Thank you all, I feel so terribly low I am crying writing this feel as though my life is falling apart and can’t let anyone know how I’m feeling, though I know that they see it. One good thing I am not on my own.

Along with feeling down all the time, I am also feeling very paranoid and snappy. My partner has noticed how I have been and I am getting him down because of me. I feel bad.

I was a 49 year old recently divorced man when I noticed my usual manic lifestyle and impatience speeding up. I kept myself furiously busy and developed little games to squeeze even more out of myself, such as catching the train with seconds to spare, arranging too tight a work and leisure timetable and showering and shaving in under 3 minutes.All classic syptoms of hyper activity.

I lost weight alarmingly as my hyperthyroidism grew, undiagnosed during 3 visits to my GP over several months.
Eventually a friends wife, also a GP I met was kind enough to ask my what was wrong and guessed it might be a thyroid problem. My own GP reluctantly agreed to test me,(whilst assuring me I had a virus) but phoned me in a panic a few days later with the results showing a reading of 8 times usual, 9 against a normal range of 1.1 to 3.1.
I was then given 80 ml of steriods and 60mg of Cabimazole daily for 2 weeks and reduced from there.

Unfortunately, I contracted Thyroid Eye Disease, including acute double vision some months later, which I saw an eye specialist for.
He recommended immediate double eye surgery on both eyes muscles and sockets, which luckily I ignored, prefering to wait another 6 months, even with the risk of a detached retiner. Fortunately, the prospect of the operations and the beneficial effect of medication helped improve the visison and bulging and another 3 years saw me back to 85% of pre-condition eye sight.

I am conscious of going on a bit too long, so ought to summarise one or two other points I would like to pass on to you, fellow sufferer.
1. Trust your own instinct as well as your professional medical team
2.Dont have a thyroidectomy unless you really need it, Graves symptoms can occur after, which is not always appreciated.
3. Check your diet, I find I am now alergic to strange things I never had problems with before, such as lactose, lamb, any oil, beer, etc.
Furthermore, before and after my diagnoscis, my syptoms were more in tune with IBS, but now I realise it was Graves all along.
4. Dont over do it , when you feel a bit tired or stressed, stop!
5.Have regular heart check ups. My runaway thyroind storm lead to heart disease and a quintuple bypass last Christmas.
6. Be possitive. I felt depressed at the thought of having a chronic illness, but hey, I’m still having fun and feeling 90% most of the time.
Best wishes and good luck to you.
Mark Jeffries.
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Running from doctor to doctor for various tests I kept being told there was nothing wrong with me and that it was in my head. I had investigated my symptoms on the internet and was sure I was hyperthyroid but my blood results were just in the normal range although my TSH was only 0.5. I had a thyroid scan which showed I had a multi-nodular goiter but still the doctors wouldn’t listen going by my blood test results. I was continually shaking and the anxiety was a major issue. After 3 years my TSH finally hit 0.0 and the doctors decided to listen.

I was put on Carbimazole but after 3 weeks got hives and had to come off it. I was then put on PTU 5 weeks ago and 10mg beta blockers 2 x daily but I still feel faint, achy, dizzy and sick.

My blood tests are coming back now in the normal range but I feel so ill. Last week I had a severe dizzy spell whilst out shopping and colapsed. My husband took me to the hospital where I was monitored and they wanted to admit me but I didn’t want to stay. I had severe chills and muscle spasms and a rapid heart. Must have been some sort of storm because an ultrasound showed one of the nodules had haemorrhaged. My endocrinologist says I must have had a virus as a haemorrhage wouldn’t cause this although the radiologist disagrees.

How long does it take to feel normal again. I have had enough it’s now 3.5 years of ill health and not being able to work. I can’t drive now as I panic when I try which makes the symptoms worse. I hate being on my own as it scares me when the symptoms kick off badly and worrying about these things makes them kick of worse. This is just a viscious cycle and I’m sick of it. I was such a confident person before hyperthyroidism and I just want the old me back. Why don’t they just take my thyroid out or give me radiation to kill it then put me on thyroxine – anything has got to be better than this.

My first port of call wasn’t the doctor it was google. Lets google my ailments and see what disease I have. If I’m to believe google I have schizophrenia. Mmm. Then I came across Graves Disease. Armed with my print out, a list of my ailments and my hand held fan I stormed my doctors and demanded some help! I got transferred to an endocrine specialist who sent me for scans, blood tests and iodine scans.
I have been diagnosed with graves and I am currently on block and replace therapy.
40 mg of Carbimazole and 125mcg of Thyroxine.

I’m still a moody cow, I’ve put on 2 stone and have no energy to do anything. One minute I’m fine next minute I want to cry. I’m trying to stay positive but it’s becoming harder and harder every day to paint a smile on when I feel rubbish. I do feel like no one understands what I’m going through or how I feel.

Had recent blood test and it shows I am now hypothyroid so thyroxine has been increased. I’m still suffering insomnia, aches and pains, acne and hair loss. I have no eye symptoms. Recently I’ve been getting alot of colds, flu, bugs and infections so on a constant stream of penicillin. I fell like a pill pinata.

I’m on the block and replace til July 2012. Not sure what happens after that? Suppose you just stop taking them, cross your fingers and hope for the best.

I live in hope there is a light at the end of the tunnel. But when you feel crappy it’s so easy to cave in and spend days on the sofa eating chocolate whilst googling ways to lose weight.

It’s great to be able to read and share similar stories. I wouldn’t wish this on anyone but it’s nice to know I’m not the only one going through it and my symptoms and my madness is justified. My husband will be glad to know to it’s not me that wants to kill him it’s the Graves Disease.

Looking back I’d had so many of the symptoms for months and never put two and two together. Once I knew, everything kicked in and my heart and pulse rate rocketed. I was signed off work for a week and put straight on Beta Blockers, which calmed things down but when I went back to work I struggled and was put on Carbimozole (15mg per day (not sure why they didn’t put me on them straight away!!)) and after a couple of weeks they kicked in and have really helped. I’m actually starting to feel relatively normal again!

I saw the specialist last week who has confirmed it’s Grave’s and I have to go back at the end of December. I’m now in the position where I have to decide which treatment to have. I’m leaning towards staying on the tablets and seeing if I go into remission rather than going straight for the Radioative Iodine or surgery but I’m still not sure!

My sister in law has Grave’s and went for the RAI treatment and she also has Osteopenia. My vitamin D levels are low but the specialist didn’t even talk to me about the possibility of osteoporosis, whereas the doctor said I may well be sent for a bone scan.

It still amazes me how much of your body is controlled by the Thyroid and what devastating effects it has on you when it goes wrong.

It is helpful reading everyone else’s experience.

Leola – yes stress is definitely a trigger.

Take care all.