Living with Grave's Disease

Here is a little bit more about me.  I really hedged on whether or not to post personal things.  I feel a bit different when it comes to medical conditions, though, since some people want information from those who go through it.  It can be a comfort to know you are not alone.  It is important to keep in mind that not all experiences are the same.  What I've gone through may not be the same what as you or your loved one has.     

I was diagnosed with Grave's Disease in 2010.  I was tired all the time, my eyes were protruding, and losing weight rapidly, but that part I never noticed, and so I went to the hospital.  Okay, I honestly went to the hospital because I was being yelled at; this person thought I was being dramatic, but I wasn't.  She also thought I was exaggerating the pain from the herniated disc until she went with me to the neurosurgeon who was surprised I could even sit...anyway, that's in the past, and I'm sidetracking.  I get to my GP's office and see the PA.  She checked my heart and noticed it was overly fast.  She asked for a second opinion from my GP who knew what was wrong instantly.  She asked if I had felt my heart racing at night, and I hadn't.  It was going so fast that it could have stopped at any minute.  She said to get to an endocrinologist right away, so I did.  Right away, he knew what it was, and I went in for some tests.  He put me on two medications for Grave's, but within a couple of months, my hands began to itch uncontrollably.  It actually started while I was playing a game of cards at my grandma's.  Then it happened to the tops of my feet.  It was the oddest thing, and I wanted to chop my hands off.  Since I was allergic to the anti-thyroid medications, he sent for a radioactive iodine treatment.  I took it; it was pill encased is a giant pill-shaped metal container.  I wasn't allowed to be around anyone, especially kids and pregnant women, for a week.  My hair started to fall out in clumps, which I knew what happened--the thing is, you may be prepared for it to happen, but when it finally does, you don't know quite how to cope.  At any rate, I was put on Synthroid following the iodine treatment.  Hopefully, someday, I will no longer have to keep needing adjustments.

My t-levels keep fluctuating, I am constantly bloated (which worsens during certain times of the month), my hair is still falling out (though not as much as before), and I still get hand tremors occasionally.  There have been times when I've been out and a friend has told me to stop the tremors because they "freaked them out".  Do they think I enjoy not being able to hold a glass or eat because my hands are so shaky?  I also know when my meds are off because I become tired quickly.  Those things come with the territory.  In a nutshell:  I was hyperthyroid, they made me hypo, and as with people with thyroid problems, I am on medication for the rest of my life.  I wondered if it was genetic, since my mom has thyroid issues, but they are not sure.  She has been incredibly lucky because she never experienced any of the side effects I have, like the nausea after taking the medication or the problem with not eating right away (I get really sick if I don't eat soon after taking the meds).

If you have any questions, feel free to ask!