Thursday, August 4, 2011

Finding out you have Thyroid Disease isn't good news~

A fine good Morning to all my friends out there...Just look at this beautiful picture..it's the Perfect Sunset on the waters of Lake Erie just off Kelley's Island! My friend Mark took this on My Birthday and sent it to me.. I just love it.. its one of the reason I fell in love with boating on the Lake...
I have recently had some good news and some bad news... for the past few months I've not been feeling well at all.. You've heard me complain of the heat something I really never had a problem with..I could sit in the sun for hours on the boat and be perfectly fine but over the past year or so the heat has bothered me o the point of hiding from it. I even mentioned how badly I felt in one of my post from being dehydrated from the heat.
In another post I told everyone about my Sjogren's disease and how it has affected my eyes.
Over the past year I've had other things that have seemed odd like feeling really anxious, restless, even depressed, Which of course with the Ohio weather this year who wouldn't feel that way..hehe..
Then I started having rapid heart beat for no reason then it would go away, weird..I thought what is that..maybe the heat ...
Then my Blood pressure went from low to high.. never had High Blood pressure, Then my Cholesterol sky rocketed. My Sjrogren's got worse
Then on May 31 my favorite past time became hanging out in the bathroom sitting on the throne. Nice way of saying it..LOL.. Which I atributed to the change of diet eating on the Island daily, the heat and all the water I was drinking..It continued to get worse to the point that I was hanging out on the throne up to 10 times a day which was of course adding to the dehydration...By July 31 I was so exhausted and so sick I left the island and went to see the Doctor..I just couldn't work anymore...
I have a new Dr. my old one resigned..I really like the new Dr. he actually knows about Sjrogren's disease and what it can do to the body so we were off to a good start..
He took one look at me and said young lady don't know what's going on but you don't look so good...Tell me what's going on....so I gave him my symoptoms and explained the last two months. He checked me over and then proceeded to tell me that he felt that I might have one of three things or maybe all three.. One being a bacterial or fungus infection in my intestines. Fungus infection could be caused from Thrush that I get due to the Sjrogren's that might have spread to the intestines.. Great I'm thinking...
Or as he said from everything you have told me and your last Blood test you could have Thyroid Disease I see your Thyroid was high last blood test. Did Dr. Q put you on any medication for that. maybe we need to adjust it. I just looked at him in shock...Dr. Q had told me 3 months ago that my thyroid was fine..
Dr. K was shocked as well and siad really... Ok well now I think I know wher we need to take this.
He ordered Blood work, stool sample & I had it done July 31st.
Monday the nurse called me to say No Bacterial Infection and no Fungus infection...so that was ruled out and I was glad to get that news. I ask did they get the blood work back on the Thyroid & she said no not yet.
Tuesday morning I actually received a call from Dr. K personally. He said I have good news and bad news.
The good news is I can now tell you what is wrong and why you are so sick...and we can fix the problems.
The bad news is you have Hyperthyroidism which is High Thyroid hormones released into your body which is really dangerous if not taken care of .
He said your Thyroid test #'s were twice as high as your last blood test done 3 months ago,which explained why you were getting worse by the day.
Now for any  of you who do not know what the symptoms of High Thyroid are let me share them with you.
  • Anxiousness, irritability, nervousness, depression
  • Insomnia
  • Thinning hair
  • Diarrhea or an increase in bowel movements
  • Irregular heartbeat
  • High blood pressure
  • Frequent sweating and feeling hot
  • Muscle pain or weakness
  • Visual disturbances
  • Skin problems
  • Elevated heart rate, atrial fibrillation
  • Increased Cholesterol count 
There are others but these are the symptoms that I have.
Now he says.. for you there are some added complications because you have Sjrogren's. He had another Blood test run and said we would discuss it when I returned for my next vist..so I guess I will know more about any complications there might be.. he also said he wanted to rule out Graves disease which is caused from the Thyroid.
I am now on meds and he has told me that it will probably be for life bu if I am lucky, really lucky the meds may actually turn things around and I might not have to take them for life but not to count on it.. Lucky me we all know my luck... but I shallpray about this and maybe I will find some good luck...Hehe..

It takes up to 6 weeks for the meds to fully kick in and start controling how much thyroid hormone is released.
I can say that my visits to the throne have gone down Thank God...I have read 4 books in the past 2 months hanging out on the throne....hehehe...they were good books!! I even started a new one.. Oh no, I might have to make pretend visits tot he Throne so I can finish it...its pretty good too...

I do feel a little bit better..now that I have rested for 4 days.. We shall see what this weekend of work does to me...

I'm glad I finally know what is wrong and I am grateful to be on meds..especially after the Dr telling me that working and sweating like I was & being so dehydrated could have easily led to a heart attack condisering the Thyroid problems.. As he put it you are Lucky you didn't have a heart attack Tonya!!

If you think you have any of those symptoms go get a blood test Thyroid disease is not good at all and it puts your life at gret risk.

Now as much a I hate to say this I much get packed up and head to the Island I have a hous to clean today and then my weekend starts..11 houses from now to Monday..uggg...

Have a wonderful day my friends!!
Until we meet again may the sun shine on your face and may your day be filled with wram memories!!

Hugs
Tonya

PS..I may not be commenting but my slow lap top won't let me but I have been reading everyone's post and commenting where it will let me.. Your not forgotten and thank you all for all your wonderful comments..
 

13 comments:

  1. I hope you get to feeling better Tonya,and glad you at least got some answers to whats going on!! I have the opposite, low thyroid and have been on meds for several years for it. I'm glad you went to see the Dr. when you did and you take it easy with that cleaning girlie! (((BIG HUGS)))

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  2. oh I am so happy this new doctor knows what he is doing and that you are on meds to help you get better...please take it easy with those 11 houses..I am having hubby get into the doctors to get checked as he just isn't up to par..will have him make sure they do some blood work.;)

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  3. Glad to hear you went to the Dr. I have the opposite I have Hypo which is no fun either. I have been on meds for years and they do help. Don't push yourself to soon.

    Donna Never~So~Simple

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  4. hi, Tonya
    So glad he found he cause~ I know many folks that have hyper~ and my neighbor has graves~ she has lived with it for over 20 years & does well, she raised her children & worked, and still works she is a teacher~
    I have hypo, but mine is barely anything, I just get sluggish~ take low dose meds everyday to help~
    Prayers for you~
    smiles
    Teresa

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  5. Thyroid disease is pretty common though unpleasant. My Mom has had it for years. The dr. keeps checking mine but says it's ok. Maybe I need a new dr.! I will have one, eventually. Since we don't have insurance, we have to go to University and they have forever long waiting lists for appointments. I called 3 months ago and still haven't heard from them. Good thing it isn't an emergency!
    You need to take it easy--don't push yourself so hard. FYI~the heat is hard on everyone. Don't think you are immune to the heat!
    ★Linda★

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  6. Hi Tonya,

    So glad he found out what it was and you're starting to feel better. I have Thyroid disease too...only the opposite of you, I have hypothyroid. My Mom has hyperthyroid and I watched her suffer with it for a long time before they found out what it was. They eventually killed off my Mom's thyroid gland completely cause they couldn't get it under control.

    The one I have makes you feel pretty much like you described but REALLY sluggish and tired....I could have slept non stop until they finally found out what I had. It took several blood tests and a whole lot of hair loss before I found out what it was. Apparently it doesn't always show up in the blood work!

    You need to get as much rest as you can whenever you can!

    Let us all know how you're doing :)
    Hugs
    Connie

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  7. Sorry to hear this Tonya, but glad you know what you are dealing with now. Wish they could have found it sooner. Take care & feel better soon! ~*~Lisa

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  8. I hope you get to feeling better. It is no fun being sick. At least they know now what is going on. Hope you feel better soon.
    Tamera
    Country at heart

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  9. Woman take care of yourself ! Im thinking bout ya and praying for you ! hugs lil raggedy angie

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  10. This slow puter drives me nuts...can't bring up anyones blog tonight but mine...
    Thanks you all for your comments.. Is it proper to say I'm glad I'm not alone in dealing with this.. seems a little on the cutting edge... But I knew very little about the thyroid and what it does and can do when it is out of whack.. I think the doc really scaredme when he siad i was lucky I didn't have a heart attack.. he also explained why he said it... which I didn't mention above. I guess since my Blood pressure went up, the Cholestrol went sky high, my Sjrogren's went haywire,the sweating from the heat & Diarrhea mixed with to much Thyroid Hormones being produced & I was getting so dehydrated which is as the Doc put it an open invitation for a heart attack..
    Personally I wish I didn't have to work for a couple of weeks but I need the money so its not an option but I'm going to take it easy. If renters have to wait on me they have to wait on me..I'm not gona kill myself over impatient renters..or money..

    By the way have i told you all lately how special you are? Well each and everyone of you are really special and you make my day!!

    Hugs
    Tonya

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  11. Girlfriend, what are we going to do with you....
    My daughter Wendy has had thyroid disease for 9 years now. It was discovered when she could not get pregnant. She also took a drug that killed her thyroid, and will be on meds for ever. She gets tested every 6 months and her meds are always adjusted. Thyroid disease is nasty stuff, I watched her suffer with it, her Dr. said she probably had it for years. She has had her 8 year old tested because she shows many of the symptoms, but at this time the blood test are negative. I still think she has it cause she acts just like Wendy did when she was little.
    I am so sorry, will pray the meds will work, do not get discouraged if they need to be changed quite often as the thyroid fights the meds. Blessings and Hugs
    Connie

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  12. Sorry to hear of this Tonya - but glad it's been diagnosed and is being treated....I've known folks with both hypo and hyper and neither is fun. But reading some these comments now has me wondering - my dr (who recently retired) was always checking my thyroid and thinking I had to have a problem b/c I seemed to have all the symptoms...but said my tests were normal...Now I read comments like Connie's that say it's not always detected in blood tests. Yikes. Anywho...hope you get to feeling better....and 11 houses before Monday? Why is it that I won't be able to even get just this ONE puny house done before then??? Smiles & Hugs ~ Robin

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  13. Generally, untreated thyroid disease can lead to complications that are irreversible. With appropriate treatment of natural thyroid supplements, a person has more chances to recover.

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I'm so Blessed that you stopped by & shared your thoughts with me today! Reading your comments always makes me Smile!