One more health update, and then maybe I can stop writing about it for a while. I found out today that I have Graves’ disease, an auto-immune disorder that affects the thyroid. My endocrinologist thought this is what I’d turn out to have, once she heard that I have rheumatoid arthritis in my family, another auto-immune disorder. I’m not sure how it works, but I guess having one auto-immune disorder in my family makes me susceptible to catching others. I also suspect I’ve had this disease for a while, just in a really mild form that I didn’t notice. I’ve had some of the symptoms, such as nervousness, heart palpitations, sweating, and a huge appetite for a long time. Irritability is another of my symptoms, but that may just be my personality. In fact, it’s hard to tell if these were symptoms of a disease, or just the way I am.
So now I’ll be taking methimazole to get my thyroid under control, and it should make me feel better pretty soon.
I had all kinds of fun yesterday when the guy who would be doing my thyroid scan called me to say the equipment he’d be using was broken and he might not be able to do the scan. If he couldn’t do the scan, I would have to wait another month to have it done because the pill they gave me (I think it’s an iodine pill and then they scan how much iodine my thyroid absorbed) would have to work its way out of my system until I could take another one. I kind of freaked out on him when he said that. And then he managed to get the equipment in an hour or so, just in time; he said he had to order a part from out of state. I don’t know how he did it so fast, but I sure am grateful.
Okay, I’m on my way to getting better!
Of Books and Bicycles 
My aunt Frances had Graves’ disease. She lived to be 90 and stayed sharp as a tack.
Just so you know what you have to look forward to once you get to feeling better!
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Finally an answer and you can start treatment! What a relief. Glad the scan guy got the equipment fixed and you didn’t have to wait another month. That would really suck.
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That sounds like good news? A diagnosis, and treatment that’s effective? Sounds VERY good!
I’m glad for you.
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yay…now you can finally get better! 🙂
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Gotta love those auto-immune disorders–just the body’s own defenses coming back to bite ya in the tuchus.
And I’m glad the “freakout” got you something. I can’t believe they were gonna make you wait another g’damn month! Pitching a fit can and does work occasionally.
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Good for the scanner guy! I’m glad you are going to be able to start your meds and start feeling better!
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It’s always such a relief to have a diagnosis and know that you are going to take something to feel better! I don’t blame you a bit for freaking out–I would too if I knew I had to wait another month to get things straightened out! You got that guy hopping didn’t you! 🙂
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Thank goodness you now know what it is and how to treat it. I hope you get used to the meds quickly and start feeling better soon!
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So glad you got your diagnosis, and that the outlook is so very positive. You poor thing – illnesses are so disheartening somehow. I did laugh though over your comments about it being hard to distinguish between what’s ill health and what’s personality. If those are the symptoms then maybe I have it too!! 🙂
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That scanner guy seems nice. A lot of people would have just shrugged it off and stay indifferent. He bothered to try. That’s great.
Best wishes on you getting better and active again.
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So glad you were able to get your scan after all and most importantly so glad to hear you’ve got your diagnosis and can now start proper treatment. Wishing you good well!
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Thank you everyone for being so supportive! It’s wonderful to see all your comments — they are making me feel better already 🙂
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