hi all, i'm new so i hope you'll bear with me and excuse the long post, i just hope that it's somewhat coherent.
i'm 21, i got diagnosed with hyperthyroidism late 2019 and a few months ago was told it was due to graves' disease. i've never really experienced any health problems in the past, so it was a shock in itself, and i think due to that i had a rather unpleasant experience involving a panic attack whilst i was in the ACU (after taking my medicine for the first time my heart monitor kept displaying my heart rate as zero and i was convinced i was dying). ever since then, i've had horrible anxiety about my heart. for a good few months after being discharged, i also had terrible chest aches that would persist throughout the day. eventually they went away, and i've chalked that pain up to anxiety as well. it was a very stressful few months for me
however, i still get very uncomfortable sensations sometimes, and it almost always makes that fear flare up again. it's always a brief, sharp pain in the chest, usually occurring after i lay down or take a sudden deep breath. i hate to think that i am stressing myself out over nothing.
i've asked my doctor about this, but they simply told me they don't deal with matters of the mind, so i'm at a loss on what to do for my mental health in that regard. i think the stress is definitely not helping my condition, and i often feel like i do not have anyone to confide in because i find myself repeating the same statement: i do not feel well.
feeling fatigued or ill are generally not uncommon feelings for me, even prior to having my condition, but now i'm not sure when it's a cause for concern. recently, i've been experiencing the chest pains more than usual, along with unusually weak joints (my bones keep clicking, it's not painful but i don't like to hear it happen so often), i am running REALLY low on energy, and i'm feeling rather irritable, along with other things that i'm slightly concerned about.
i'd also like to mention that my endo appointment kept getting rescheduled, so i was on 15mg of carbimazole for longer than i should've been. my dose was then lowered to 5g for a few weeks but it seemed my thyroid levels were still too low, so i was told to stop taking carbimazole completely. for the few weeks that i wasn't taking carbimazole, i felt the most normal i had felt in a while. i then received a letter from my hospital that slightly puzzled me and when calling to question about it, the doctor on the phone seemed rather confused on what to tell me too, stating "it's going to be difficult to determine what dose we should put you on for the next few months" and ultimately told me to start taking 5mg again. that was about 5 weeks ago or so i believe.
i suppose my question would be; do i have anything to worry about or am i simply letting my anxiety and paranoia make me feel worse than i need to?
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First thing is, do you have any actual blood test results? if not will need to get hold of copies.
You are legally entitled to printed copies of your blood test results and ranges.
The best way to get access to current and historic blood test results is to register for online access to your medical record and blood test results
UK GP practices are supposed to offer everyone online access for blood test results. Ring and ask if this is available and apply to do so if possible, if it is you may need "enhanced access" to see blood results.
In reality many GP surgeries do not have blood test results online yet
Alternatively ring receptionist and request printed copies of results. Allow couple of days and then go and pick up.
Important to see exactly what has been tested and equally important what hasn’t been tested yet
For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested for Hashimoto’s (hypothyroidism)
Also EXTREMELY important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12
Low vitamin levels are extremely common, with either
Ask GP to test vitamin levels
Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and before eating or drinking anything other than water .
This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, best not mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)
Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or thyroid antibodies or all relevant vitamins
If TPO or TG thyroid antibodies are high this is usually due to Hashimoto’s (commonly known in UK as autoimmune thyroid disease). But can be slightly raised with Graves too
Anxiety is an awful thing and the more you think about it the worse it gets. It becomes the fear of the fear. You are afraid of having another panic attack so you do have another as the fear brings on another one. The mind is very clever I had the same problem a few years ago I tried everything CBT, hypnosis, medication and nothing helped. I thought I was going to die all the time. I couldn’t be on my own in case I had a heart attack and died. My heart would start banging away then the chest pain and sweating. I ended up in A & E a few time’s thinking I was having a heart attack. I do not want to go back there again. Then I found Dr Harry Barry on YouTube who explains the role of panic attacks and how you can eliminate them from your life and it works and with his help I realised I was creating it all in my mind. He also has many books on the subject on amazon. Don’t let it control your life. You can take control. Hope this helps.
Welcome to the forum, I too have Graves Disease, and I think you might feel more comfortable if you read up and get a greater understanding of what Graves is all about.
The two best places to do this are here, through reading other people's posts, and the Elaine Moore Graves Disease Foundation website.
Do you have any blood test results and ranges to share with us, and do have an antibody blood test, confirming your blood positive for the unique Graves TSI / TRab antibody ?
Graves is an autoimmune disease and not the cause of your illness - the cause is your immune system attacking your thyroid.
The thyroid is your body's engine responsible for your physical, emotional, psychological, mental, and spiritual wellbeing, your inner central heating system and your metabolism.
The AT drugs like Carbimazole are to block your own thyroid hormone production and bring your levels back down into range and thereby, hopefully, reduce your symptoms.
It can be difficult getting the balance of AT drugs right, and it can also take time, and it does need a well experienced endocrinologist to adjust the levels to your individual levels of T3 and T4 and understand " your " individual needs.
The NHS don't give much time to the level of antibodies you maybe dealing with, and hope the levels lower believing your able to " ride out " this phase of the illness. The NHS do not know how to control these antibodies so this bit of the job is down to you.
On the Elaine Moore website there are very many sections on very many aspects of this disease. Check out the holistic, alternative and many other ways to help oneself. It helps you to learn and understand about the bigger picture, about your whole body and mind interconnection, and how you can have an input and control at what may seem a daunting time in your life.
Graves tends to be an anxiety and stress driven disease, and you can have a direct influence by taking small steps in your diet / life style choices .
There is a lot to read and understand, I know, I've been there, so just take one step at a time, and allow yourself some space and time for " you " . Do whatever it is that gives " you " pleasure, anything you enjoy and like, as you are important, you do matter, and you can come through this, and have a good and full life, and everything you could wish for.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Has anyone experienced psychological symptoms before being diagnosed with a thyroid problem?
T3 being reduced, I'm very upset about it. 
At my wits end with being told my TSH is normal 
Finally feeling normal after a year and a half of being diagnosed with t4 and t3.
