Possibly hyper PLEASE READ!!!!!!

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-29-2003
Possibly hyper PLEASE READ!!!!!!
12
Tue, 08-24-2004 - 9:06pm
Hello,

my name is Benita and Im 23. I've posted before b/c there are indications that I'm hyper. I FINALLY have health insurance and I want to see a dr. Should I first see a regular dr to rule out other things like my worse nightmares (diabetes and cancer) or since I'm so symptomatic see an endo right away?

Secondly symptons:

shortness of breath (no I'm not a smoker)

huge weight loss but also increased appetite

sorry to be graphic but frequent diarrhea and since the past week very frequent bowel movements...which makes me feel sick, like a stomachache

horrible insomnia

Zero tolerance for heat

my hair has fallen out...even took forever to grow when normally my hair grows back quick

forgetful...normally I have an awesome memory

at times fatigued

please advise. I'm very grateful to this board for giving me a safe space to vent, ask questions and hopefully advice. Please help!!!!

a very scared benita

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iVillage Member
Registered: 11-09-2001
Tue, 08-24-2004 - 9:29pm
Hi Benita - try not to be so scared. It sounds so much like hyperthyroidism. I would see an endo first. No sense in wasting time with a GP or someone who isn't going to recognize the symptoms as well as an endo. Let us know how you do and how long you have to wait for your appointment. It would be wonderful if you can get in there soon but it may take a while. Hang in there!! Cathy
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-19-2004
Tue, 08-24-2004 - 10:10pm
Hey there!

Since you haven't had insurance I would go to the regular doctor first...a lot of times you need a referral to go see an Endo anyway- for your insurance to cover it.

But if you can refer yourself I guess go see the endo..wouldn't hurt to get a full check up though!

Good luck!

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Wed, 08-25-2004 - 11:30am
Hi Benita,

your symptoms sound much like mine did and I am hyper. My general doctor did refer me to an endo when my TSH levels came back abnormal. Thankfully, my dr. immediately referred me to an endo and he's been monitoring me for the past 4 months.

If you can bypass your general doctor and get into an endo, that would be great. Most general doctors do not treat hyperthyroid (so I was told). When making the appointment, stress for how long and how awful you are feeling and you think it's of the utmost urgency that you get in asap!!!

Let us know how it goes.

--Gina

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-29-2003
Wed, 08-25-2004 - 9:26pm
thank you all for your quick responses. I didn't think most Gen practitioners (sp?)dealt with thyroid stuff and I was afraid they would miss it like the nurse at the health center at my now alma mater. my senior year, she told me hyper was a possibility but then gave me a clean bill of health...grrrr.

Do most endos know the scales for TSH, T4 levels? some of the posts make me think otherwise. thanks again btw, gina, can you share to me what your symptons were? same request to other hypers on the board. it's much appreciated.

benita
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Thu, 08-26-2004 - 8:46am
Hi Benita,

My symptoms were a rapid heart rate (resting at 100 bpm). When I was doing cardio workouts, it would go up to 200!!!! Resting heart rate for me, should be about 70 and maybe max to 160 during workouts.

I also had shakes/tremors in which my husband though I was messing with him and shaking them on purpose. Another severe symptom for me was sleep disturbances. Another poster explained in well in which you are extremely tired but not sleepy. It was so hard for me to stay asleep. I'd wake about 2 hours after I went to bed and would be tossing and turning for 2-3 hours. I could not sleep through the night. It was hard to rest with a racing heart, heart palpitations and sweating.

I didn't have weight loss (lost a little) but my appetite was huge. So I could eat whatever I wanted and did not gain.

I always felt like my body was speeding (which is was). Although I could look calm on the outside, my insides felt like they were jumping all over the place which made it hard to concentrate.

Overall, it was the worst feeling I've ever had. I did not realize how terrible I was feeling until I was put on the meds to slow the thyroid down. I've been on 800mg of PTU to slow it down. I go for my blood draw next week and my endo, the week after.

My last visit in July had all of my levels except my TSH in normal ranges and I felt wonderful!! I do have a feeling he may cut my meds a bit because I think I'm heading towards hypo now. I feel like I'm starting to get that tiredness the others talk about.

I am not ready to do the radioactive iodine to distroy the thyroid. I know many here have had it done. I'd like to stay monitored on meds for a while (at least a year) and possibly try some alternatives, which there are not many.

Anyway, hope this helps. I know how horrible this feels. The good thing is you can feel better.

Did you get an appointment w/ an Endo yet? Keep us updated.

--Gina

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-19-2004
Thu, 08-26-2004 - 10:26am
I am still in the process of diagnosis. My TSH levels came back low...or less than "normal". Then I got the T3 and T4 tested. Which came back showing hyperthyroidism.

Today I started my uptake test, I go back tomorrow to get scanned. The test will help determine if it's the more serious Graves Disease or thyroiditis.

My symptoms are: no or light menstrual periods. Couldn't sleep at night, take hours to fall asleep, and then I would just toss & turn, wake up lay awake for hours again...at night when I would go to bed I could just feel how hard my heart was pounding....and my thoughts even feel like they are racing- for no reason. My appetite is HUGE. I would eat a big lunch, be STARVING 2 hours later. I haven't really gained any weight though. (or lost it!) Very irritable. Not depressed but anxious and on edge. I'm normally a mellow person and now my husband refers to me as "the hulk". I also sweat a lot.

I guess thats it, ha! I will know more tomorrow. For me it may just be thyroiditis b/c I gave birth 6 months ago. In which case it'll get better on it's own...or with very little help.

I would never have went to the docs if I didn't miss my periods. I would have just thought I was stressed or something.

Good luck!

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-05-2004
Fri, 08-27-2004 - 2:05am
My symptoms before I went on medication were frequent diarrhea attacks, hand tremors, heart palpitations--I was diagnosed with Graves' Disease because of hospital labwork done while I was in the ER with a racing heartbeat.

I think, even if you can get an appointment with an endocrinologist, it would be a good idea to make an appointment with a GP for a physical, since hyperthyroidism can affect so many other organs in your body (your heart, as in my case, or your blood pressure, or your eyes).

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-05-2004
Fri, 08-27-2004 - 2:08am
800 mg? WOW!! I'm on 750 mg of PTU a day and my endocrinologist said that's an enormous dose!
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Fri, 08-27-2004 - 8:10am
Diane,

How long have you been on 750mg? I've been taking 800mg since April. Hoping endo will be cutting it back a bit. I've been feeling great up until the past couple weeks, I think my dose needs to be cut down. I go back to my endo in 2 weeks.

--Gina

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-05-2004
Sat, 08-28-2004 - 12:38am
I've been taking 250 mg 3 times a day since March. My endocrinologist says since my T4 is still on the high end of the normal range, he won't be cutting it back anytime soon. He said it's a bigger dose than he'd normally prescribe, but there's nothing dangerous about it as long as I come back every couple of months for an exam and lab work.

If I forget to take it, I can feel my hands start to shake and my heartbeat speed up.

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