Re: (unknown)

July 28, 2002

,

Welcome to the group. You'll find lots of answers and help here, but we need

more information first. You haven't mentioned what dose of Tap you're on;

what your labs have been-without that kind of info nobody can really help

you. Do you keep copies of all your labs? Are you working with a doc who

decreases your Tap dose as you become euthyroid? How much weight did you

lose before diagnosis? Other than the weight gain, are you having any

symptoms? It might help to look at the symptom list located on the group's

home page, in files.

Terry

>

> Reply-To: graves_support

> Date: Sun, 28 Jul 2002 03:16:51 -0700 (PDT)

> To: graves_support

> Subject: (unknown)

>

> Hi,

>

> I was diagnosed in November of 2001, at that time my weight had gone down to

> 119. I am 5'8, so obviously I had become quite thin. Since then the doctor

> has kept me on Tapozol as my levels still show me in the hyper range. I have

> gained a tremendous amount of weight. I am up to 157 pounds and feel gross!

> Has this happened to anyone else? It seems as though the weight is not

> budging with excersice or diet.

>

> TIA,

>

> ---------------------------------

>

July 28, 2002

Hi ,

If your doctor is using your TSH test results only to judge how you are

doing, you may well be too hypo for you...this would cause weight gain

despite diet and exercise.

What we have all learned is to always get paper copies of all lab results.

On the day of your blood draw, write down your specific symptoms that day.

Then attach this info to the lab report. Over time, you will be able to find

your own individual 'set point' within the huge 'normal range'.

The tests you need to judge your dose on will be FreeT4 and T3 or

FreeT3...never TSH.

TSH can take many months to move.

Do you have a copy of your current test results ?

IF>>> my suspicions are correct, and they are going by TSH, once you are

able to reduce your dose, you will feel SO much better, and in time the

weight will even out.

-Pam L -

July 29, 2002

Hi ,

Is your doctor monitoring your thyroid levels every 4 weeks or so? Make sure

he is running FT4 as well as TSH, because TSH can take many months to start

rising, making it misleading. You want to make sure your FT4 is on the high

end of normal so that you haven't inadvertently become hypothyroid.

Most people do gain some weight with ATDs but if you have any other symptoms

of hypothyroidism (sluggishness, joint pain, constipation, mental fog, sleep

apnea, etc)

you might want to ask for copies of your labs and see if you could be

hypothyoid.

Take care, Elaine

July 29, 2002

,

Hi

Just wanted to agree with what everyone else is saying. I was on tap for a

couple of months and my doctor wasn't doing regular blood work. I gained

weight that I couldn't keep off no matter what my diet and exercise regime

was, and I had horrible muscle pains. It wasn't until I started on this

group that I found out how COMMON it is to go hypothryoid when taking ATD's

if your levels aren't monitored probably. Elaine is right, if it is

hypothyroidism, you will feel worlds better when it gets straightened out.

Also, be patient with yourself. Your metabolism is going to go through some

ups and downs over the next few months, and as hard as it is, it WILL get

better! I really got depressed about the weight issue (I've never had to

worry about that before), and the wonderful people on this board really

lifted my spirits with their stories and struggles. Good luck and get those

labs!

Kristi

P.S. BTW, my weight is now fine and so are my thryoid levels. Just be

patient with yourself and realize that all of this takes time!

(unknown)

>

> Hi,

>

> I was diagnosed in November of 2001, at that time my weight had gone

down to 119. I am 5'8, so obviously I had become quite thin. Since then

the doctor has kept me on Tapozol as my levels still show me in the hyper

range. I have gained a tremendous amount of weight. I am up to 157 pounds

and feel gross! Has this happened to anyone else? It seems as though the

weight is not budging with excersice or diet.

>

> TIA,

>

> ---------------------------------

>

August 5, 2002

Welcome to the group !

I wish I could offer you some advice as to what to do, but I've no doubt you

will be getting responses from lots of folks on here who know more about what

you're going through. My Joe is the one with Grave's so I'm here because of

him: to learn and to support when I can (and get it too!).

I know with Joe it has taken time to regulate his thyroid. His story is

long, as is everyone else's. I know you'll find the information you get here

helpful.

I am sorry to hear of your endometriosis. My cousin who I'm very close to

went through that about five years ago. It was such an awful, painful time

for her. She had two surgeries. She's doing much better now.

Hang in there,

Ann

August 5, 2002

Hi , I'm glad you found your way over here! I'm going to post my

same reply to you as from the other list, someone might want to add to it:

I'm not a big fan of the thyroid scan and uptake test... I don't think it's

really useful to anyone, unless you are going to have the radioactive iodine

treatment to kill your thyroid - then it tells the doctor how much

radioactive material to use. But I'm not a big fan of that option either!

Proper blood tests, including antibodies and an ultrasound should be all the

info your doctor needs to diagnose and treat.

This link is really good at giving you a quick overview of the disease and

your options: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A688241

Please take your time making any permanent decision and learn everything you

can first. I have lots of good links on my website:

http://www.webmosaics.com/thyroid/

Let us know when you have questions!

:)Pam B.

August 6, 2002

,

I have also been recently diagnosed with GD last month. Following my diagnosis

I have surgery to have a lump removed from my breast and no one, not my GP, the

surgeon, or the anestheiologist seemed to feel concerned. Everything went fine,

except I got sick from the anesthesia. This was before I had started taking

ATD's and was just taking a beta blocker. I have another surgery scheduled for

August 22 to have endometrial polyps removed. I have to believe myself that the

GD being hormone related had something to do with the other things going on in

my body, but I could be wrong.

(unknown)

Hi,

I am a new member, and I just found out that I have Grave's. I am

21, and I also have PCOS and Endometriosis. I was wondering if there

are any other women here that have all of these problems at the same

time also.

I also have another question. I was scheduled for surgery two

weeks ago (the same week I was diagnosed with Grave's), but my doc

postponed it. I was to have removal of endo, lysis of adhesions,

presacral neurectomy, removal of cysts, cystoscopy, hernia repair,

etc. My surgeon talked with my Endocrinologist and they decided that

surgery would be risky b/c of the thyroid disorder. I'm not really

sure why this poses risks. My thought is b/c of the irregular/fast

heart beats. I was wondering if anyone had the same experience or

knew anything about the risks. I am now scheduled to have surgery

Sept. 4th, however I'm scared b/c I haven't started any thyroid

treatment yet. My doc said to give her a month to " get my thyroid

under control. " Do you think that the meds have enough time to work

before Sept. 4th? How long before my thyroid can be regulated? I

haven't told my Endocrinologist that I've rescheduled, and I'm afraid

that she's going to tell me I can't have the surgery. I am desperate

for the relief from the surgery. Thank you for reading, and I'm sorry

this is so long. Hope everyone is well.

August 6, 2002

,

Hi. I was reading your post and wondered...why did they decide to remove

teh lump in your breast? After changing my meds from 40mg of tap to 10mg I

had all kinds of female stuff go haywire, including a lump that they

determined to be fibrocystic breast condition. They never mentioned

removing it, so I was wondering if you had the same thing? I feel certain

that the lump was due to the massive hormonal changes I experienced after

reducing my dose by so much. It showed up pretty much overnight...a couple

of days after changing meds if I remember correctly. Anyway, I was just

curious and poking my nose in your business. :)ha-ha!

Kristi

(unknown)

>

> Hi,

> I am a new member, and I just found out that I have Grave's. I am

> 21, and I also have PCOS and Endometriosis. I was wondering if there

> are any other women here that have all of these problems at the same

> time also.

> I also have another question. I was scheduled for surgery two

> weeks ago (the same week I was diagnosed with Grave's), but my doc

> postponed it. I was to have removal of endo, lysis of adhesions,

> presacral neurectomy, removal of cysts, cystoscopy, hernia repair,

> etc. My surgeon talked with my Endocrinologist and they decided that

> surgery would be risky b/c of the thyroid disorder. I'm not really

> sure why this poses risks. My thought is b/c of the irregular/fast

> heart beats. I was wondering if anyone had the same experience or

> knew anything about the risks. I am now scheduled to have surgery

> Sept. 4th, however I'm scared b/c I haven't started any thyroid

> treatment yet. My doc said to give her a month to " get my thyroid

> under control. " Do you think that the meds have enough time to work

> before Sept. 4th? How long before my thyroid can be regulated? I

> haven't told my Endocrinologist that I've rescheduled, and I'm afraid

> that she's going to tell me I can't have the surgery. I am desperate

> for the relief from the surgery. Thank you for reading, and I'm sorry

> this is so long. Hope everyone is well.

>

August 9, 2002

Kristi,

They removed the lump from my breast because the ultra sound showed it to be a

suspicious tumor. It was a solid mass and not a cyst, so they had to remove it

to do a biopsy. It was also close to my arm pit and causing me pain so I was

actually glad to have it removed.

-