimazole to smack down my thyroid until they can remove it in May (removing it was my choice of treatment but is not necessarily how YOU will treat it).

Your biggest ally will be to read up on Graves' so you know what it is. As G.I. Joe once said, "Knowing is half the battle!" Knowing all there is to know about Graves' takes the scary out of it so you can cope with the crappy that becomes day-to-day.

I will tell you this for sure - once the methimazole kicks in, you're going to start feeling a lot better. It took about three weeks for my tremors to go away, and it brought some of the other things under more control, too, like the anxiety. Remember that there are some things about this that are out of your control until the thyroid is brought under control. To this day, I still get anxiety attacks, although they are less frequent. In May, I will take another step that will relieve even more symptoms. This is a slow-moving process, so try to be patient and don't get discouraged. Everyone here has gone through or is going through what you are right at this very moment. So use our ears to help you through this!


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## mommyjewel (Aug 14, 2010)

kimmy said:


> Hello all I have just been diagnosed with Graves Dx this week and and completely terrified. Funny though, I guess this explains some the strange things that have been going on with me.
> 
> For the last month I have had a headache, weak arms and legs, change in bowel habits and for the last year I have had trouble spelling, and using the correct words sometimes. This past Saturday I woke up feeling very flushed and my heart was racing, I had my husband take me to the ER where my heart was beating at 200 bpm. They ran and EKG and then told me they were going to give me medicine that would stop my heart but not to worry it would restart on it's own and if not they were there to help me. That just got me worked up even more and increase by rate higher. They did that to me times and then said my heart rate was high but a normal sinus rate and it must be a panic attack and gave me Adavan(not sure it that is how you spell it). They then sent me to have a CT with Iodine to check for pulmonary blockages. Then blood work drawn and a consult with and Endo doc.
> 
> I was sent home and put on beta blockers 3 times daily and saw the endo doc on monday. Had an ultrasound of my thyroid and blood drawn and a T4 drawn with came back at 3.9. The doc stated it was Graves Dx, he placed me on 20 mg of Meth. daily and a follow up in two months. I am so worried about all the side affects and afraid my eyes will become involved. Any advise will due.


It sounds like they treated you for PSVT in the hospital (basically a abnormal rapid heart rate) and gave you adenosine (adenocard) this can stop your heart beat for about 3-5 seconds and then it restarts at a hopefully normal rate.

The beta blockers will help to keep your heart rate under control. I was on atenolol. I was on meth and then PTU because I developed an allergic reaction to the meth and eventually an allergic reaction to the PTU. I ended up having my thyroid removed and for me that was the best decision.

My eyes became affected due to the graves disease. I am under the care of the best ophthalmologist in our area and I believe that this is another hurdle that I will over come. If he suggest surgery this next visit I will take it.

Now that my symptoms are managed I feel so much better than I have in a long time. I still have my good days and bad days but I have learned to give myself a break and allow myself the healing time.

My advice would be to become your own advocate. I know that is hard to do when you feel like crap but if your not feeling well or feel that something is not right talk with your doctor and if you feel that your doctor is not listening to your concerns find one that will. I was lucky to get into one of the best endo offices around and they have taken great care of me, and I am starting to take better care of myself.


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