Tag: Hyperthyroidism

Puffy Eyes

Over the last few months, my thyroid had put my body through a Gina yo-yo. My body responded well to the methimazole. A little too well. I went to hypothyroid again.

Even though my dosage was half what it was when I went through this the last time, yet this new lower dose was too much. But we caught it early. I knew what the symptoms were and called the doctor. She ordered some blood tests which confirm what I was feeling.

She prescribed some new medication to help me recover from, but it went too far. I did not back have hyperthyroidism. I was to stop that medication and take the methimazole.

This morning I woke up and my eyes were swollen, the lymph nodes in my next and swollen and I generally feel terrible.

The doctors warned that surgery might be my only option. I may soon have a thyroidectomy and after that, orbital eye surgery.

Wax On

How are you feeling? The socially exceptable response is “Ok”. Even when I’m not “Ok”. Because with two chorionic progressive autoimmune diseases, I am by definition, always sick. Unless of course ... no one really cares about the answer. Or I redefine normal to the state of being one is in when living with two chronic progressive diseases. So maybe today, I’m just “Ok”.

I’m having another wonderful day with the effects of Graves Disease. This morning, I woke up feeling bloated. When I look in the mirror, I see pregnant man. I don’t remember when I went to bed last night -- sometime after the end of Fear the Walking Dead. I woke up around 5AM and could not get back to sleep. I woke up feeling anxious.

I tried the meditation app this morning but it did not help with symptoms and only alleviated my anxiety for a few minutes. I guess three minutes is better than none.

I drank 887ml of water this morning. I drank about 1892mL per day over the weekend. It seemed to help with symptoms especially with my eyes. However, this morning I feel pressure behind my eyes; again. To my co-workers I must look like shit.

My endocronologist says the disease waxes and wanes but it seems to be “waxing” right now.

Money doesn’t matter if you’re dead

Graves' Disease - A Man's Perspective | GDATF

I was a Naval reservist and had to go in for a routine physical. The ship’s corpsman noticed my resting heart beat was one hundred and ten beats per minute. He sent me over to the Naval hospital for an EKG and to be evaluated by a doctor. A corpsman took my EKG and asked me if I was feeling OK. I said sure, no problems! I was told to rest ten minutes and they would do another EKG. Ten minutes later, they came back and found me asleep on the table. Talk about resting! They did the EKG again and my heart rate was one hundred and twenty beats a minute. Next thing I know, I am on a table in the ER, stripped down to my skivvies with doctors shining lights in my eyes and poking every conceivable part of my body. The doctor wanted to admit me into intensive care because he thought I was on my way to a thyroid storm and I could get very sick, very fast. The man got my attention. I told him there was no way they were going to put me into the hospital (doing my male thing again). I explained to the doctor that I was a reservist and if he put me into the hospital, they would have to put me on active duty. The doctor listened to my concern about being in the hospital and said “Mister, money doesn’t matter if you’re dead.” Once again he got my attention.

I had my first thyroid storm last weekend.