Graves vs menopause

[Suebu63]

Hi all. I have Graves' disease, diagnosed in May but unsure how long I had this as I was putting my symptoms down to menopause. Dizziness, palpitations, intolerance of heat, sleepless nights, hand tremors, aches, pains and stiffness in joints the list goes on. The symptoms just sort of crept up on me but I've been feeling worse since the beginning of this year.

I have always been a very easy going person yet I now find myself getting irritable at the least bit thing, very unlike me so I'm wondering if anyone can shed light on this, if something annoys me I get this feeling of rage then I go all hot and I can feel my face getting red, it's awful. It's hard to explain it but i know all you good people with your knowledge and experience will be able to either relate to me or at the least understand how I feel.

I'm currently on 20mg of carbimazole and also taking propranolol for palpitations while waiting for the carbimazole to kick in.

My next endo appointment is the middle of August, I have to get a blood test the week before the appointment then collect the results to take along with me. It's only my second appointment and will discuss this with him as well, just wondering if my moods and rages are going to get better along with the rest of these symptoms when my medication kicks in.

Thanks for reading.

[duster]

I know the feeling. I'm quite a laid back person who seldom gets angry. I thought I was going through the menopause and struggled on for 4 years, I kept saying to friends how bad it was, I was always sweating and exhausted and I was always angry. My doctor was treating me for menopause, it wasn't until I lost over two stone that I was diagnosed with graves. All my blood tests before that had come back normal. Yes it does get better once your levels come down but it takes awhile.

I also had eye disease very bad, I found that very frustrating and Made me very short tempered but I overcame this by exercising.

Must say now after six years, eyes back to normal and so is the rest of me. Still on the drugs though.

[Suebu63 in reply to duster]

Thank you duster, your making me feel better knowing this isn't permanent. Just before I seen your reply I could feel myself starting to simmer just because my curtains are pulled open too far and they don't look right, things like this have never bothered me before so I can't understand why it bothers me now.

[Ianswife in reply to Suebu63]

I have graves and am ratty and short tempered . I feel a little better than I did but still have a long way to go . I hope you start feeling better soon .🙂

[Suebu63 in reply to Ianswife]

Thank you Ianswife. I'm just not used to feeling like this and I don't really like myself. I'm sure it will pass, the people around me will just have to put up with it for the time being