After reading about adrenal fatigue and a link to hypothyroidism, I began to realize that a bunch of my symptoms fit really will with hypOthyroidism and not hypERthyroidism. While I’m convinced I still have some adrenal issues (I’m going to see a naturopath next week), a bunch of my major symptoms fell into the hypo category, such as:
- dry hair (coarse and wiry, as opposed to ultra fine like it usually is)
- dry skin – even bumps on my arms and super dry skin on my face)
- muscle weakness – legs tired easily and felt heavy
- muscle pains/cramps/spasms – upper arms and calves were particularly prone
- lethargy – I’m normally I super high energy person
- mild depression (not so much depressed, but less happy than usual)
- poor circulation – pins in needles in hands and legs very easily, especially at night
- major water retention in face, back, stomach, legs, upper arms, etc.. I had a roll of water around my upper stomach. When I came off PTU this roll was slowly getting smaller
I came off PTU 8 days ago. I was feeling better than I had in a really long time, and was my usual happy self (whom I had almost forgotten completely), when POW! My eyes started going…It started to feel like bad allergies. I could feel my eyes swelling and the muscles getting tight. My TED had been in remission since last year, 15 months in total. However, I was still on PTU and didn’t realize my Graves was in remission too. When I stopped PTU my thyroid returned to what felt like normal function, but my eyes just started bugging me again. I took some PTU and they’re feeling better, but now I know if I come off it completely my eye symptoms while return, which means I’m still producing anti-thyroid antibodies and PTU is holding me steady.
I’ll have to ask my endocrinologist if I can take PTU and maybe a small amount of Synthroid or Armour so that I don’t feel hypo, but also so my eye symptoms don’t come back. I forgot how horrendously terrible my eyes felt. It truly is the worst part of Graves Disease. You look and feel just terrible. Given the choice, I choose hypo over TED! (thyroid eye disease)
Update April 20, 2012
I’ve been off PTU since Monday and so far everything is going great! I still have some Graves antibodies, but not enough to make me symptomatic. Amazing! And to think I almost had my thyroid killed.
I think my other symptoms are due to hormone imbalance. I had 4 pregnancies close together (only 2 successful). I just read about postpartum estrogen dominance and adrenal fatigue and think it may be the reason for my fluid retention, numbness & tingling and muscle spasms/cramps.
Have you been tested for Celiacs? It is very common in people with thyroid and anemia issues. And it can express itself with symptoms that look similar to adrenal fatigue. If you decide to get tested, do not go on a gluten-free diet first. You need to have the antibodies in the blood or you could get a false negative.
I was tested and came back negative. I did try giving up gluten for 3 weeks and didn’t notice a difference. I suspect I have hyperadrogenic dysautonomia, which seems to be improving with time (thank goodness). But interestingly, Celiacs was the first thing my doctor suspected!