GRAVES DISEASE, CONCUSSION, INSOMNIA AND CANT LOSE WEIGHT

[NIKEGIRL]

Hi. On a bit of a downer. I’m May 2020 diagnosed Graves. Positive TPO, TSI and TrAb. Dec 2020 had a fall and landed directly on my head. Concussion was diagnosed and a neck injury. After this event I have not slept.for 4 months now because of insomnia. Before this accident I slept ok. So here we are 4 months on and I am still not at work. So I bike 170 miles a week to fill in my day and burn energy. The biking has not got me sleeping any better. PTU is my drug and at my last blood test a week ago TSH was 0.001, T4 was 15 range 10-22. T3 was 17.5 range 2.0-6.0. My eating is super clean and I’m on a calorie deficit every week but I have lost no weight at all. Just absolutely depressed. Low mood. Not sleeping. Not working. It’s all confusing as I slept before this accident. Slowly feeling depression coming in. Sorry it’s not the happiest post. The insomnia is the worst. I have slept when my T4 was 94 and T3 was 45 same ranges as above. I don’t know what is happening

[SlowDragon Administrator]

When were vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 last tested

Are you currently taking any supplements?

Suggest you get cortisol and DHEA saliva testing done (if available in NZ)

Concussion can cause pituitary trauma

[NIKEGIRL in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi. Thank you for the reply. My last vitamin D test was in July 2020. My dr did not test this he also told me to stop taking vitamin d. I did. It listen to him. My vitamin d was 52. Range 50-150. This year I got out in the sun and have got tanned as it has been summer. Also I take 3000iu of vitamin d a day. I am taking 4-5 hours after the PTU B12 1 gram, folate 400mg, b complex, 3grams of l-carnitine, 5grams of glutamine, magnesium 2000mg, vitamin c1300mg, 300mg selenium, zinc, 40 billion probiotic, no iron as ferritin is elevated, I take adrenal support and 5HTP, plus milk thistle for my liver because I am in PTU. These 3 I take in the evening. The magnesium is split between the two dosing times. I have been taking the supplements 7 months. I was taking 400mg a day of magnesium but upped it due to 1000mg due to the tremor being bad and then upped it again because I am biking. I hope I am doing a good job. I had an CT scan, sorry I said MRI to someone else. It showed everything was structurally ok. Definitely a concussion and neck injury. C1, C2 and C3 were out. I’m working with a reputable Physio. I find it hard to go ask the dr for cortisol and DHEA saliva testing as I have trauma. Not making excuses. Thank you

[PurpleNails Administrator]

Insomnia and depression (from the lack of rest) is well know to occur after a head injury. Is your doctor helping & investigating? As symptoms occurred since the accident and not when thyroid levels higher it should not be dismissed as thyroid related.

I do think too much strenuous excercise & too little food intake is not going help your health. Focus on eating well & relaxing gentle relaxing exercise.

Take care

[NIKEGIRL in reply to PurpleNails]

Hi. I had an MRI when the accident happened. No visible damage internally they said. I slept for 3 days after the accident as I literally landed on my head. C1, C2 and C3 were out and I am with a Physio for this. The insomnia started after the 3rd day. I eat 2,500 calories a day and exercise 900 on the bike so 90 minutes. Overall and accumulative I have a calorie deficit of 1500 calories a week at most. I bike 5 times a week. I don’t know what is off. I have been offered a psychologist. Although I have trauma from hospitals and drs I don’t feel this is the reason I don’t sleep. I want to sleep but just lie in bed. Eyes are welling up and yawning up it doesn’t convert to sleep.

[Hidden]

Insomnia & lack of weight loss can be signs of too much cortisol in the body, especially if you have had a head injury as SlowDragon says can affect your pituitary. I would ask your GP to do an early morning blood cortisol test. Between 8-9am the levels should be between 350-550nmol/Ls. Your GP can also do a 24 hour urine test as well.

[NIKEGIRL in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for your message. I have been through a lot of emotional stress in the last 5 years. I struggle to go to the dr. No one is really saying anything proactive around the insomnia. What they are saying is that Graves comes with insomnia but I’ve said all along that my levels were higher than presently and I slept ok. I am with a psychologist and although I am extremely saddened by what happened to my children and get very emotional I do not feel this is the reason I don’t sleep. I just lie in bed and the sleep won’t come. It’s odd. Thank you for your suggestions. I greatly appreciated them

[tromashka in reply to NIKEGIRL]

Im sending you virtual hugs NIKEGIRL xx

[NIKEGIRL in reply to tromashka]

Hi. How r u getting on. Ugh the insomnia is the worst. Bed at 9pm. Up 11pm. Up 2am. Up 3.30am. Tossing and turning. Lighting broken sleep. I see my Endo tomorrow. See what he has to say. He has resigned so it’s the last time I see him forever sadly. Before this accident I slept ok and my blood was so much higher. Now after the accident it’s insomnia. I just need to sleep. It’s weird as well because I am biking 20 miles a day and it’s not making a difference to the sleep. I don’t know how to solve it.

[tromashka in reply to NIKEGIRL]

Oh, I cant even imagine how frustrating it might be. When i cannot sleep i listen to hours of meditations with my headphones on and eventually my brain switch off for a few hours + i hope the info from the meditations gets "recorded" into my subconsciousness if it makes any sense. :)Might it be useful to do MRI again? For a second opinion or defo consult neurologist.

Best wishes of luck and health. Hope the endo will have some useful advice.