Has anyone had Hyperthyroidism?

canfossi · #1 09/14/07, 05:31 PM

I mom just contracted it from a viral infection. She's 60 and has been to the Dr. and is taking the correct medication (beta-blockers and asprin). Does anyone know how long the symptoms/condition lasts? She feels rough right now and is ordered to get lots of rest. Any more experiences/advice would be helpful. Thanks Chris

zookeeper16 · #2 09/14/07, 05:45 PM

I have hypothyroidism. Never heard if it being contracted by a viral infection?

canfossi · #3 09/14/07, 06:41 PM

Yes, that what her Doctor told her, how long before things get back to normal? Chris

sapphira · #4 09/14/07, 07:12 PM

Hyperthyroid is a result of a disease which can leave a goiter or such. I have never heard of a virus affecting a thyroid.
Fooling with hormones is very very serious and can all but destroy a person. I would get your mom to an Endocrinologist asap. They will identify and treat correctly.
If not, and you think this is correct treatment, just remind her to be calm and know that any meds doing anything with a hormone has to get in the system for awhile before it evens out and really does any good. Hormone imbalance causes a myriad of problems. It just does.
I have graves disease, had my thyroid fixed (almost destroyed-but only thing to do) and take synthroid. First dosages gave me a fever, then it took a year to even out on right dosage for me. I am sure there are more folk on here to tell their experiences and be of some help. S.

canfossi · #5 09/14/07, 07:22 PM

She saw the endocrinologist yesterday and she increased her Beta-blocker. and told her to take aspirin, (which I guess reduces the inflammation of the thyroid?). Today they did a thryoid scan and took pictures and she has to go back for follow up on the 26th, she's being monitored closely and in good hands with the Dr. She feels crappy though? So after it settles does is that the end of this? How long do the symptoms last? I have read something that she can become hypothyroid then? Thanks Chris

Jenn · #6 09/14/07, 07:52 PM

The virus agitates the thyroid so it pours out extra thyroid hormone. Eventually it burns itself out and this turns into hypothyroidism and she'll need to take thyroid meds- but this can take years sometimes. Common scenario- probably some hypothyroid folks did the same thing but didn't notice the first stage (or it wasn't actually hyperthyroid as the virus went through)

affenpinschermom · #7 09/14/07, 07:56 PM

I had it after the first summer I lived here in southern Ky. I let it go way too long and by the time I went in I had lost 20 lbs (which I could not afford) and my heart had been racing at about 140 beats per minute for a couple of weeks. She put me on short course of prednisone and I felt much better within 24 hrs. She told me that it could have been caused by a virus or possibly from working so hard in excessive heat when i wasn't used to it. I have since then learned I have MS and thyroid problems are common in MS patients. I felt absolutely miserable! Hope you are feeling better soon.

Up North · #8 09/15/07, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sapphira

I have graves disease, had my thyroid fixed (almost destroyed-but only thing to do) and take synthroid. First dosages gave me a fever, then it took a year to even out on right dosage for me. I am sure there are more folk on here to tell their experiences and be of some help. S.

Same experience here, except I did not experience side effects from the synthroid. Rapid unexplainable weight loss and an abnormal(elevated) amount of energy and drive were the symptoms prior to treatment for me. As long as I take my Synthroid and have my levels checked periodically, life is pretty normal for me. The only real change since the big treatment where they used a big 'ole horse pill of radiation to destroy my thyroid gland is that I no longer require or desire more than 5 hours of sleep a day. Rather odd, but that has been my experience.
I am not a physician, but from what I have learned hyperthyroidism is a serious condition which can lead to weight loss, emaciation, loss of vision, and if left untreated can lead to organ shutdown followed by death.
I opted for treatment, and have resigned myself to being on Synthroid possibly the balance of my life.
Also, one must be careful to not allow too high dosage of Synthroid, as this can damage the Heart muscle tissue.
I can only suggest that you listen carefully to the physicians, and don't hesitate to get a second opinion if the treatment are not yielding a positive result.
Mark

Siryet · #9 09/15/07, 09:40 AM

I ignored my symptoms for years and finally landed in emergency room dying.
I had congestive heart failure (Thyroid heart), kidney shut down, liver infection and so much water in my body I could not breath laying down.
All due to my thyroid, an my reluctance to go to the doctor, (Long Story).
Due to God and the great doctors He gave skill to, I survived.
I will suggest that your Mom follow doctors suggestions exactly and yes she will feel "different" as they adjust their medicines.

crashy · #10 09/15/07, 11:30 AM

I have cronic hypothyoidism aka Hashimotos disease. I have to take levoxithyine(sp?) every day and will for the rest of my life. I know how cruddy you feel when your thyroid is acting up. But once they get the meds in order and your body responds to it your mom will feel better but it takes TIME for the meds to work correctly.
As for the viral thing I have heard of a thyroid storm but never that the thyroid as a viral thing.
Your mom will have good days and bad. BTW has she been checked for auto-immune disease? Because thyroid disorders are an auto-immune disease. If she has that she needs to watch out for other things like MS, rhumatoid arthritis stuff like that. I am being tested for rhumatoid now.
Hope she gets it all worked out.

Up North · #11 09/15/07, 10:29 PM

The Doc met me at his office to explain my treatment options. He says "We will give you a radiation pill to destroy your thyroid gland. You will take ten days off work and stay at your cabin. You are forbidden to come within 30 feet of any infant, as the radiation you will be emitting would permanently harm a child."
I sez "Doc, surely there must be another way?"
The Doc says "Well, you could buy an old dairy farm in the cold country, a herd of cows, and a worn out Chevy Truck. Then marry an Irish gal and pop out a few kids."
I sez "Doc, will this really help me live longer?"

The Doc says "Nope, sure won't...but it will seem like an eternity!"

EasyDay · #12 09/16/07, 07:19 AM

My ex had Graves disease (hyperthyroidism). His heart raced constantly. He was a nervous wreck because his body was in total exhaustion, yet he couldn't sleep because of his over-active thyroid. He was given that radioactive pill that eliminated his thyroid.

I'm the opposite. I have Hashimotos disease (hypothyroidism). I didn't even know it until I put my hand on my throat one day and noticed a huge goiter. It was the size of a softball. Took two years to tweek my synthroid dosage, but I'm fine on it now.

Re: cause by virus... In all my years of seeing an endocrinologist in VA Beach, he never once mentioned it caused by a virus. However, I just started seeing an endocrinologist in AR and he explained that Hashimotos disease usually IS caused by a virus, unless it was passed through genetics. No one in my family ever had thyroid issues, so I guess it was viral for me.

Re: medication... My endo-guy in VA insisted on name brand Synthroid, which Tricare wouldn't cover because there is a generic available. So, I paid out of pocket. Here in AR, my GP said there's no difference so it was up to me. I asked my new endo-guy in AR... he feels okay about the generic. I researched myself and saw where the Synthroid was sued by the generic company for falsely downplaying the effectiveness of the generic, so I use the generic now. MUCH cheaper for me.

culpeper · #13 09/16/07, 06:17 PM

Hyperthyroidism (thyrotoxicity) can be triggered by a virus. Having too much of the thyroid hormone in your system affects every organ in the body, including the skin. Graves' Disease is the most common form of hyperthyroidism and it truly is a Nasty.

http://www.mayoclinic.org/graves-disease/symptoms.html

What this site doesn't tell you is that there are many more symptoms as well, and that one can lead to another. For instance, if you have bowel frequency (normal stools, but several or many times a day) or diarrhoea, you'll soon get haemorrhoids. And because of the disease attacking the muscles, you'll soon become faecal-incontinent. And so it goes.

Also, hyperthyroidism (GD) can lead to diabetes Type 2 (quickly, too!), and chronic heart problems, and muscle wasting (GD attacks the muscles, of which the heart is just one), and kidney stones. To mention a few.

Because it affects the heart, you also get blood pressure problems. This is what causes the tremor which is mostly in the hands but can affect the entire body, affecting everything including mobility. It also causes tachycardia, which damages the heart by making it work overtime. Treatment for this is usually with beta-blockers, but some people can't take these for long, or even at all.

Surgery to remove the thyroid gland, or radiated iodine (to destroy it) are last-resort measures. They cannot and should not be given when the patient is thyrotoxic (ie until the condition is stabilised and the patient is in remission). The drug usually used to prevent the thyroid gland from over-producing its hormone is Neo-mercazole. In severe cases, Lithium is also used short-term as a catalyst for the drugs, and also steroids like Prednisolone which has its own peculiar set of nasty side-effects. Ideally, this is also used short-term, with gradually decreasing doses.

Eventually - it can take many months - with treatment the patient goes into remission. It is at this point that the really aggressive treatments can take place, but a good doctor will hold off, because remission can be long-term. Sooner or later, however, the patient is likely to have another episode of thyrotoxicity, and the whole cycle starts again. Spaces between episodes will vary from patient to patient, as will the recovery time and severity of the episodes.

Often the treatment will cause the patient to become hypOthyroid, and may need to be treated by being prescribed Thyroxine. It's a bit of a balancing act, really, between the hypER and the hypO, and the patient will need regular blood tests for the rest of his/her life.

In short, hyperthyroidism affects the body's entire metabolism, making it work in over-drive so that eventually everything breaks down from utter exhaustion. Untreated, it can turn into a 'thyroid storm' which can be a killer. Even when blood tests show normal levels, it can be a further several months before the patient begins to feel well and function normally.

BTW, a goitre does NOT appear in all cases, though it is very common.

You don't usually die of hyperthyroidism. You die of the effects it causes, usually heart failure, because with each succeeding episode, more damage is done. Because it not only plays havoc with the physical body, but also affects the brain, causing depression, mood disturbance, memory loss etc, it's very much one of those 'hard to live with' diseases. A nightmare, really.