I'm so stressed out.

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-02-2003
I'm so stressed out.
6
Thu, 01-27-2005 - 7:04pm
I started getting sick in Aug I was getting really dizzy, my heart was beating fast, staring off into la la land, and feeling hot all the time. I finally in November I went to the Doctors and they did some blood tests. The next week I went back in for more blood tests that came back with high thyroid count. We dont' have any insurance right now, and we've been looking around for Endocrinologist that will be best for us. I am just now getting an appointment that has a 4 week waiting period. My sister freaked me out today by saying that I'm going to die, if I don't go to the doctors now. I know that I'm sick, and I know I need to get in asap. But what do you do when you have no insurance? So I'm really bummed today. I have a three year old that doesn't understand why I feel the way I feel and I'm a stay at home mom. (try to be anyways)I have tried to find people who understand, but there aren't any around here. I'm glad I found this board. I hope that I can learn alot from everyone.
Did anyone or everyone go through what i'm going through?
Thanks for letting me rant a bit.
Take care.
Kim

Ph
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-05-2004
Thu, 01-27-2005 - 8:36pm

I've been there. In addition to feeling really hot and having a really fast heartbeat, you can add diarrhea and not being able to eat anything without throwing up. Your sister might be exaggerating, but not much. I was between jobs and waiting to make sure I was on my husband's insurance, and besides I hated doctors. I ended up in the hospital for a week.

Your sister might be exaggerating but not much. Hyperthyroidism can be dangerous if it's not controlled. If you start to feel worse, at least go to the emergency room. They have to take care of you whether you can pay or not.

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-02-2003
Fri, 01-28-2005 - 12:48am
Thank you so much for replying. I've never been sick in my life. Ths is all new for me. I feel things getting worse at times, but then it goes away. How does a person get a thyroid problem and why does it have to be me? arugh.
Thanks
Kim
PS. I know that there are worst things in life. I guess what scares me the most is finding out I have thyroid cancer. My mother passed away of cancer and my brother has a tumor on his brain stem. They are non-related but it still scares me!


Edited 1/28/2005 12:56 am ET ET by hopewehug

Ph
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-19-2004
Fri, 01-28-2005 - 8:31am

Hi hope!


Try not to worry, thats number 1. That can make symptoms worse. Your best thing is to relax as much as you can. Don't do any hard cardio stuff.

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-09-2001
Fri, 01-28-2005 - 10:27am

Hi Kim - I don't think it does anyone any good to be told that they are going to die if they don't get to a doctor!!! So take that as your sister's problem, not yours! Yes, it is critical for you to go to the doctor. But chances are you aren't going to die if you don't get there today! It sounds like you are hyperthyroid, that's an overactive thyroid. Your syptoms are common. Nothing more than anyone else in your position has experienced so you have time to make it to your appointment. Your doctor taking 4 weeks to see you is typical, too. There have been posters here in terrible shape and they've also had to wait. That's the hardest part, I think, waiting to get in to your appointment.

There are any number of ways to get thyroid disease. It is extremely hereditary so check your family for other thyroid conditions. It is also known as an autoimmune condition, in most cases, and there are many other autoimmune conditions that are typical in families with thyroid disease, like diabetes, Reynaud's syndrome, fibromyalgia, MS, rheumatoid arthritis. Sometimes it's caused by pregnancy, other times it can be a very dramatic stressful event that brings it on. Smoking or quitting smoking can cause it to appear - but that is mostly for hypo or underactive thyroid disease. Hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism, although it is more rare than hypo, are fast becoming the number one autoimmine conditions. They will eventually pass diabetes. More and more doctors will have to learn to diagnosis and treat them properly.

Treatment of hyperthyroid follows a pretty set path. There is usually medication to take for a period of 6 months to a year, to see if the disease goes into remission. Often, it does. The medication includes a thyroid hormone suppressant and often, one to control the rapid heartbeat. If that doesn't do it, then you have a choice between radioactive iodine treatment or surgery to remove the thyroid or part of it. But that's way down the road and not something you should even worry about at this point. The thing to focus on with any thyroid condition, in my own opinion, is care and treatment NOW, not of what COULD happen but what is happening now. Thinking about what could happen will just drive you crazy and for what point??? :) I know three people myself who are hyperthyroid. It's something that many, many women live with. (And some men.)

Thyroid cancer is very rare. Only 8 to 10 percent of thyroid nodules turn out to be cancerous and even then, the success rate is as close to perfect as you can get. So don't worry about that.

Check out some of the links at the top of the board to learn more about it. I think the more you know, the better off you are. Just don't let it make you worry!!! If you think you need to get to a doctor before your appointment, if you're worried about your heart rate, then call your own physician or go to the emergency room,as others have suggested. in the meantime, take care of yourself, get rest, eat healthy, avoid stress and doing anything stressful - like overdoing it with exercise.

Please feel free to post back with any other questions or concerns you might have!! Cathy :)

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-02-2003
Fri, 01-28-2005 - 10:54am

Thank you so much everyone. I've been doing research. I've asked my family if any of them have it, and the answer is no. But we do have diabetes in our family. At first that's what they thought it was, because I was getting dizzy so easily. I didn't know that stress can bring it on. When I started getting sick is when we were in the process of buying our house. I guess that might have brought it on.

I can't exercise at all right now. It takes so much out of me just to play with son and clean. When I do over do it, I get really sweaty and I have to lay down in front of the fan to cool off. A favorite passtime is shopping and I can't even do that without my body freaking out.

I am glad that there are people out there who knows what I'm going through. It's easy for family to say go to the doctors, when it's not that easy. I've stopped telling them anything unless they ask. My husband has been sweet about things, but he doesn't get that fact I can't do as much as before. I tend to lose my temper more and then start crying. Crying helps though. It's always been a releaser for me.

Thanks again for the replies. I do have more questions. Did any of you have an MRI or Catscan? What is the first appointment like? Once you lose weight..do you gain it back with the meds?

Thank you
Kim


Ph
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-14-2005
Sat, 01-29-2005 - 5:46pm

Hi Hope! I know what you mean about your husband not understanding. Mine did the same thing, he just thought it I was being grumpy. I met with my endo for the first time this past Wednesday and when he was going thru the questions about my history, one question was "do you have a short fuse, no patience?" . I looked at the doctor and said, "ask him?" (pointing to my husband who was there with me at my appointment). Frank said, "oh yes!" and the doctor told him to just have patience, she will get better soon! It was such a relief to have Frank there with me and know that he understands now what I have been going thru for the last 3-4 months. I started off really tired and I thought it was just from over-entertaining. I love having people over! It starting with an Arbonne party in July, then 2 weeks later I had a Southern Living party. Then in Sept., our daughter's 1st birthday party and then the next week I met my birth mother and some of her family for the first time. I had found her in August! I was exhausted! And then trying to take care of our 3 year old son and 1 year old daughter, I am also a stay at home mom. Needless to say, our house is pit! No energy to clean!

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel though! I have started on my medication and look forward to being my own self again. I know it will take time, but I am more comfortable and at ease with my Graves disease! Keep your chin up! If your husband can go with you to the doctor, please make sure he does!

Take care! Danielle