Update on my health post a while ago

[jkjsooner]

A few weeks ago I made a post asking if anyone has had symptoms of rapid weight loss, loss of strength and stamina, and general tiredness. I can't find the thread. I figured I owed you all an update.

After a bunch of blood work, I was diagnosed with Graves Disease. It's an autoimmune disease that causes an overactive thyroid. Once I started seeing the blood tests come in it all made so much sense.

The name sounds a lot worse than it is. They started me on meds and literally within a couple of days I seemed almost back to normal.

I was definitely worried that it could have been something more serious - not that this is something I can take lightly. Buit on a lighter side, the weight loss was pretty good timing since I recently went to the beach. ;-)

[bluedogok]

I have a similar autoimmune disease but with the opposite effect, Hashimoto's disease affecting the thyroid as well. I have taken thyroid meds since I was six years old. Good luck with the treatment.

[8timechamps]

You and I don't always see eye to eye on things, but I'm glad to hear you got a diagnosis and got things squared away.

Glad to hear you're feeling better.

[Turd_Ferguson]

Good to hear!

[olevetonahill]

Ya lost weight? Where can I catch this disease?

[OUinFLA]

Ya lost weight? Where can I catch this disease?

you lost about 150 pounds when you dumped that bimbo you brought to Florida.

[dwarthog]

Good to hear they figured out what was wrong and that you're on the mend.

[jkjsooner]

Thank you all for your well wishes.

And, vet, I suppose I could periodically forget to take my meds if I need to lose weight in the future. I'm sure that would be a really bad idea though. :-)

[olevetonahill]

you lost about 150 pounds when you dumped that bimbo you brought to Florida.

[olevetonahill]

Is this sompun yer stuck with or can it be cured?

[jkjsooner]

Is this sompun yer stuck with or can it be cured?

I think I'm stuck with it. There is no cure.

[rock on sooner]

JKJ, glad you got a diagnosis and a treatment...good luck.

I also posted a while back about my son and Meniere's Disease..
also no cure, just treatment....he's on meds and everything appears
under control but it's a long term deal, too.

[olevetonahill]

I think I'm stuck with it. There is no cure.

JKJ, glad you got a diagnosis and a treatment...good luck.

I also posted a while back about my son and Meniere's Disease..
also no cure, just treatment....he's on meds and everything appears
under control but it's a long term deal, too.

Prayers fer All Yall.

[jkjsooner]

I have a similar autoimmune disease but with the opposite effect, Hashimoto's disease affecting the thyroid as well. I have taken thyroid meds since I was six years old. Good luck with the treatment.

I read a little about that while I was researching my issues. So in your case the immune system attacks the thyroid. In my case the immune system mimics the thyroid stimulating hormone (produced by the pituitary gland) so the thryoid keeps generating generating more and more T3 and T4. My tests showed an extremely low TSH (since the pituitary is saying don't generate more) and high T3 and T4. A third test showed the antibodies or whatever mimics the TSH.

[jkjsooner]

JKJ, glad you got a diagnosis and a treatment...good luck.

I also posted a while back about my son and Meniere's Disease..
also no cure, just treatment....he's on meds and everything appears
under control but it's a long term deal, too.

Sorry to hear that. It's good that it is under control. Having inner ear problems and vertigo doesn't sound pleasant at all. Hope it remains under control.

[8timechamps]

So jk, what kind of medication did they put you on (not the specific name, rather what the drug does)? Does it decrease your thyroid output?

[bluedogok]

I read a little about that while I was researching my issues. So in your case the immune system attacks the thyroid. In my case the immune system mimics the thyroid stimulating hormone (produced by the pituitary gland) so the thryoid keeps generating generating more and more T3 and T4. My tests showed an extremely low TSH (since the pituitary is saying don't generate more) and high T3 and T4. A third test showed the antibodies or whatever mimics the TSH.

Yep, that is basically it. It is also a hereditary condition, my mother, sister and grandfather (mother's biological father) had it. My infectious disease doctor feels the Hashimoto's played a big role in my bacterial meningitis illness in January due to a compromised immune system.

I did have a co-worker in the late 80's who grew up with an overactive thyroid (not sure what the condition was) until it burned itself out when she was in college and had to go to full synthetic meds as a replacement. My father-in-law was on replacement thyroid but that was due to chemotherapy for throat cancer that killed his thyroid gland.

[jkjsooner]

So jk, what kind of medication did they put you on (not the specific name, rather what the drug does)? Does it decrease your thyroid output?

Yes, it decreases the thyroid output. Unfortunately I've put on 8 pounds since starting it but still not back to the weight I was at a few months ago. Hopefully I reach equilibrium at around where I was. We'll see.