maggie - 03/13/98 20:56:42
My Email:havent any
Where are you from?: Benedictine U. Lisle IL usa
How did you find these pages?: searching the web-to see why I am still feeling 109 at 21!
Are you a regular visitor here?: first time(whoops! sorry about the empty entry)
Do you have Graves' Disease or related?: Have had it for 3 years
Any new links I should add?: couldn't say

Comments:
Thank you so much! My family, husband, professors and even my own mind has neve made me feel so sane! MY doctor has only made me feel like a whiner. I have fairly severe symptons that developed right after i moved away from home and went to a local state college. My family said it was depression-and I never even talked about my suicidal thoughts-I couldn't go to class, started, and lost a half dozen jobs. I was always hungrey but had enough energy to make myself cereal. I was going through about 6 gallons a milk a week.I lost 50 pounds in three months. Finally, i flunked out of college!! THIS WAS AWFUL BECAUSE I HAD ALWAYS BEEN A HONORS STUDENT IN HIGH SCHOOL!!!! Still I was "depressed" and no more. Finally, while talking to my aunt one night about how awful I felt about school and how utterly exhausted i was even though I was spending most of my life in bed (awake ofcourse-we all know that beds are FOR lying awake at night). She said to go see a doctor because her and my other aunt both were Hypothyroid- and my great- grandmother had her thyroid removed because of hyper thyroidism! I had all the symptoms of being hyperthyroid. My mother still summed it up as depression because it also runs in my family. Well, it either runs in my family or doctors have missed generations of thyroid problems. Anyways, he figured i would at least get some prozac to fix my bad spirits. My levels were through the roof! Eight times normal. Since then I have kept 2 jobs, have gone through 2 1/2 semesters here at college and gotten married to a wonderful guy who manages to not blow up at me when I witch out. (He is applying for sainthood-please send the pope testimonies) Heres the problem- after nearly three years of drugs and one shot at radioactive I 131- I'm only marginly better. I want to have some life before I have kids and I want to start a family within three years! Drugs do nothing for me the minute I'm off of them- and I had the radioactive shot a year ago ( it did practicully nothing- And My doctor just keeps telling me to wait- even though all the books I read say that it should only 6 monthes). Should I just have the surgery? I like to hear from people who have had success either way- or problem either way. Again thanks ever so much for this confirmation that my symptoms are not in my head.

scottie - 03/13/98 16:24:54
My Email:burgess_scottie@hotmail.com
Where are you from?: vermont
How did you find these pages?: experamenting
Are you a regular visitor here?: no
Do you have Graves' Disease or related?: yes

Comments:
i was told i have graves about 5 years ago and have since had my thyroid removed. i have had a lot of vision problems over the past few years and have been checked but i'm told there is nothing wrong with my eyes. i continue to have blurred vision and occasionaly double vision does this have anything to do with the grave or could it be as they tell me i'm getting older?

Kathy Falla - 03/13/98 14:55:43
My Email:I'm not sure, it's my hubby's
Where are you from?: Ontario, Canada
How did you find these pages?: through my husband
Are you a regular visitor here?: I will be
Do you have Graves' Disease or related?: hyperthyroid/GD

Comments:
I'm not sure what happened with my earlier entry, somehow I got added to your guestbook before I finished my story, so here I am again. Anyhow, this specialist tried to tell me my thyroid was stable when I knew damn well that it wasn't. He was reading me my test results from 2 months before, and by the time I got home, he phoned me and told me that I was right, that I needed to go on medication now to try and stabilize me. My count is presently still at 100, and my Dr. want's it to be below 5. I have been on medication for 1.5 months now, and most of my days are really bad for me. I'm very tired, depressed, and I blow my top once in a while, but because I love my kids--2 girls--4yrs. and almost 7yrs. old--- I just go to my room and stay there until I feel better, 'cause it's not their fault when their mom is freaking out!!! I have to thank you once again for having your site, because without it, my husband wouldn't have realized what exactly I'm going through. It has helped him understand the disease nd the way I feel and act. For a while there, I thought we were going to loose our marriage (of 8 years this November 17th) but he got on the net and here we are trying to cope with it---and doing not too bad of a job at it--I know we're going to make it. By the way, I found out my mom has milder symptoms (nodes that grow out every 10 yrs. or so, and my maternal grandfather's sister had died of thyroid cancer. Pretty scary, but I look to the future. By the way, I tought myself to get on the Net last night, cause my hubby has bugged me to do it for a couple of mnts. now. So, here I am not doing too badly. When I find out is URL and e-mail , I will let you know. I will also try and come on on Wed. nite to chat, if I can figure out how to do it by then. I will sign off now, thank you for your wonderful story and all the great updates, they've really helped me and my love a lot. Kathy

Kathy Falla - 03/13/98 14:25:44
Where are you from?: Ontario, Canada
How did you find these pages?: through my hubby
Are you a regular visitor here?: I will be
Do you have Graves' Disease or related?: hyperthyroid/GD

Comments:
First of all, I would like to thank you for having this site. I didn't get diagnosed with hyperthyroid/GD until last year, when I FINALLY went to see a new doctor. I had been feeling extremely tired, bogged down, you know, the usual symptoms of this curse for about 2 years, and the Dr. I was seeing at the time, did bloodwork about 6 times, but found nothing. Just rest and you'll feel better! he said. The incompetence of this man that calls himself Dr. So I found myself a new guy. Dr. that is, not husband [haha, this is one of my good days] Anyhow, I described how I had been feeling for a couple of years, and he decided to do blood work, with one difference: he actually decided to check my thyroid levels. Thank god for him, because 2 days later he phoned me and told me to come see him that Saturday in his office. That's when he told me what he suspected I had, but he wanted to do another test, just to be sure. Sure enough, he was right. THANK YOU DR. MILLER!!!!!! Now at least I didn't feel like it was all in my head. Anyhow, I was send for some scans and then to a specialist for a radioactive iodine pill. My thyroid was stable in December, then at the end of January, I was feeling tired again, and I felt like I was on an emotional rollercoaster. I went back for blood work, then to the specialist, who told me that my thyroid was still stable. Boy oh boy did I ever blast him. When did you live in my body? I asked him. Don't tell me my thyroid is stable, the symptoms I'm feeling are telling me that my thyroid is low, and therefore, I can start my medication

Joy - 03/11/98 01:18:11
My Email:diggles@ibm.net
Where are you from?: Raleigh, N.C.
How did you find these pages?: Browsing
Are you a regular visitor here?: No
Do you have Graves' Disease or related?: Graves

Comments:
Thanks for the site, for sharing your story and for the list of symptoms. I first started noticing problems about 6 or 7 years ago. The doctors looked at my age (37) and diagnosed the beginning of menopause! Their suggestion: birth control pills! I turned it down because I was afraid of masking other symptoms. However, after reading "The Silent Passage" I began to agree with them. A lot of my symptoms were the same! In 8/96, my heart started racing and I felt like I was shaking even when I wasn't. I asked my GP if I could be hypoglycemic and he ordered that test and one other - the thyroid hormone test. After a referral, the endocrinologist immediately recommended radioactive iodine treatment but I hesitated. I was reluctant to trust a doctor again after being told for 6 years that I should merely accept a "normal aging process" (I guess menopause at 37 is normal). However, after a year of trying to normalize the dosage to suppress my thyroid, I'm ready to nuke it! I've been fortunate not to have any insurance problems and to have wonderful friends who were patient and understanding during my worst times. I told my endcrinologist that I felt like I had PMS all month long so he now calls it PPMS - permanent PMS. A former manager will probably never want to work with me again, but my job doesn't seem to have suffered much. However, I am extremely frustrated and angry at doctors who make diagnoses based on gender and age rather than listening to the patient. Who knows what could have been avoided if someone had done a blood test 5 or 6 years ago? Women nearing their forties have problems other than menopause. One other thing - do you have any info on hearing problems and Graves? I've been having a horrible time with tinnitus lately and I'm not sure if it's related to Graves or something else! Thanks again.

dina white - 03/10/98 17:58:04
My Email:dina.white@mci.com
Where are you from?: st louis
How did you find these pages?: searching
Are you a regular visitor here?: yes
Do you have Graves' Disease or related?: yes

Comments:
six months ago I became very sick, I had been treated for a year prior with drugs. I went from over active to under active.I feel that I was made to suffer,they did not treat me as soon possible. I have suffered unnecessarlly i was given radioactive iodine three months ago,I will have to do this again next weekhopefully all will be well this time.

Meredith Lane - 03/09/98 21:39:50
My Email:Meredith_Fain@hilton
Where are you from?: Houston, TX
How did you find these pages?: Web Search
Are you a regular visitor here?: No
Do you have Graves' Disease or related?: My husband does

Comments:
My husband was diagnosed with Graves Disease today (3/9/98). I came across your web page by doing an internet search for "Graves Disease". Your page has been very informative, but I would lie to find out more about how you have been treated (what you take, how much.etc) Any pardon my asking, but what is a goiter? My husband will be 30 on 3/15/98, and we have been married just over a year. In 1995 he was diagnosed with testicular cancer, but has since made a full recovery. Needless to say, I am also wondering if this condition has anything to do with any after effects of his chemo. Anyway, any information forwarded woluld be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much, Meredith Lane

Kathy Simpson - 03/09/98 18:59:34
My URL:http://thyroid.miningco.com
My Email:kathyls@ix.netcom.com
Where are you from?: Atlanta, Georgia
How did you find these pages?: browsing for information on Graves disease
Are you a regular visitor here?: no
Do you have Graves' Disease or related?: Yes
Any new links I should add?: No

Comments:
I found your story very inspiring! I was diagnosed with Graves in January, 1997, after battling with the symptoms for a year!! I thought I had mental problems...you know the rest. I still have not found the proper level of Synthroid, but I am taking one day at a time, fighting to come back to the woman I used to be. I know it's possible. Thank you so much and many thanks to the others who shared their stories and battles of this "mad" disease.

Jenni McIntosh - 03/06/98 23:41:38
My Email:jmcintosh/healthdistrict.org
Where are you from?: Fort Collins Colorado
Do you have Graves' Disease or related?: I think so?

Comments:
Like you I have been on the same roller coaster, only I am still on the ride. I am not sure of what I do have and neither are the docs. First it was Hyperthyroid, then post-natal thyroiditis, then graves disease, and now Hypothyroid. I would love to just feel better. The docs say " just wait it out the results will be normal adventually" and that's when they discover they have been treating me for the wrong disease. Anyways tell me what you think!!

Bonnie Roberts - 03/05/98 17:01:38
My Email:headstrt@tco.net
Where are you from?: Gerber, CA.
How did you find these pages?: yahoo
Are you a regular visitor here?: no
Do you have Graves' Disease or related?: Yes

Comments:
I have had Graves disease for eight years. I was diagnosed in 1989. Although I did not get a goiter, a lot of your symptoms are very familiar. My family members did not understand me during that time. Neither did I. The hardest part was the Radioactive iodine treatment. For 3 months I had no harmones. I was a basket case. Today it is all under control and I am living a normal life again. Thank you Jesus.