My first remission from Graves' lasted from age 28 until age 41 or so, and I have my hopes up for another long remission. Whenever I feel out of sorts or get heart palpitations, I begin to wonder if the hyperthyroid symptoms are returning, but so far, so good. The last set of labs showed TSH at 1.2 and everything else perfect, too. And almost 28 months after my thyroid eye disease reappeared, things are much more normal—just a little sweling around the right eye, and a little double vision left in a coupleof peripheral fields. Not sure if this will ever go away (caused by the bellies of the ocular muscles having become swollen, attacked by my own immune system), but I can certainly live with it. I will always have a bit of a bulgy stare, but not severe.
I was worried when I took a job last March as a nurse that the stress of it would make me sick again, but it did not. And I always had blamed the stress and intensity of nursing school for my recurrence, but in truth, having had a baby at age 37 is probably what triggered the relapse. some of the symptoms began when he was still a toddler, and childbirth is a very common trigger. Just some thoughts. Posting a current picture, showing the eyes. My husband says the right one will still sometimes pop open during sleep, but as my ophthalmologist put it, the corneas tend to stay covered during sleep because the eyes naturally roll upward. So, not much chance of corneal ulceration at this point.
That's my update. Best wishes to those of you with Graves' reading this little blog of mine.
1 comment:
Hi!! You look great! Congratulations on the good news! I am doing really well myself. I think the biggest thing for me is that I hardly remember to check these blogs anymore- so that must be a good sign. I feel good and the biggest worry was my eyes and they are fine. I really believe that the worst is behind me. And I have nothing to complain about compared to other stories that I've read about. Thank you for this blog, responding to me when I contacted you and being so informative. I wish you all the best with everything! I still hope for remission even though I am still on PTU. But if that doesn't come and I have to stay on this drug- so be it. I feel grateful that I didn't have to go through anything worse. So can you update us on your plans? Will you contine this blog with your original intention and interject updates now and then on your status? I would love that. And I have you bookmarked so I will definitely check in. Please!
Thanks again!
Peace,
Kelly
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