New Member

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Hi. I am a new member and was diagnosed with Graves in October. I am a

37 year old female. I went into the hospital with an arrhythmia and

heart rate of 260. With drugs they were able to bring my heart rate

down. My blood pressure was also high. One doctor in emergency held his

ground with all the others and said that he thought it was a thyroid

problem. The others thought it may be a drug reaction to the blood

pressure medication I was put on the day before. I had a red rash that

covered my body.

I spent 4 days in hospital and was put on Propranolol and Methimazole.

After 3 weeks my family doctor thought the Propranolol wasn't working to

lower my blood pressure. It was still 180/80. She put me on Diovan.

Right away the rapid heart rate returned, so she put me on both Diovan,

Propranolol and Methimazole. I finally saw an endocrinologist, after

waiting a month (I didn't even get to see one in the hospital, as he

never showed up!). He thought all I needed was Propranolol and

Methimazole., but said to stay on Diovan also.

Then a week later I saw the same cardiologist I saw in emergency. I

hadn't seen him since I went in to emergency. He thought I should have

never been put on Propranolol or Diovan. But to stay on the Diovan and

he added Tenormin. So now I am on Diovan, Tenormin and Methimazole.

As soon as I started on Tenormin, my eyes started to get sore, dry and

tired. I never had any trouble with my eyes before. My family doctor

didn't seem to be concerned, but through reading I found it is a symptom

of Graves and I should be using hydrocortisone drops. That made a bit

of difference. The my family doctor decided that the Diovan wasn't

effective enough, so she doubled my dose. I feel exhausted all of the

time. I haven't returned to work since October as it takes all I have

to manage my 3 children and a household.

The endocrinologist said he would see me every 4 months, and I can stay

on Methimozole for 2 years..no more. The cardiologist gave me an

echocardiogram and everything was fine with that. He had me wear a 24

hour heart monitor, and 3 weeks later, I have yet to get a report back

from that. I don't know if he wants to ever see me again. My family

doctor has scheduled me wear a 24 hour blood pressure monitor on January

7.

The last report on my thyroid, which was in November, said my T3-2.1

(normal range 1.0-2.3--In hospital I was 5.5) and T4-170 (normal range

55-155--In hospital I was 326). My heart rate is usually around 60-70

now, and my blood pressure ranges from 150/60 to 176/80.

I am feeling so frustrated at being so tired all the time. I sometimes

think I am being over-medicated. I am starting to gain back the 20

pounds I had lost...that is frustrating in itself!!!!!lol!

Any feedback and advice would be appreciated!

Lori