Thyroid storm- who has had one?

[VintageChick]

Hi all

I was wondering if anyone has experienced a thyroid storm and what it was like. I'm asking because I'm not sure if I've had one while undiagnosed. I ended up in hospital on a drip with IV steroids but they are convinced it was an isolated allergic reaction. Following this I went to my GP and was rapidly diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and later Graves disease. I've never had any answers about my hospital visit though so was just wondering.

Thanks in advance x

[nostoneunturned]

Hi. you can read about thyroid storm on this link, hope it helps identify what happened to you which sounds bad.

thyroid.about.com/od/hypert...

[nostoneunturned in reply to nostoneunturned]

I also followed the link on lower left to further details on thyroid storm - I hope you did not have it and never get it for it is very dangerous.

[VintageChick]

Thank you. I've read this description before and was wondering if anyone had actually experienced it for themselves. I had most of the symptoms on that list but everyone seems very keen to sweep it under the carpet. The doctors couldn't work out why my heart rate was so high even after fluids and steroids and no one explained why I was unbearably hot and incredibly thirsty and very twitchy. Ho hum.

[editfmrt]

It sounds to me like you suspect something is being hidden from you. If that is the case (and nothing would surprise me) one way of investigating is to make a subject access request for your complete medical records, firstly from the hospital. Subject access requests usually ask you for details of what you want to see. Besides stating you want all records and notes from time of admission to time of discharge - I would specify you want copies of all lab test results with reference ranges, what medication you were given and a copy of the discharge letter that was sent to the GP.

They may not be hiding anything but on the other hand it is not unknown for patients questions to be evaded if they think colleagues (including GPs) have missed a diagnosis.

[VintageChick]

Thank you, I didn't know any of this. I have the discharge letter which is very dry and states only that I had a one off allergic reaction. I'll track down the rest now. Thanks again!

[misky]

Hi, I think I was on the verge of a thyroid storm last March, also after a missed diagnose at the A&E. I went to see my GP because I was having severe headaches, she discovered my heart rate was very high and sent me to the A&E with a letter in which she suggested hyperthyroidism. The doctor at the A&E was incredibly stupid and sent me home with Co-codamol, but the next morning I went back to the GP practice and asked to be tested for hyperthyroidism. This was on a Friday. The next day I got extremely ill and my condition worsened over the next days. By the time a very worried GP called me on Tuesday, saying I had to come in as they got the blood results back, I wasn't able to walk or talk anymore. I lost 10 lbs. in a couple of days (10% of my body weight), was completely out of breath, shaking like a drug addict and sweating constantly. I couldn't eat anymore, I had no energy, couldn't stand on my feet. My partner literally carried me to the GP practice, where they immediately put me on medication. I'm still writing letters in my head to this incredibly stupid A&E doctor who completely missed the signs of hyperthyroidism and who could have prevented this disaster by just doing a simple blood test, which was recommended by my GP - and even I had suggested it (thanks to Google). Go get those doctors if they made a mistake!! They have to learn!!!

[VintageChick]

Wow, scary. My GP has been amazing but looking back when I was in the hospital, I complained that I was excessively thirsty and the consultant said that I had eaten a bag of crisps with my lunch and that was why I was thirsty! a week later my GP also phoned up and said I had to come to the surgery immediately to get started on the drugs. Thank goodness we have GPs who are on the ball! Good luck with everything.

[Penandink]

Yes I had a thyroid storm in 1992,I had a severe case of organic thyrotoxicosis which led to me being mis-diagnosed and put onto anti-psychotic drugs,again a simple blood test would of shown my thyroid gland was literally having a mad party.The thyroid storm was very scary as I could not walk because my heart was beating so quickly,my mum who was a qualified nurse suddenly realized it was my thyroid and I was taken from the mental unit to the medical hospital. I have some lucid memories of that summer but because I basically lost my mind due to the surge of thyroxine in my body I experienced lots of dark hallucinations and heightened senses,funny that some people would pay lots of money by taking drugs to have the same effects that my body gave me!