Memory problems on carbimazole

[HyperBee01]

I have Graves and an overactive thyroid, taking 40mg carbimazole daily for the past 2 months. I’ve already had terrible memory but I think it’s gotten a lot worse since starting carbimazole. Has anyone else experienced this? Is it related? Every single day I struggle to remember whether I’ve already taken my tablets or not. I can’t even remember a single thing I did yesterday. I’m only 22. I also have huge trouble concentrating. My insomnia, fatigue and muscle weakness have all got worse too. Isn’t carbimazole meant to help?! Doesn’t feel like it

[greygoose]

How was your Grave's diagnosed? Did they test the Grave's antibodies, TRAB or TSI?

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Have you had full Thyroid and vitamin testing.

Are you 100% sure it's Graves. Has endocrinologist tested TSI or TRab antibodies

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4, TT4, FT3 plus TPO and TG thyroid antibodies and also very important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Low vitamins are very common, especially with a Graves or Hashimoto's

Private tests are available. Thousands on here forced to do this as NHS often refuses to test FT3 or antibodies

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

Medichecks Thyroid plus ultra vitamin or Blue Horizon Thyroid plus eleven are the most popular choice. DIY finger prick test or option to pay extra for private blood draw. Both companies often have money off offers.

All thyroid tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and fasting.This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, GP will be unaware)

If you have low vitamin levels then you may find strictly gluten free diet helps

Ideally ask GP for coeliac blood test first

amymyersmd.com/2017/02/3-im...

chriskresser.com/the-gluten...

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

scdlifestyle.com/2014/08/th...

[beesting1966]

Sorry I can not help but just wanted to offer you some support and just to say I know how you feel as the same is happening to me.

I hope they are able to regulate you soon.

[glo42 in reply to beesting1966]

Sorry to read that you are not feeling well. All thyroid sufferers go on the roller coaster where some days are better than others. This heatwave doesn't help us either. Make sure your Endo or GP know how you are feeling and please don't suffer in silence. Take care xx

[purple64]

Welcome to Graves' disease since I was diagnosed last March I have found that I need to write things down whereas before I had a pretty good memory no need for shopping list etc. It's an absolute pain and I have to write it down the minute I think of it otherwise it's gone. I also forget names of things so we have a lot of thingies in our house😄. I asked my friend a while back how her fish were but what I really meant was feet luckily she is under active so knew what I meant . You are still young and hopefully you will find a way to retrain your memory to help you also you haven't been on Carbimazole for very long . Hope it improves for you soon take care.

[humanbean]

I've just read your previous posts and have read that your current dose of carbi wasn't based on blood test results but was based on what was commonly prescribed.

If I've got the wrong end of the stick, then my apologies.

If I've got the right end of the stick then its time to find out what blood test results you've had, recently and in the past. If you're on too high a dose of carbi then you could be hypothyroid, possibly quite severely so. There is a lot of overlap in the symptoms of hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism. Insomnia, fatigue and muscle weakness are quite common in hypothyroidism, they aren't just symptoms of hyperthyroidism.

I know you said that you were a poor student, but prices for some basic blood tests are not necessarily hugely expensive. A basic TSH, Free T4 and Free T3 test can be bought for £31 today (it's Thyroid Thursday at Medichecks today until midnight - after midnight the price will be £39).

medichecks.com/thyroid-func...

Regarding historic blood test results, rather than make an appointment and ask your doctor for these you can write a letter to your surgery and ask for copies of all blood tests you've had over the last 6 years i.e. since before you were diagnosed as hyperthyroid. Mention specifically that you want results and reference ranges. Specify that you will come and collect them.

When you do collect test results or anything else copied from your medical records take proof of identity with you.

Once you have copies of your blood test results copy the ones that SlowDragon mentioned into a new post for us to see. If you copy the results as an image make sure that you don't show your personal details.

[humanbean in reply to humanbean]

Oops, just read this :

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Thyroid Thursday is different this week to normal and is lasting four days.

[lilytkn]

Hi me too was diagnosed hyperthyroidism 2 months back and was on a lesser dose of carbi which is 20mg daily. I encounter other side effects which is burping and having a sense of bloatedness in the stomach daily in the morning. So far no memory problem. Sorry cannot give much advice but just offer some support and to say I know what’s its like to be in it!take care

[ling]

Hi HyperBee01, sorry to hear about your situation. I had memory problems about a year plus after being diagnosed. I am more than twice your age and thought at the time it was early onset dementia. Pretty freaky.

If u've been diagnosed some years ago and the hyperthyroid has not been adequately brought under control all this time, then your body should be in a state of siege by the condition and in the process of being worn out. Aside from the usual nasty symptoms like palpitations, weight loss, etc, important mineral and vitamin levels might also be affected if a good supportive diet is not in place. These all add up and in turn could trigger other symptoms like memory problems.

I had atrocious eating habits all my life. One of the biggest reasons for the memory problems. Luckily for me, something as simple as starting a fish oil supplement helped to largely resolve the memory issues. This showed me how important a good diet is. Btw the choline in soft boiled egg yolks are also very good for the memory. But bear in mind the high cholesterol in egg yolks.

One last thing. U might want to get the body dysmorphia addressed since it might be affecting the way u eat. I too had body dysmorphia when younger and was also anorexic. I believe these conditions are partly responsible for my hyperthyroidism. On hindsight, it would have helped greatly had I gotten those disorders addressed. I might be healthier today

[HyperBee01 in reply to ling]

I’m glad your memory is better now, I’ve also wondered if I’m this bad now then I’d probably have dementia by 50!

Thanks for the support, I appreciate it. I’m finally getting my BDD addressed, I have an appointment next week. I also just turned vegan (after being vegetarian most of my life), but I’m incredibly picky with food so it’s possible I’m not eating enough of what I need to

[Valarian in reply to HyperBee01]

You will need to think about your calcium levels, as Graves’ can impact these.

Graves’ causes the metabolism to run faster than usual, which is why people experience (temporary) weight loss This might be part of the dizziness. Given your recent switch to a vegan diet and everything else you’ve got going on, I wonder whether it’s worth requesting a referral to a dietitian?

[ling in reply to HyperBee01]

BDD? The body dysmorphia? If you're getting this dealt with, HURRAY!

I was struck by this affliction in my teens and not realising it was an illness, never had it treated. On hindsight it morphed into anorexia in my 20s. Looking back, those periods feel now like I was possessed by some evil and had zero control over the havoc I was wreaking on my body.

I can now clearly say that body dysmorphia and anorexia are the same as being ill and requiring treatment. The afflicted person simply cannot understand the hurt they are raining on themselves. Getting help early will possibly help stop further damage down the road. It will help work through the complicated mental tangle that surrounds food, dieting, weight gain and loss, self-image, self esteem. We do not view these subjects as well people do. What we eat, to eat or not to eat, these can be incredibly complicated decisions.

So yes! Please do something about the body dysmorphia AND do get the hyperthyroid under control. I can tell u for a fact, untreated hyperthyroidism wreaks unbelievable damage on your body. Together with the body dysmorphia, its a double blow to the body.

As for early onset dementia, it can begin way earlier than 50.

Lastly with regard to stress, try to dial back on that as much as possible. It triggers new hyperthyroid symptoms and exacerbates existing ones