# Graves and Gastric Bypass: Recent Diagnosis



## Dandice (Oct 6, 2011)

Anyone else suffer from Graves and also have any form of Weight Loss Surgery?

I had Gastric Bypass in December of this last year. The first three months where rough, which is "normal"... I was fatigued, my hair started to fall out, I had massive mood swings. My weight loss was super rapid...even more so than it was supposed to be. Over the next several months when this process was supposed to slow it only began speeding up. My vitamin levels were perfect, even high (which is what causes the WLS hair fallout) but my hair kept coming out. My heart started skipping beats and I got the shakes something terrible. I was losing weight at an extremely rapid clip. Everyone just thought I was a poster child for Gastric Bypass, having gone from a size 28 to a size 12 in 6 months. Then I went from a size 12 to a size 8 in another month.

Meanwhile I went to a psych for my mood swings and was diagnosed bipolar (I work in mental health and this did not sit well with me) and put on meds that DID NOT work. I felt like a pencil about to snap all of the time. I had no patience what so ever, and I am usually the most patient person alive (I work with MHMR patients for crying outloud). After I trip to the hospital I found out that my ketone levels were that of someone in starvation and that I was severely hyperthyroid, and a trip to the endo got me a graves diagnosis, took me immediately off the bipolar meds and got that called a misdiagnosis. They said that this is common? Is that true?

I am currently trying to figure out which treatment option is best for me, however my biggest problem is keeping weight on, because the combo of hyperthyroid and WLS means that I just keep dropping. I have gone from a 28 to a 6 almost a 4 since December, though we don't quite know when the Graves developed. Is anyone else suffering from Graves and also a WLS patient? any tips on keeping weight up?

I am so glad I found these boards. I have been feeling like a crazy person these last few months! And my poor poor husband. Oy.


----------



## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

Dandice, I am sorry you've had such a rough go of it for the past several months. That is some scary weight loss, even if it was something you wanted (just not that fast)!

I'll leave it to the Graves experts to reply to your questions, and I know we have at least one new member here who is on the weight loss surgery path, so hopefully you'll get some insights. But I did want to take a moment and welcome you to the forum!

Octavia


----------



## webster2 (May 19, 2011)

Dandice,
Welcome, I am so sorry to hear about your journey that brought you here. I have not had WLS but am fairly new to Graves myself. I can see where bipolar might come into play. I thought I was bipolar with such awful mood swings, and found no relief anywhere. It was an awful feeling to be so out of control at the drop of a hat. My husband was wonderful during those times. I am surprised he's still here.

What options have you been given? I was on ATD's for awhile and found there was no change in the mood swings, shaking, or just feeling on edge all of the time. It did help the palpitations.

Welcome, and I hope you will find someone here with the WLS too. Best wishes...


----------



## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

How sad is it that psychiatrists are not trained/educated/expected to rule out thyroid issues prior to diagnosing bipolar disorder and prescribing brain-altering drugs? I'm no medical statistician, but it seems that thyroid issues are far more common than bipolar disorder. How frustrating!


----------



## webster2 (May 19, 2011)

Ah, saw my counselor on Tuesday. Told her maybe the reason we couldn't get to the bottom of my revved up feeling out of control self was thyroid troubles. She said she never thought of that. I am glad I am not bipolar nor crazy as I had once considered~ Well, maybe not clinically.....


----------



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Dandice said:


> Anyone else suffer from Graves and also have any form of Weight Loss Surgery?
> 
> I had Gastric Bypass in December of this last year. The first three months where rough, which is "normal"... I was fatigued, my hair started to fall out, I had massive mood swings. My weight loss was super rapid...even more so than it was supposed to be. Over the next several months when this process was supposed to slow it only began speeding up. My vitamin levels were perfect, even high (which is what causes the WLS hair fallout) but my hair kept coming out. My heart started skipping beats and I got the shakes something terrible. I was losing weight at an extremely rapid clip. Everyone just thought I was a poster child for Gastric Bypass, having gone from a size 28 to a size 12 in 6 months. Then I went from a size 12 to a size 8 in another month.
> 
> ...


What a story. Many of us have gained weight while hyper/Graves' so it is a shame all this has transpired.

Are you now on medication for the hyperthyroid? Anti-thyroid meds and beta-blocker?

What about your skin; having lost weight that rapidy, is it responding or not?

We are here for you; if nothing else we can offer a lot of love and support!

What antibodies' tests has your doctor run? Have you had RAIU (radioactive uptake scan?)


----------



## Dandice (Oct 6, 2011)

Andros said:


> What a story. Many of us have gained weight while hyper/Graves' so it is a shame all this has transpired.
> 
> Are you now on medication for the hyperthyroid? Anti-thyroid meds and beta-blocker?
> 
> ...


Thanks for the welcome!!

I have had a RAIU and then I had a FNAB due to the fact that I had two spots on my film and I have a past history of cancer, but they turned out to be nothing. I dont have the numbers on me but they were pretty off the charts I guess.

In regards to skin, its pretty bad. And over the last month and a half I have been on dr. ordered work out restriction (I was sort of a gym rat the six months before) so I that isn't helping me feel any better about it. I am all bone in some places (clavicle, hip bones, rib cage) and all extra hanging skin that pools in others (stomach, tops of thighs) which makes for an interesting body. I have seen a plastic surgeon already but my number one priority is getting my graves under control (though at this point the skin isn't just aesthetic and causes me discomfort and pain.)


----------



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Dandice said:


> Thanks for the welcome!!
> 
> I have had a RAIU and then I had a FNAB due to the fact that I had two spots on my film and I have a past history of cancer, but they turned out to be nothing. I dont have the numbers on me but they were pretty off the charts I guess.
> 
> In regards to skin, its pretty bad. And over the last month and a half I have been on dr. ordered work out restriction (I was sort of a gym rat the six months before) so I that isn't helping me feel any better about it. I am all bone in some places (clavicle, hip bones, rib cage) and all extra hanging skin that pools in others (stomach, tops of thighs) which makes for an interesting body. I have seen a plastic surgeon already but my number one priority is getting my graves under control (though at this point the skin isn't just aesthetic and causes me discomfort and pain.)


That is what I was worried about. My brother and some close friends had gastric bypass.

At first, when I had Graves', I gained and gained and nothing I did would cause me to lose weight. Then when it came on full force, I started losing weight w/increased appetite.

Your best bet is to have it out, I am thinking.

You really have been through the gamut with medical challenges. Just know that you are in a safe and nurturing place here.

We will all rally 'round; you can count on it.


----------

