I've been suffering with hyperthyroid and TED for over a year. My eyes are exteremly dry. I cant sleep at night because they constantly run water and I find that I'm isolating myself from the world because of my weight gain and eyes that get as alrge as quarters at times. I was at a football game this past weekend when a stranger walked up to me and said everytime the horn blows your eyes get as big as quarters it really comical to watch. I was mortified and felt that everyone was looking at me. I went home cried until I couldnt cry anymore. I guess I should have told her that I have a disease that causes this but at the time I was speechless. Has anyone else experienced this and what if anything have you done about it?
I'm suffering from TED as well, and is very inconvenient, I'm sorry hear that.
At the moment I'm on prednisone, help with the swelling. But there is many types of alternatives to stop the proptosis , like radiotherapy, decompression , etc...
Why don't you speak to your Dr. About your concerns.
Dear Michelle
Firstly ignore this woman. She sounds a plonker.
She probably thought that she was helping you but she went about it in a hamfisted way . You get these socially inept people from time to time but thankfully you do not have to live with her!!!
If this should happen again just thank the pperson or ask if they are medically qualified. Depends on the circumstances andnhow big the person is.
I waBeing overweight.
Most of us have been there. However weight is something that can be managed if one is patient enough. The best advice I can give is to EAT LESS. However count the calories. It is no use eating less of a fatty food or drink et.
GOOGLE SAFE DIETS .
You can lose weight. I dieted down from 18 stone to 9 and ahalf stone in six months.
RE this woman's insensitive comments.
As the memory grows dimmer you will realise how out of order she truly was and how she must be a very upopular unhappy person.
You will get over it trust me.
However having written that it is important if you have not already done so to get your eyes checked out by an eye doctor called an Ophthalmologist.
Google the thyroid eye.
Dry eyes should be taken seriously. I had the condition several months ago and it isn't funny.
I was prescribed artificial tear drops but was allergic to even the ones that were hypo allerginic.
I was prescribed lacri lube at first at night. It is important just to apply it at night whilst in bed as otherwise it can be troublesome because your vision will be blurred for about thirty minutes.
I am in the UK.
What is TED?
Have you been diagnosed with a thyroid eye?
Just keep thinking positively.
Jean
Hi Jean, just reading through your reply to Michelle.........I was diagnosed HYPER thyroid over 2 years ago and have had one or two stages of swinging to HYPO for short bursts and then the Endo changed the dose of carbimazole but my question is that I thought HYPER sufferers lost weight (I have lost nearlt 2 stones over the 2 years and am not happy about it) I didn't think they gained weight. I assumed HYPO sufferers gained weight?
Hi Christine
I was 18 and a half stone about twenty years ago then dieted down to 9 and a half over a period of six months.
18 months ago I started with what I now know to be the s and s of a subclinical hyperthyroidism. I lost weight because my appetite was very poor. I also have GERD I am on life long warfarin and this can cause gastric pain and loss of appetite.
Ihave to be very careful what I eat and drink, I do not drink alcohol, neither do I smoke.
I go back and forth with the signs and symptoms of hper then hypo.
Neither is nice.
Jean
eI was anorexi
I do have TED (Thyroid Eye Disease) and eventually will need orbital decompression surgery. I was told by my opthalmologist that the surgery should help with the dry eyes. On top of my blurry double vision,constant runny dry eyes. I'm tired all the time, suffer with leg cramps and excessive sweating. Before diagnoses I walked 3 to 4 miles a day. I cant do that anymore because my legs ache. I know I should ignore ignorant people but when its blatant in your face its hard to ignore. Thanks for your response its good knowing Im not in this alone.
Michelle,
So sorry to hear about your health issues. My eye doctor has me on TheraTear eye drops 3 x a day and 3 pills of fish oil. It is helping but you have to stick to it and you may not get relief for a month or two. She said the Nordic Nature ProOmwga 1000 mg Fish Oil pills are the only ones that your body truly absorbes. Just throw out the cheap ones! I hope someone has advise for the other eye issue. I think if it happens to me I might just wear sunglasses 24/7! Good luck!
Hi Jean, TED stands for thyroid eye disease.
Hi Christine, not all people with hyper lose weight, quite a lot gain weight and suffer from fatigue.
It is not always appropriate to wear sunglasses. I suggest that Michelle seeks medical advice about her eyes and that she just accepts that there are some ignorant people out there and tries her best to ignore them.
Thanks Sarah. I should have guessed but I was thinking of TED as in TED stockings. One track mind at times!!
Absolutely right. Spot on.
BTW I shoould have mentioned that my dry eyes were found to have concretions which are chalk deposits that feel as though you have grit in the eyes. It is important that the underneath side of the upper eyelid be examined for any embedded conncretions as they will irritate the eye ball itself of course. If any are present they can be removed quite painessly under the slit lamp. The ophthalmologist will just instill some local anaesthetic drops into the ye first. You can feel the difference straightaway and thus get some relief from the feeling of grittiness in the eye(s).
If eyes are dry then avoid getting soap, shampoo, shower gel, eye make up especiallly mascara in or near the eyes.
Mascara can cause dryness and irritation.
Even the hypo alllergenic brands dry the eyes.
Be careful when at the sink not to splash anny water or detergent into the eyes.
Even plain water can hurt.
There are sprays that you spray onto the CLOsED eyelid. Ask your pharmaciist and/or ophthalmologist about these.
Carbimazole should not be used with TED.
Jean
Jean
n
Thanks for your resonse Sarah, as I said I have lost weight - it was one of the first most symptomatic problems - I also suffer from fatigue, have no energy at all and have lost any muscles I had everywhere in my body. On bad days even lifting the ironing board feels like I'm lifting a ton and leaves me breathless (perhaps not such a bad thing, if only it could get me out of doing the ironing - you have to smile sometimes instead of crying ! )
* response
Hi Jean, yes I have also been back and forth between the two nightmares Hyper and Hypo. Just prior to being diagnosed over 2 years ago now, I wasn't eating as well as I had normally done because I felt so poorly and so worried. I had lost nearly 2 stones before going to see my GP. Since then and for the most part being levelled out by the medications of Carbimazole and Levythyroxine my appetitte returned and I was back to almost keeping up with my husband eatingwise (and that takes some doing ) but I've only managed to re-gain about 7 lbs in all that time. Of course there are some days when I haven't eaten as much because I've had a flare up of symptoms etc like recently (4 weeks ago) when my GP decided in her infinite wisdom to take me of my meds without "weaning" me off them - all of the Hyper symptoms came back with a vengeance (racing thumping heartbeat, anxiety attacks, intolerance to heat etc). I have since been referred back to the see the specialist. I do look older than my years because of the weight loss, at 60 years old and already being slim, the weight loss has done me no favours. I was 8 and a half stones and lost 2 then regained half a stone.
Sadly I have gained weight without eating more!, but I know what you mean about the muscles. Just have to keep calm and carry on I guess!😳
Dear Michelle
I can empathise with you.
It is hard to ignore nasty people especially when they lack finesse etc.
May I ask if the dr has given a reason as to why you suffer from leg cramps ?
Have you ever had a bone profile. This is a test for vitamin D, phophate, parathyroidJhormone and calcium levels?
Kind regards
Jean
I believe the leg cramps come from the weight gain. Really not sure but I'm on 2000mg of Vitamin D,Vitamin C, Selenium and Methimazole. I have my follow up appointment on Oct. 12th. I'll ask the doctor about the leg cramps.
I'm currently using Lacriserts and restasis, wich does nothing but burn like crazy. Havent tried fish oil pills but will ad this to my list. Anything to help. I'm thinking of having orbital decompression surgery in January this should relieve the dryness. I wish I could wear my sunglasses 24/7.
I'm definitely having decompression surgery soon. I was told by my opthalmologist this will grealy improve the dryness. I've spoken to my doctor who keeps tellng me that it will get better. Nothing very convincing.....