Recently diagnosed with Hyperthyroidism, looking for advice!

Hormones
1

Hiya, I'm 20 years old and was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism last week. I initially went to the doctors with a movable lump on the side of my neck (It's about 3-4cm in width). After blood test my GP said she was shocked to find out if was an overactive thyroid due to my age, they retested to be sure but the test came back the same the second time. I started carbimazole today (I think I'm on 2x5mg tablets a day but I can't remember, I'm at work atm so can't check!) and have also been put on vit D supplements. I've been told I'll have to have monthly blood tests and am waiting for appointment to see hormone specialist at the hopsital.

​I'm just looking for some advice really, I had never even really heard of thyroid disease until last week so feel really bewildered! I feel so run down at the minute and I seem to be getting emotional over everything I don't know if that's the meds or just the symptoms of the disease. I also wondered what the expect when I go to the hospital, like when is surgery necessary and radioactive treatment? My thyroids are obviously swollen but don't know if the carbimizole will sort that over time and have no idea how the lump in the side of my neck is related, even the dr said she was unsure and that I will just have to wait to see the specialist. Has anyone had a similar situation who can help? I think because I'm younger and don't know of anyone with the same disease to ask questions about so could really just do with knowing I'm not alone!

​P.S. I also wondered if anyone had any idea about how this can affect going abroad? I'm supposed to be spending a month in Malia in summer but don't know if I will still be allowed to go? I'm supposed to be paying the remaining balance next month but don't want to be paying any money if I won't be able to go? All I keep getting told at the surgery is that I will find out more when I see specialist but I have no idea how long that will be! Any advice?!

​Thanks for taking the time to read this!

2

Hi Lydia ... i imagine you DO think you're too  young for this condition .. but some babies are born with it .. it can be genetic , but not always.

Im so very sorry you've been diagnosed with this luvvie, but i can tell you it is not the end of your world, as loads of folk on here have it , as you will discover by going through all thyroid related sites on here.

I have Graves' disease which more or less, is HYPERthyroid with antibodies .

Antibodies that are attacking our Thyroid Gland and making it produce too much Thyroid hormone ... which makes our metabolism become very unbalanced .. as you will know .  It can do things like make our hair and nails grow at a very fast rate , damaging them in the process.  It can make your mind rush , in that you feel you are being rushed through your day with no way of stopping it.  It can make you very anxious and afraid  .  I can make you sweat profusely.... and it likely will then , after doing all that , and more to you , sap the life out of you by mid day.

Those were my symptoms .... and more.

Firstly, you must find out why you have HYPERthyroidism.  if you cannot wait for the appointment with an Endocrinologist, then , go back to your doctor and ask her if she would do a test to hurry things along , given that you will be going abroad soon.

The test will be to find out if you have antibodies... and in which case and if you DO have antibodies, you will most likely be put on a drug called Carbimazole..  i took it , and was fine on it . i took 20mg per day  and after 2 or 3 months went down to 10mg per day... then down to 5mg per day ...l felt better and better all the way along that route and by the end i knew i would be better...  it takes a while after your treatment get the thyroid hormone back to normal.. but it will do.

If you don't have Antibodies ..l it will be much easier for you to control your HYPERthyroidism.   just come back in here and ask for help ...you'll get loads of it.

When you have the test done at your surgery to test for antibodies , ask your Doctor for a print out copy of the figures  and type them out in their entirety including ranges which are the figures in brackets , those are your lab ranges which makes it easy to see where you are on a scale.

There are things that you can take to help the way you feel... minerals, vitamins and nutrients .. which have been tried and tested by many on here.

you can ask about those once you know what exactly is wrong ... and then you will deal with making your body well again.

So , start off by making an appointment to get that important test for thyroid antibodies ..  and we 'll  hear from you soon.

Be strong and empower yourself Lydia.... get to the bottom of your condition and get well... and please put thoughts of RAI and Surgery at the Back of your mind for now  , as you have not reached the stage where that is likely at all.

Your thyroid is a very very important gland in your body , i think it should be called our metabolism... if you have Graves' disease it's likely your immune system is attacking your Thyroid ..and perhaps you will see that by addressing the culprit ....i.e. your Immune System ....that you will make well the victim.. i.e. ... your Thyroid.

and you can heal and boost your Immune system by nurturing it with very important things that you have lost over time when you've been HYPER.. i.e. likely  ' running in empty ' 

Best of luck with your appointment

Luv M x 🌹

3

I've just been diagnosed & started on cabrimazole whilst waiting for more blood tests, it's reassuring to know the extreme symptoms I've been suffering over the last 3 months are not unusual, I've felt the worst ever in my life. I have noticed a little improvement in my fatigue but my body still feels like a lead weight.

Thanks for your story

4

Aly .... when you have this disease ... if you are in any way like me , you will most likely have no idea what it happening to you ..

and you will think that feeling very ill is something that happens to all of us in time ...

I had no idea I was so very ill ..my head hair was breaking off and falling out

I had no body hair no eyelashes or eyebrows .. I shook inside especially my neck and throat

I was drenched in perspiration every hour of every day my toenails fell out .. my leg skin was like a snakes .. I was terrified ... about nothing !

And I was in Pain ! Real pain ...

My muscles ached ... and I just wanted to cry ... oh ! ...and I did .. a lot !

But once that Carbimazole kicked in .. things began to become CALM !

And the shaking stopped .. I could put makeup on without using two hands to steady my shaking hands It was definately the worst I've felt in my life !

I am now Euthyroid .. thank God

And I'm planning on staying that way ...

So ... I'm giving back to my immune system all that was taken from it With Graves Disease ... making me go at a hundred miles an hour .. depleting my body of all the vitamins , minerals and nutrients that I need so much to be Normal and Balanced .

E.g. Google Magnesium deficiency

And see the way it can affect your poor body when you have very little of it !

Do the same with B12

I take several supplements daily

My brother has Crohn's ...another

Auto immune disease and he also is self treating this way with great effects.

Remember that magnesium is needed for almost every cell in the body .. we are almost always lacking in it !

Remember also that 80% of our Immune system is in our GUT .. and so ... it makes sense to start right there With trying to sort things out ..

Doing that has made me well again.

I started taking B6 recently as part of my daily supplement routine

I take it for nerve pain and for

FATIGUE ... maybe it can help You .. both myself and my brother have been feeling pretty energised since starting it three weeks ago ..

Best of luck Aly

Ask questions on here .. and always let us know how you're getting on ... as it helps others who are struggling

Luv mx🌹

5

Thanks for your great advice, so informative too. It's these chats that help you understand there are so many people out there. I'm going back to specialist tomorrow before I go away to USA on holiday on Thursday, I want to be ready to get my medication agreed before I go as I'm away for 5 weeks, I feel on the mend & I am so happy as if not I would have had to cancel the trip, but confident now it will be fine.

6

Brilliant !!

Keep positive Luvvie .. take some supplements to make you feel more energized ... and have a wonderful holiday ..

And ....as they say .. keep taking the pills !!!

Luv mx🌹

7

I'm new with hyperthyroid (graves). I have symptoms such as fatique, nervous, palpitation, lose of weight, etc. I will be taking Propranolol and Methimazole. I ask you how you take them? Do you take Methimazole in the morning (once a day) and propranolol (2 times a day - noon and bedtime)? I'm not sure how the schedule and time and hours apart of taking those medicines. Did the medicines cure your hyperthyroidism? Does it help you to put on a normal weight, etc.? How long the Graves' disease go away and have a normal result? 

8

Hello I was the same two years ago . In my experience thyroid issues dont go away by its self the meds dont cure it rather keep yourthe levels some what normal ... I had anxiety super hyper in my thinking I would eat and eat and eat lost weight ... I would pass maybe 10 stools a day my hair was so thin my nails peeled back from the nail beds and broke off that was what made me go to the doctors .. I had scant periods bad eye sight ... the meds helped and I felt better for a while .. I had ratation iodine treatment this January and then went in underactive thyroid and went throught hell I became very depressed and had no energy or will for life I could go on with all the negative ... I have since been on underactive meds they are starting to work getting me back on track ... get books from the library talk to people educate your self on thyroid health your thyroid hormones control every part of your body educateing your self is a great help keep up with your blood appointments . Take your meds dont listen to your body find a good doctor who listens things can some times can be hard they get better the more understanding you have of thyroid health and how you feel I hope your well

9

I meant "listen to your body "