Newly Diagnosed with Graves Disease

[Bumblebee]

Hello. I am glad I found a forum for Graves Disease. I was diagnosed with Graves Disease about a month ago. I have done the radioactive iodine treatment (liquid) exactly 2 weeks ago. I feel WORSE than I did before. I am SO fatigued and SO weak. I am actually a dancer on a performance company and am now doing the bare minimum required of me. My muscles are weak. The other symptom I've lived with for a long time is feeling like I'm in a major fog. I explained it to my husband and feeling drunk 24/7. Does anyone else feel this way (disconnected?) And has anyone felt that get better? Has anyone's muscle strength returned after a few months after treatment? I would really appreciate any stories anyone has to encourage me.
Thank you so much.
I pray for my energy back to handle my 2 teenage sons and my career. Is this a possibility?

[GD Women]

I never had problems of such. I don't think its the RAI but rather the disease. It takes time for the body to heal and that is after you start thyroid med. and level are stable. You probably had Graves' a long time before you even knew it, so it will probably take as long or longer to heal. Hang in there, it gets better, but it does take time. Like Rome, it wasn't build in a day.

[Jgei]

Hi. I had RAI and felt just like you do. It took a few weeks to get better. It's been 16 months and the doctor isn't sure it has worked yet and I am on 15 mg of Methimazole. I feel great now and don't want to go threw the feeling super hyper again so I hope it will die off on it's own but who knows. I felt terribly weak and my heart was beating so fast all the time. Also the thought of some foods made me feel sick. It was all I could do to get up and move. I was also so hot I could hardly stand it and this was January. I hope you feel better soon and it works for you. Good luck :)

[316Believer]

Hi! I am newly diagnosed too! I didn't know there was a diagnosis until I went in for a routine physical and my levels came back so low they repeated the test. Also again 2 weeks later, still that low. Endo confirmed I not only have Graves, I have had it so long that I am B12, Vitamin D deficient and now have Osteoporosis. I am only 40 and always been healthy as a horse!

I was active Army for 8 years so I have always been active. That's where I learned not to complain about anything, even heart palps, tachycardia, insomnia and mental fog so deep I panicked one day when I thought I was driving the wrong way to my house (I wasn't but it was really scary). :eek:
I kind of just explained them away and didn't think they might all add up to a diagnosis.
I have now made the discovery that I not only need to know my lab results, understand them, but also need to have a copy of them.
I go back this next week for the "treatment talk" visit. I am not sure what to expect. I am on beta blockers to lessen my 110+heartrate (but I have low blood pressure and the beta blockers have made it even lower 93/53). So NOW, I can exhausted to everything else! :D I guess if I don't laugh, I'll cry. What should I say yes to and no to? I don't know if he's a good Endo or not, I don't have a measure to go by. Judging by all the posts here and the experience you all provide, I need a good Endo.

Thanks to all of you who are giving experience and making us newbies feel less anxious about all this!

[GD Women]

Make sure endo. works with and treats lots of thyroid patients per year. Most work with diabetic patients, so thyroid is way down their list of expertise. I had one like that, who was useless so never went back.