Can’t have a simple sore throat anymore!

Yesterday I woke feeling a little…off. And as the day went by I could feel the telltate signs of a head cold coming on. Woke up at 3am this morning with a throat that felt like I’d been swallowing razor blades. So…bearing in mind the warnings of my Dr., rang her office as early as I could. I sort of assumed she’d say something like “See how you feel tomorrow” but no. Turns out they take this sore throat thing very seriously. I had to go get a full blood test as soon as possible and make sure they process it urgently. This is to check there’s nothing funny going on with my white blood cells. So currently waiting on results which should be back in the next hour or so. Of course in waiting I’m feeling better – throat feeling a little better, no fever. Really tired but then I didn’t sleep well. Work is not thrilled I’m off sick…especially as I only have a week to go and I’m done with them (yay!).

I’m also having some intense tingling in my left hand that seems to have started at the same time as my increase in meds. When I talk to the Dr later I’ll ask them what they think this is. My GP looked up drug interactions but couldn’t find it so hopefully the endo will know more.

OMG all the dramz! Ready for a holiday.

Deja vu all over again

New blood test back and a call from my endocronologist. “No change”. I mean…what? Despite increasing the dose from 2 up to 3 x 5mg carbimazole per day…no change. My T3 is still too high and is exactly the same as 6 weeks prior. So the doctor describes me as a puzzle and has asked me to go up to 5 tablets per day. Now most of the time, the dose is decreased…not increased! Can T3 toxicosis be resistant to drug treatment?

Meanwhile, I still get heart palpitations from time to time, but not as often as before. I still have trouble sleeping but always have had. And my muscles are sore and my skin is itchy. I guess I should have anticipated a set back.

Another month, another blood test, and another doctor visit at the end of it. Sheesh!

And also by then, a new job which I’m looking forward to. Hopefully, a change of scene will do some positive things for my health. I mean…c’mon!

Turning around

So lots and lots has happened since my last post.  Almost too much to tell.  But here’s some of it.

My sister has had surgery to remove two malignant tumours.  After a week in hospital, she’s now home, still in remarkable spirits for someone who has been through so much.

With that and a lot of pressure at work, there’s been days I’ve forgotten to take my meds and I’m getting heart palpitations intermittently.  Still much better than before.  I do think I’m beginning to chunk up a bit though.  Could really do without that part.  Guess I will have to be really really careful about eating.  Finding that I still can’t really drink alcohol.  Even two glasses makes me feel quite ill.  And still keeping caffeine consumption low although allowing myself the off cup of tea here and there.  Next blood test is next week.

And today I was offered a new job with great pay, conditions and they seem to be a really cool group of people with a lot of empathy for their staff.  I’m considering things over the weekend but more than likely I’ll accept and be able to put my current job situation behind me.  With a new sense of strength I can see even more clearly that being there in the first place was the wrong move and not just because it coincided with my diagnosis at the height of my symptoms.

I read somewhere this week that the singer, Toni Childs (not my musical cup of tea), suffers with Graves disease and she had a ten year ‘break’ in order to recover.  In the article she said that she had to change her whole life.  It really brought home to me the need to take this disease seriously as the ramifications can be far reaching not just for the sufferer but their friends and family too.