Last month, I had to get several blood tests to get my thyroid checked. I had an enlarged goiter on my thyroid, but not severe enough to require removal of my thryoid. I had been putting off by going to the doctor for several years after first signs of symptoms started showing. It was due to the lack of Endrinologists around in the state of Utah which was why I didn't get any treatment earlier. My father found one doctor up in Murray. That doctor was from Iran and she was very nice. She had only been here for some years. The doctor said that from the tests, she found out that I was onset on having thyroid storm meaning it could be fatal. I did have the recurrence of Grave's disease. I was mild hyperthyroid when I was a senior in high school. After one year at BYU, my thyroid hormones had been stable. I had been blessed to have three children when my thyroid levels were excellent. It was difficult to try for a baby when you are hyperthyroid or hypothyroid. After treatment for hyperthyroid, then I could try again and it would be easier with the next time around. The doctor put me on PTU, an anti thyroid medicine, along with Propranolol for the heart condition. The reason was because my heart beats very rapidly even when I'm at rest. My heart rate could go up to 150 beats per minute and never below 90 beats per minute. It was amazing on how my heart could beat so fast, like a hummingbird, which it was probably why I didn't gain weight, being tired easily, and out of breath easily. I get real shaky if I didn't have enough blood sugar in my system. The only way to cease shakiness was to eat. I tend to eat up to 3,000 calories everyday, sometimes more. The positive thing on being hyperthyroid was that you could eat whatever you want and not gain weight, but the negative thing was if I did not get any treatment, then I could have an early cardic arrest or death. Shocking, isn't it? I had been left untreated for quite a bit of time. Of course, my husband was glad that I was checked in time. He doesn't want me to die on him. I told him that I could still live as long as I could and would only die if the Lord wanted me to. I have to keep taking the medicine for about one or two years, maybe more. I wouldn't be able to get preggy til I'm finished with taking these meds and my thyroid levels were back to normal because the effects that the medicine could impact on the unborn fetus. The medicine I took for my thyroid condition made me really tired and I get dizzy sometimes. I was not supposed to drive if I took the medicine. It was like taking Lortab, Codeine, and Oxydone.
It'll be a long treatment for me and I do hope that the medicine I'm taking will be a success. There's only 50 percent chance that my thyroid will return normal. If the success all fails, I'll have to take radioactive iodine meaning I become hypothyroid and will have to take the pills for the rest of my life. I hate taking pills and I tend to forget sometimes. Wish me luck!
