It has been a LONG time since my last post, and a lot has happened. PJ started kindergarten and is loving it, Liza is relishing the fact that she is thriving in 2nd grade. And I have been sick. Yes, s-i-c-k sick. It all started when I woke up July 3rd. I didn't feel great. I threw up. I figured I had over done it for Jer's birthday. But, after being sick all week, I saw the PA at the clinic I normally go to. She called it a virus, gave me a shot, and sent me on my way. 2 weeks later, still sick and with my doc out of the office, I saw one of his partners. He took some blood and discovered that I had a bum gallbladder. Had several I.V.s, an ultra sound, a CT, and finally a hyda-scan. Saw a surgeon. He removed my gallbladder. 2 weeks later, still very, very sick, doc sends me for an EGD (scope of the upper GI tract). That doctor tells me I have "intestinal reflux" and an esophageal hernia. Basically GERD. Prescribes meds. Meds don't help. Still throwing up several times a day. Through all of this, my heart rate is averaging 120 beats per minute (tachycardia). 11 weeks into all of this, the same doc I have been seeing tells me he is "out of ideas" and I should see a G.I. specialist.
Desperation, and a loss of 15 pounds, leads me to see my GP. His nurse takes my pulse. She says, "That's not right." Looks into my eyes and asks if I have had an eye exam. "Last Tuesday." I tell her. "Nope. I want to check your thyroid." She says, and walks out. Apparently, right there in the hall, she told my doctor to check it. Finally, someone looks at my heart rate as a symptom. Not "Well, you've been vomiting, so it's a little high...."
Two days later, September 15, my doctor calls and tells me that I owe his nurse, Lysa for finding my hyperthyroid.
And this is where it gets sketchy. Since that call, I have had an iodine uptake test (I should have had 7% thyroid hormone in my soft tissues. Sadly, I had a whopping 60%). It's official. I have Graves' Disease. My great aunt Ann had it. We think my grandmother had it. It runs in families. An auto-immune disease that attacks the thyroid, causing it to pump out massive amounts of thyroid hormone. It usually affects women in their 30s.
I was put on a massive dose of PTU (100mg 3 times a day). My ankles have swollen to massive amounts, and I am taking beta blockers for increased heart rate. About a week later, I have decided that the C.I.A would have far better results giving terrorists my new rash than water boarding. I went back to see my doctor. He tells me flat out "I've never heard of this before, but let's face it. With you anything is possible." He put me on a mere 5mg of Methimazole and hydroxin 3x a day + Zantac and Zyrtec 2x a day. Itching and rash have spread to arms and ribs, and get worse every day.
I was supposed to see an endocrinologist yesterday. But for whatever reason (I am thinking spur of the moment vacation) she will be out of the office for the next 2 weeks. So rather than take the chance that my appointment sometime in November, isn't going to change, I found a new doctor. He will see me next week. Here's to hoping to find something to solve the itching and swelling.
