I have Graves Disease -Diagnosed Feb 2019 I am 48 year old female Began with Hyperthyroidism. Methimazole meds took me quickly to Hypothyroidism within months- Anyone else have Dry Cough, clear Phlegm and Chest pain? These came on when I started to go from Hyper to hypo. I’ve been to 9 different doctors since Feb. PCP, 2 different OBGYN docs, Orthopedic Surgeon, 2 different Endocrinologists, Cardiologists, Opthamologist, and a trip to the the ERI had an MRI a couple of months ago of my spine and a CT Scan of Chest yesterday. Waiting for results on CT. Cardiologist ran all heart tests saying my heart is fine. He said did CT Scan to calm me down. Said most doctors wouldn’t do the test based on my history and symptoms. He also said I have Costochondritis from coughing and thinks the pain in same spot is caused by my stress. My Endo said he believes I have a viral infection causing my cough because it’s going around. 6 weeks now I’ve had this annoying tickle cough. I’m paranoid, impatient and scared I’ll find out I’m dying. Every time I’m cleared of something another pain arises. This illness has made me so depressed. I’m down to taking only 5mg of Methimazole Monday Wednesday and Friday. Has anyone else has a Phlegm in their throat with dry sounding cough and chest pain? Not a terrible pain just a dull pain now and then. It Comes and goes. It’s just scaring me to where I can’t focus and fearing I’m going to leave my 3 kids without their Mom. Any help or thoughts are greatly appreciated!!! Thank you!
Anyone else Dry cough with Phlegm, chest pain? ... - Thyroid UK
Anyone else Dry cough with Phlegm, chest pain? - Graves Disease went from Hyper to Hypo?
Hi Kim,
So sorry you are feeling so bad. Before my TT I was on Tapazole myself for 2 years. I have always suffered from allergies and had asthma as a kid, which I noticed got worse when I was diagnosed with Graves. With the list of specialists you have seen, I assume allergies have been ruled out. The clear phlegm and cough could be allergy related.
Have you had your white blood cell count checked? Tapazole causes decreased white blood cells which can cause infection - bacterial or viral.
If it is not any of that, I have a friend who is hypo and she also had a cough with phlegm for about 2 years - doc upped her Synthroid because he thought her cough was thyroid related . It is too soon to tell - she just started her additional Synthroid a week ago.
There are so many possibilities - always a problem with thyroid and Graves. I wish I had more suggestions for you but wish you all the best - Graves is not an easy disease and sending you positive thoughts today.
Thank you so much for your kind words and help! Just hate feeling like I’m nuts! Yes, my white blood cell count was checked 2 months ago and was good. This cough is on and off and thank God doesn’t wake me at night. Just a tickle during the day and Phlegm in my throat. Reading the internet is making me crazy thinking the worst. I thought allergies too at first. I never had them like this though. This pain in my chest had me fear it was my heart so I went to a cardiologist. Now it’s not so I fear it’s a tumor someone missed! Cardiologist said I’m causing this with anxiety and fear but doing Scan to to relieve my anxiety. I slouch and he says he feels I’m tending making the pain and the cough caused the soreness. I’ve heard people get the nasal drip when hypo. Unfortunately most doctors don’t tell us that. No one ever mention allergies either. ER dismissed me like I am a women with a sore throat and sent me home. I was so embarrassed. My poor husband sitting there and dealing with my every ailment. I’m driving everyone crazy I’m sure! I am just Praying my Scan comes back all okay and perhaps just an infection from this dreadful illness to put my mind at ease and make me sane. I was never like this in my life. Always positive and full of energy. Thank you again so much for replying! Also, all the best wishes and prayers to you and your friend to feel better too!!!
Hi Kim,
I feel you - sometimes with Graves thyroid symptoms we really think we are going crazy. I had symptoms for years that I thought were just because I was getting older and had a stressful job - NO - they weren’t. Thankfully I was not dismissed as crazy even though I felt that way.
You’re not alone if that’s any comfort - and this disease is really tough with no good answers and no great treatments either. But you are definitely not crazy and what you are experiencing is what many of us with thyroid disease suffer every day - including docs who dismiss us. And of course being female is another problem - it is well documented that when women complain of symptoms they are often made to feel that they are imagining things.
There is hope though - you will eventually get to the bottom of things - and please don’t even go to that place where you think your kids will not have their mom. As a friend of mine once told me, “that’s a train that stops at a bad station - don’t get off there”. God willing you will get some answers and hopefully you will feel better. Sending you good thoughts today and wishing you all the best. Keep us posted on your progress. Hang in there.
Thank you so so much Greekchick. You helped me so much today with words I needed to hear to get me through! Always the best to you!! Xo
Hello Kim
I'm with Graves Disease diagnosed in 2003 and had RAI treatment in 2005.
You are very early on in your journey with Graves.
You body clock has been running very fast, in the hyper phase, and now you have been medicated too quickly down into hypothyroidism and probably feel like you've hit a wall at 100 mph. It will take time to adjust, your body isn't a racing car, and the thyroid and your body need time to adjust to everything.
I think it would be a good idea to get your ferritin, folate, B12 and vitamin D measured, as when both hyper and hypo your metabolising is not running properly, going too fast or probably now too slow, so you could be deplete in these building blocks for core strength and stability.
The anti thyroid medications should be titrated to bring you back into a balance that allows you to feel well and continue with your life. There is more than one anti thyroid medication, so know you have options should the first medication not suit you.
It is a difficult time there is a lot to read and understand about Graves Disease, I read somewhere that it tends to mimic other health issues ?
Graves is an auto immune disease which attacks the thyroid, and with the thyroid being such a major gland the symptoms can be said to be life threatening.
The NHS do not currently know how to treat the auto immune component of this disease so simply suggest removing the target of the attack, the thyroid.
The thyroid is the victim in all this and not the cause, the cause is your own immune system attacking our body.
Graves is an auto immune disease and as such for life, it's in your blood, and in your DNA.
There is probably some genetic predisposition maybe a generation away from you and I read it can be triggered by a sudden shock to the system like a car accident or an unexpected death.
If you check out the Elaine Moore Graves Disease website in the States it's all things Graves for all Graves patients. It is a well respected and researched platform, much like this amazing website, and there are open forums and support. It is Stateside so medical protocol maybe slightly different but definitely worth dipping into. The website goes into much detail on what you can do to reduce your own anti bodies, including, diet, life style, work and stress release tactics and alternative treatments, and I do believe Elaine Moore who has this disease is still active in helping people with their Graves journey.
Hello pennyannie,
Thank you so much for taking time to respond and help me! My vitamin D was low and B12 was high. I added more D just yesterday to my daily vitamin routine. I just can’t believe how much your thyroid affects everything! It’s been a spiral of ups and downs. Sadly more downs. Been adjusting my diet and I can tell I catch every sore throat my kids get. Never happened to me in the past. Just the aches and pains on my 48 year old body has me feeling decades older. Depressing. I see people active and I’m jealous because I don’t have the energy. Every time I go back to my workouts I get bounced back down to an ailment. I will definitely check out Elaine Moore! Thank you for that great info! I feel terrible I never knew about how horrible this illness was. I’ve heard people had thyroid problems but never understood until now. I feel for all those with this or any other illness they suffer. To not have a good quality of life is terrible. My love and prayers to you and all who go through this! Thank you again so much!!❤️
Kim
Please conserve your energy and stop competing whether it be in the gym or your garden, you are wound up so tight, you can't keep thinking you can beat it, just accept that at this point in time, your body needs to try and relax, loose the stressors, and try and turn off. I know it's difficult, one part of you is driving a racing car but the car is now an old jalopy so can' do it.
Remember the Duracell bunny, well your battery is going 19 to the dozen but you body is shattered and you've cymbals burnt out with wear and tear.
Does that make any sense or ring any bells, in fact , maybe I'm wrong, did the bunny even have cymbals ?
Seriously, though, anti thyroid medication, especially Carbimazole, can give you a sore throat, this is serious Kim, you need to tell your doctor about this immediately.
Carbimazole can lower your white blood count which in turn means you immune system is compromised and you will be open to more infections, this is a serious side effect of some anti thyroid medication and you need to tell the doctor immediately.
I was advised if I developed a sore throat to go straight to A & E - I don't wish to worry you, but it needs checking out - what does the medication information leaflet tell you about the possible side effects of the medication ?
I know I went to ER and they really were like you’re fine! I had my white blood count checked about 2 months ago. It was good. The Endo said my Methimazole dose was so low not to worry. 5mg 3xs a week. Sore throat is gone but this post nasal and cough gave me Costochondritis. 6 weeks this drip and cough on and off. Thinking o have bronchitis or pneumonia or even a tumor. Should know my CT results tomorrow! The stress is just the worse thing I’ve ever experienced! My mind is driving me nuts! Thank you Pennyannie so so much!!!!❤️
I was diagnosed with mild Hyperthyroidism on Dec 2017; on Jan 2018 I started a treatment with Methimazole and in March 2018 I started to feel cramps on my hands and legs, my fingers got swollen when minimum effort (typing computer keyboard, for example) and I got problems to walk because of the muscle pain.
So I stopped to use methimazole immediately (because it was the only drug I was using these days) and I started to get better in two weeks approx after stopping it. No more pain, cramps or weakness; feeling completely sane.
My hyperthyroidism is pretty mild, so, sometimes blood analysis return high values but still on range and other times out of range but close to the upper normal value, so my doctor suggests me to wait and see before starting other treatment (RAI treatment would be the option).
So, after feeling so so bad with methimazole, I completely would prefer living with this hyperthyroidism that using it again 
Be well Kim, be objective, do not let your mind go crazy; I was there Kim and imagining all of that terrible stuff that could occur (but it did not) does not feel good and does not help at all!
Hi Aanxioous!
Thank you for your reply and hope you feel back to 100%. Two of my Doctors said they do not like Methimazole. Although I’m on a low dose by Endo said my numbers are improving and lowered me to only 3’days at 5mg a day. He has more positive than negative responses to the drug.
The muscle pain, weakness and chest pain causing me severe anxiety. Before Methimazole I had no chest pain like this or cough. Today, I should get my results of my CT Scan. Praying the last 48 hours and feeling like the biggest burden on my husband and kids. Kids don’t know anything I am just not myself and have little energy for anything. Just want to lay in bed (although I can’t!). Because these other issues came about after months on Methimazole I’m thinking it may be the culprit as well. Just lowered the dose this week and praying all gets better soon!
Thanks for your reply and help! Sending you well wishes!!
Best,
Kim
Keep us updated with the CT results, please!
Hi Aanxious
I am so relieved and happy to report my Cardiologist just called and all clear from my CT!!!!!!!!. They checked my entire chest, kidneys, liver, heart etc. no tumors and all normal! Told me to try to eliminate stress and take a vacation z I Wish I could relax on the beach that’s for sure! Just knowing there’s no tumors causing my issues and it’s completely Graves Disease is a gift to me today! Thank you and all of you who reached out to me! My love and prayers are with everyone for excellent health and positive happy thoughts! Xoxoxo ❤️
yay!!!
enjoy a good and well deserved vacation!
Congrats! Fantastic news! Go celebrate and do something special for yourself! ❤️❤️
THANK YOU!!! Sending you all the best! XO
Hi Kim, saw your post - keep us updated - hope all goes well today . 🤗
Hi Kim. Do you have TRAb or TSI antibodies test confirming your Graves diagnosis?
Hi Long,
Yes, two different Endocrinologist have confirmed Graves through these antibody blood tests.
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