Nausea and Graves

[enelyak]

Hi Everyone,

I am a 43yo Mum of 6 from Australia.

I was diagnosed with Graves disease while having blood tests for other "symptoms" (leg/hip pain). My TSH levels were .008 and my T3 and T4 were elevated but not over the top. I had a nuclear thyroid scan which confirmed the diagnosis. I have seen an endocrynologist who has put me on Neo mercazole 20mg/day. I was diagnosed last month and have been on meds for 2 1/2 weeks.

Before diagnosis, I did perspire alot more than anyone else i was around and also had a racing heart and occasional irregular beats but didn't think it was a problem. Actually, thought that the night sweats were pre menopausal.

I was irritable and upset sometimes but thought that I just needed to get that under control. :-)

Since the scan, my symptoms have really increased. Much more sweaty (it is summer though), heart racing, had really bad hip pain, finally lost 2kg after years of trying to lose weight, and now, in the last few days I have become quite nausea. When I wake in the morning I feel really sick and need to eat as this helps somewhat. During the day, it is just there, making me not feel that great.

Is it possible that the scan and amount of Iodine they use, can increase the symptoms someone with Graves has? Or is it just that it's a "mind" thing where i now know I have Graves and so the symptoms have been pointed out to me and I'm noticing them?

Am seeing the endo in May and will have a blood test in 2 weeks time to check levels. Any wisdom on the Nausea though, it's new to me.
Thanks so much,
Kay

[Andros]

Hi Everyone,

I am a 43yo Mum of 6 from Australia.

I was diagnosed with Graves disease while having blood tests for other "symptoms" (leg/hip pain). My TSH levels were .008 and my T3 and T4 were elevated but not over the top. I had a nuclear thyroid scan which confirmed the diagnosis. I have seen an endocrynologist who has put me on Neo mercazole 20mg/day. I was diagnosed last month and have been on meds for 2 1/2 weeks.

Before diagnosis, I did perspire alot more than anyone else i was around and also had a racing heart and occasional irregular beats but didn't think it was a problem. Actually, thought that the night sweats were pre menopausal.

I was irritable and upset sometimes but thought that I just needed to get that under control. :-)

Since the scan, my symptoms have really increased. Much more sweaty (it is summer though), heart racing, had really bad hip pain, finally lost 2kg after years of trying to lose weight, and now, in the last few days I have become quite nausea. When I wake in the morning I feel really sick and need to eat as this helps somewhat. During the day, it is just there, making me not feel that great.

Is it possible that the scan and amount of Iodine they use, can increase the symptoms someone with Graves has? Or is it just that it's a "mind" thing where i now know I have Graves and so the symptoms have been pointed out to me and I'm noticing them?

Am seeing the endo in May and will have a blood test in 2 weeks time to check levels. Any wisdom on the Nausea though, it's new to me.
Thanks so much,
Kay

Hi there busy mom, Kay!! I know you don't have time to be sick; that is for sure!

So.........when did you have the radioactive material? It can cause more hyper symptoms.

Doc maybe should raise your Neo-Mercazole. So I suggest you give him or her a call tell what is going on w/ you. You are having a hormone imbalance as the thyroid is part of the hormonal system.

The only thing I can suggest is to drink ginger tea or chew on some ginger as it is great for nausea. But do mention this to the doctor as well.

And perhaps a beta blocker would be a good idea?

Let us know how you fare and welcome!

[nasdaqphil]

G'day Kay and welcome!

Are you sure they gave you a scan dose and not an ablative dose?

The dose of radioactive stuff is much smaller for the uptake scan than it is for ablation (destroy the thyroid).

Would you happen to know what dose of RAI they gave you?

It does sound like you are hyper. My belly gets upset too when I toggle over to the hyper side - it's not fun.

If you are hyper, Propranolol (a beta blocker) can help until the iodine wears off. Ask your doc about it.

[enelyak]

Thanks so much for answering. The scan was 4 weeks ago. I just checked my scan which was called a "Thyroid Scan" and they mention the thigh to neck uptake being 12 (<5). They don't mention the dose sorry. It certainly was not the ablation treatment though.
Didn't think of ginger, though I might give that a try thanks. Just hadn;t even experienced the nausea till a few days ago and didn't know if it's Graves or maybe the meds.

Thanks for your help
Kay

[Andros]

Thanks so much for answering. The scan was 4 weeks ago. I just checked my scan which was called a "Thyroid Scan" and they mention the thigh to neck uptake being 12 (<5). They don't mention the dose sorry. It certainly was not the ablation treatment though.
Didn't think of ginger, though I might give that a try thanks. Just hadn;t even experienced the nausea till a few days ago and didn't know if it's Graves or maybe the meds.

Thanks for your help
Kay

Kay, you are welcome and please keep in touch so that we know how you are doing.

[nasdaqphil]

Is it possible you are pregnant again causing the belly issues?

[enelyak]

He He...NO! :-) Last child is now 13.

[hyperteacher27]

I certainly can relate with your symptoms. I tend to doubt that the amount of iodine in the scan affected your symptoms. My experience with graves is that I had always had various ailments that I just chalked up to being chronic, but not serious (tummy troubles every once in a while, aches and pains every once in a while, anxiety every once in a while, skin irriatations every once in a while...you see the pattern...)

But over a short period of time (a month and a half or so) everything just became exarcerbated and I was sweating ALL the time for seemingly no reason, my pulse was racing, I was so hungry but also very nauseous and had frequent trips to the bathroom, and I became very very itchy.

Since having my RAI treatment on Nov 31st, I have improved TREMENDOUSLY. Literally it is the best I have felt in years. So please have faith and hope that there is a light at the end of this confusing, scary, and annoying tunnel.

Stay strong!

[Andros]

I certainly can relate with your symptoms. I tend to doubt that the amount of iodine in the scan affected your symptoms. My experience with graves is that I had always had various ailments that I just chalked up to being chronic, but not serious (tummy troubles every once in a while, aches and pains every once in a while, anxiety every once in a while, skin irriatations every once in a while...you see the pattern...)

But over a short period of time (a month and a half or so) everything just became exarcerbated and I was sweating ALL the time for seemingly no reason, my pulse was racing, I was so hungry but also very nauseous and had frequent trips to the bathroom, and I became very very itchy.

Since having my RAI treatment on Nov 31st, I have improved TREMENDOUSLY. Literally it is the best I have felt in years. So please have faith and hope that there is a light at the end of this confusing, scary, and annoying tunnel.

Stay strong!

Thank you for this very nice and encouraging post.

[enelyak]

Originally Posted by hyperteacher27
I certainly can relate with your symptoms. I tend to doubt that the amount of iodine in the scan affected your symptoms. My experience with graves is that I had always had various ailments that I just chalked up to being chronic, but not serious (tummy troubles every once in a while, aches and pains every once in a while, anxiety every once in a while, skin irriatations every once in a while...you see the pattern...)

But over a short period of time (a month and a half or so) everything just became exarcerbated and I was sweating ALL the time for seemingly no reason, my pulse was racing, I was so hungry but also very nauseous and had frequent trips to the bathroom, and I became very very itchy.

Since having my RAI treatment on Nov 31st, I have improved TREMENDOUSLY. Literally it is the best I have felt in years. So please have faith and hope that there is a light at the end of this confusing, scary, and annoying tunnel.

Stay strong!



Thanks also for this. It really does sound similar to me. I feel a bit less nauseas today. Didn't think much of it, but last week I had a cortisone injection into my outer thigh for Bursitis and have just read yesterday that this can also cause nausea. So......who knows?
Kay