https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 08 Apr 2026 03:15:39 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/graves-disease#post-2096549 Thu, 05 Mar 2015 12:01:27 +0000 bunnylove08 2096549@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsHoneyC: try taking the brand name. My pharmacist friend says that the generic has different fillers so depending on where your pharmacy gets their medication it could change and make you feel all wonky. The brand is more consistent. </p> <p>My surgeon cut at the fold in my neck so it doesn't look like I had surgery unless you really look hard. </p> <p>Watch your vitamin D level my doctor had me on 3000 iuc of vitamin D when I was pregnant. If your endo has not checked your levels ask them to do a blood test. </p> [attach=3066/15/nkr0nl.450x600.image.jpg] https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/graves-disease#post-2096487 Thu, 05 Mar 2015 11:34:49 +0000 MrsHoneyC 2096487@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@bunnylove08: Congratulations on 7 years of being cancer free!! Thats pretty incredible. How has your scar healed? I am not 100% happy with my medication, i am lucky that my dr is very open to listening to how i 'feel' vs. not just looking at the blood labs. i persoanlly feel like it needs to be a little higher, i totally feel those wonky high / lows. In april i have another blood draw so we will see how its looking then. We're trying to prep my body to start TTC again so we want the levels to be as perfect as they can be before we start. :)</p> <p>@mrsjyw: I'm not sure if this was directed at me or just everyone here in general but thank you! :heart: </p> <p>@MamaPhoenix: Thats awesome that you were able to make breastfeeding work!! every lactaction consultant i've spoken with says its just so so so much harder when you dont have a thyroid. You should be really proud momma. and your scar looks great! Thats horrible it took so long to get diagnosed!! :sad: </p> <p>@sandy: Just popping in to say that you are such a strong momma, ive never really reached out before but i followed along with your journey as a quiet reader. Wishing you many blessings on your life's journey. :heart: I also didn't knwo you could have children tested, so i might bring that up to my dr. i know its less comon for men to have graves but it will be good to rule it out when the time comes... thryoid issues are no joke. </p> <p>Its hard because its not a physical ailment like a bad back where people see you struggling and sympathise often i find people just think i am lazy or need to get out more to 'perk up' which isn't the case. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/graves-disease#post-2093927 Tue, 03 Mar 2015 23:12:56 +0000 MamaPhoenix 2093927@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sandy: I wasn't sure because I knew that the polycystic kidney disease was genetic and I believe that thyroid disease is too..???. I thought that maybe there might have been some thing in common that effected each other<br /> But sounds like it doesn't. Thank God is right. Did your and your husband get genetic/ DNA testing done to find out those percentages? Just curious as to if we should do the same to find out about the graves disease being passed down to any of our Lo's. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/graves-disease#post-2093918 Tue, 03 Mar 2015 23:03:27 +0000 sandy 2093918@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MamaPhoenix: i really really hope your docs are able to get your thyroid hormones under control. And I really hope it never becomes a major issue for you in trying to have more children :heart: </p> <p>My thyroid issues have nothing to do with why Ava died thank goodness. My husband and I both carry a recessive gene for polycystic kidney disease. We had no idea bc there is no kidney disease in our family as far as we know. And the craziest thing is I'm Asian and he's white so we're genetically diverse as you can get...so the doctors were just shocked. So every time we try to have a baby there is a 25% chance that the baby will get the recessive gene from each of us (just like the recessive gene for blue eyes) and have polycystic kidney disease. And once the baby has it there is a 30% chance that the baby will not survive more than a few days. We had 13 hours. Just like so much in life, we can never take our health for granted bc not everyone is so fortunate. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/graves-disease#post-2093907 Tue, 03 Mar 2015 22:48:34 +0000 MamaPhoenix 2093907@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sandy: I've wanted to ask this so bad sandy but I knew the timing wasn't appropriate. Please forgive me if you do don't wish to talk about it. I will understand.<br /> My question was about Ava. Was your thyroid responsible in anyway? I'm so nervous to ttc again when the drs say its ok. You are so much stronger than me. I don't think I could of been as strong. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/graves-disease#post-2093904 Tue, 03 Mar 2015 22:45:12 +0000 MamaPhoenix 2093904@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sandy: Oh sandy you couldn't have said it better! The glasses thing was so right on. I have been told I was crazy since I was 9. I sobbed so much at 13 when they locked me into a room at the hospital on the psyc ward for 12 days. I was alone and scared. I started to believe over the years that I was loosing it. I was starting to believe those that beat into my head over and over again that I was Crazy. When they finally diagnosed me I cried so so much. It was a happy cry though. Someone finally told me There really was something happening and I wasn't crazy.<br /> I haven't posted much here on Hellobee in the last couple months since the surgery. I was doing amazingly good right after. I remember how at peace I felt and calm like I've never known. My Heart had a normal Beat. Than what was left of my natural thyroid hormone started to deplete and I felt it start to creep back in. The sadness, the depression. It's like when atreu loses artek in the swamp of sadness in the never ending story. It consumes you until you are no more yourself but an empty shell.<br /> That's when I got mad and started dictating to my endo. I feel great right now and I'm even loosing weight again. But I'm nervous because it could only be temporary. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/graves-disease#post-2093899 Tue, 03 Mar 2015 22:35:10 +0000 sandy 2093899@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MamaPhoenix: It's so crazy but I am so lucky to say that I am doing ok :heart: After the year I had my doc is waiting for my thyroid levels to stabilize...but it takes time so we are just watching it and will test every few months. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/graves-disease#post-2093897 Tue, 03 Mar 2015 22:32:44 +0000 sandy 2093897@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MamaPhoenix: like so many experiences in life no one can truly understand until they have gone through something similar themselves. I think I told you I had read in my thyroid book that women who actually had thyroid disorders were diagnosed with hysteria years and years ago - when your thyroid is crazy it will make you feel crazy. </p> <p>My mom went undiagnosed for years and years and thought she was slowly losing her mind. She had heart palpitations, extreme exhaustion and moodiness, would experience extremes in body temperature and felt like she was having panic/anxiety attacks - she was just so uncomfortable and unhappy. They though she was going through early menopause and dismissed her symptoms. Finally they diagnosed her with Graves' disease and she had thyroid ablation. It was life changing. Her docs said it's extremely heredity among women in the family and encouraged her to have me tested. </p> <p>I was tested when I was in law school and thought I was just experiencing the stress of that. I had super high heart rate (resting was like in the 120s), exhaustion at the slightest amount of exertion (I couldn't work out or my body would just shake), heart palpitations, extreme heat (could not wear long sleeve shirts even in winter), insomnia, and I definitely felt ragey and like I was going crazy...and I was just super emotional/unstable. But I thought it was just stress. </p> <p>Once I got tested and treated (beta blockers and PTU at first)bI felt like my life completely changed. The only way I can explain it to someone is when your eyes are getting bad and you try on glasses for the first time - you never imagined you could see so clearly and suddenly the world is completely different. That's what it felt like when I finally got on thyroid meds. </p> <p>After awhile my doc saw that my thyroid levels weren't stabilizing on just meds so I did thyroid ablation via radioactive iodine. My thyroid was super resistant and I had to undergo another treatment. It worked and I was on 88mcg of synthroid for over 10 years. Just last year it was increased to 100mcg. I definitely felt off (super tired and just could not get warm even in the summer). Once the dosage changed I adjusted quickly and felt like myself again. I'm so glad I know this so I can have my daughter tested early so she can be treated early if needed. My doc has told me that thyroid disorders are no joke and patients have lost jobs and marriages have ended bc when untreated you feel like you're going crazy. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/graves-disease#post-2093894 Tue, 03 Mar 2015 22:23:23 +0000 MamaPhoenix 2093894@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sandy: Miss Sandy xoxoxox<br /> You were the first support I ever received. Thank you so much.<br /> How are doing these days? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/graves-disease#post-2093893 Tue, 03 Mar 2015 22:21:58 +0000 MamaPhoenix 2093893@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@bunnylove08: Congrats on being cancer free for so long!<br /> No it's not in your head. I too was told to take synthroid instead of any generic brands.</p> <p>I've been frantically spending every free moment of the last two years researching anything I could find about this disease. It's truly fascinating and yet so not fully understood.<br /> I read a book by another fellow graves disease sufferer named Carol Gray. She had RAI and became hypo. The books called "wow your mom really is crazy" It was right on the target with all the same things I was going through. I am always fluctuating with my moods. Highs and lows. This is just something we will always have to deal with I think no matter what. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/graves-disease#post-2093887 Tue, 03 Mar 2015 22:13:07 +0000 sandy 2093887@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MamaPhoenix: :heart: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/graves-disease#post-2093884 Tue, 03 Mar 2015 22:09:54 +0000 MamaPhoenix 2093884@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsHoneyC: Ok so I just read your story. First I want to say your an amazing woman.<br /> Second your not alone. This is where the bond with other Graves disease survivors becomes so strong. Because no one no matter what they say can truly understand what you've gone through unless they've been there too.<br /> In my other post I wrote about how I breastfed my daughter for the first year. It was the hardest thing I've ever done in my entire life. Have you heard of postpartum thyroiditis? To sum it up it often happens when the body produces anti-thyroid antibodies against thyroid hormone. Most people don't even know that this is real. I suffered bad after I gave birth. I know what you mean about the depression. To make matters worse my family left the hospital while I was delivering my daughter and didn't tell anyone. When the nurse went out to get them after she was born and had to come back into my room and say " i'm so sorry, there isn't anyone here for you". My heart broke. I struggled with it for weeks. I would bawl my eyes out because all i wanted was to show my beautiful daughter to my family and like always in my time of need they abandoned me. Now a days they are no longer a part of my life. I had to do what needed to be done to mentally heal. My daughter and I struggled with breastfeeding. She was tongue and lip tied. we didn't find out until she was 4 months old. she too lost 20% of her birth weight. After her lazer treatment to fix it she had to learn to latch and nurse all over again. Just in time for me to have a fluctuation in hormones and the PTU was affecting my supply so bad. She wasn't gaining like she was supposto. I too went on donperidone and blessed thistle and frenugreek. I pumped a good chunk of that first year. By the time she was 6 months she started solids and my supply took another dive. She nursed less and less until we got to the one year mark.<br /> She's as healthy as a horse according to her ped. But even now at 16 months she only weighs in at 20lbs. Mind you dad and I are small people both 5'0 and 5'5. So she isn't going to be a large girl anyways. There are many a moment I look back on and wished I handled it better.......but I cannot take it back. I'm just so grateful I survived it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/graves-disease#post-2093850 Tue, 03 Mar 2015 21:34:47 +0000 MamaPhoenix 2093850@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@HappyBluebird: I really understand the not getting excited/happy during. Throughout my pregnancy all I could do was hold my breath until the next milestone, and then the next and so on. I'm actually terrified of whats going to happen next. My endo recommended not ttc yet until I was within normal range and was able to sustain it. He said that without optimal thyroid hormone's a pregnancy would not sustain. Being that a fetus cannot produce it's own thyroid hormone until the second trimester, mine must be optimal for it to have proper growth and development. This just really sucks because we are ready now.<br /> @MrsHoneyC: It was such a long awaited diagnosis. I kept going into remission. Than something (stress) would flair it up again. Once I was diagnosed It was like a light bulb came on and I had my ah ha moment. Everything finally made sense. There would be times where I struggled with my weight so bad and then times when I would loose so much so fast. I actually got accused of doing drugs because no one could understand how someone could drop 50lbs in a month, or the mood swings and extreme anger ( which I now know was Graves Rage) I can laugh about it now.<br /> Here are some pics of my beautiful scar. </p> [attach=4771/15/nko1tz.337x600.20141011_093714.jpg] [attach=4771/15/nko1u1.600x337.20141015_155516.jpg] [attach=4771/15/nko1u2.600x337.20141024_211158.jpg] https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/graves-disease#post-2093466 Tue, 03 Mar 2015 17:25:38 +0000 mrsjyw 2093466@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>What an amazing story!! Thank you for sharing! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/graves-disease#post-2093449 Tue, 03 Mar 2015 17:11:28 +0000 bunnylove08 2093449@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm so happy for your happy ending. </p> <p>I too had a thyroid removed at the age of 23 but for a different reason, i had cancer but now i've been cancer free for 7 years! </p> <p>We're taking the same amount of medication, I was wondering if you feel highs and lows with your medication. My friend who is a pharmacist convinced me to go on synthroid brand. I'm wondering if its all in my head. </p> <p>by the way your scar healed beautifully! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/graves-disease#post-2093383 Tue, 03 Mar 2015 16:35:54 +0000 MrsHoneyC 2093383@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@HappyBluebird: Ahhh... thats why your name / picture looks so familiar! I've wandered over to the miscarriage board a few times and read through the stories, i relate more with the frustration of TTC there vs. the happy excited TTC boards where i feel like i would be a little dark raincloud in their happy sparkle, cupcake, sunshine world. (not that i really belong in the misscariage board either) Just everyone there seems to understand that level of frustration that comes along with it. I can only imagine the stress trying to TTC again for you guys is, and not getting too excited until you get that "all clear" at 12 weeks totally makes sense. I'm routing for you to get that healthy amazing rainbow baby soon!! :goodluck: :heart: </p> <p>@MamaPhoenix: Oh wow, thats interesting that it took so long for a diagnosis. I'm sorry you had to go through that, and can related to feeling like a human pin cushion! I'm down to one arm now due to too many blood tests on my left arm. How fabulous that you got your miracle baby! She's a lucky little girl to have such a strong momma. I agree with you that you have to be your own advocate when it comes to your health, took me a few tries to find a surgeon who would do the surgery for me. </p> <p>Currently this is what my medication looks like: LEVOTHYROXINE 0.150MG (150MCG) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/graves-disease#post-2092894 Tue, 03 Mar 2015 13:43:32 +0000 MamaPhoenix 2092894@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsHoneyC: hi sorry I'm coming in late here, things have been crazy at my place these days. I've actually wrote many post here on hellobee about my Graves disease.<br /> I've had Graves since I was 9. It was only just diagnosed in Feb of 2013. As a kid my mom thought that there was something mentally wrong with me. I saw many Dr's. I went to many therapy sessions. I was even admitted to the nut ward at the hospital. Only for the Dr's to tell my mom to put me on Prozac. She gave up on me by the time I was teen<br /> They said my symptoms were that of a hormonal teenage girl. I suffered for a long time. This disease caused lots heartache in my life<br /> When I was 30 I was planning my wedding. Many people started noticing my symptoms more clearly<br /> My hands shake so bad it looked like I had parkensons sp? Shortly after the wedding<br /> We became pregnant. I became very very sick. Couldn't even function simple everyday tasks. I went and got blood work done to confirm our bfp. I had had enough and Google my symptoms and I kept getting thyroid. So when I did the blood work I asked my doc for a full panel workup with thyroid. A week later I went in and he confirmed the pregnancy but forgot that I had had thyroid test done too. When I asked him about it he quickly checked his papers. He immediately began to check my pulse. Then he held up my hands and saw the shaking. He said I needed to see an endo ASAP. I was in two days later. The endo diagnosed me with graves after all the test and ultrasounds. I was 9 weeks pregnant. They said I should prepare myself for a miscarriage. I was placed on PTU on account of that mez can cause birth defects in the first tri. They monitored me every two weeks. I gave more blood than I thought I could even make<br /> I had 6 ultrasounds throughout to monitor our lo. Finally in Oct of 2013 I gave birth to a beautiful 7 pound 5 Oz girl.<br /> We named her phoenix. She was the new life born out of the fire of graves disease.<br /> Im a stubborn ass and I was determined to breastfed and the Dr's didn't like that. They wanted to start with Ray as soon as possible. My heart was taking a beating. I said no<br /> So I stayed on PTU for another year and got blood done every two weeks. I'm not afraid of needles anymore. In Oct of 2014 our lo turned a year. Again they wanted to push ray<br /> I did my research and decided it wasn't for me<br /> I told him to take it out<br /> That month I underwent a total thyroidectomy. My thyroid was extremely diseased. They even thought there might have been cancer but the biopsy came back clear. So now I'm fighting for my health and I've become quit and activist for thyroid healthy<br /> I've always been the one in charge my endo listens and does what I say. It's my life I want it in my hands. He tells me I impress him every visit<br /> So now I'm on 88 mg of synthroid and 25mg of cytomel. That covers the T4 and T3 my thyroid would be making it if I still had one.I strongly believe that everyone should be on it but the Dr's tend to keep info from us<br /> That's it for now. I could write a book on what I know. I'll be back on tonight. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/graves-disease#post-2091886 Mon, 02 Mar 2015 16:44:41 +0000 HappyBluebird 2091886@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsHoneyC: Haha no worries! I understand what you are feeling. While our situations are different, I do understand feeling hesitant. DH and I were so excited when we were trying to get pregnant early last year and we were ecstatic when we got our BFP up until we found out about the loss at 12 weeks. (We saw the baby with a heartbeat at 8 weeks). </p> <p>Now that we are trying again it's almost like we are little detached from the emotional/exciting part of TTC. We've even said that once we get our next BFP we don't know how excited we'll feel until we get past the 12 week mark and know that its not another molar. It's sad that sometimes life makes you jaded about things that should be happy/exciting times. </p> <p>I also don't post a lot on HB, mostly because I don't yet have a LO. But I found the ladies in the miscarriage board to be the most amazing support. I'm not sure how I would have gotten through without them! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/graves-disease#post-2091867 Mon, 02 Mar 2015 16:35:52 +0000 MrsHoneyC 2091867@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@HappyBluebird: sorry for the no heads up about the BF boob photos oops! Haha. Our original TTC date for LO#2 was January but I was so terrified I've postponed it until June / July ish. I'm really scared that I will have PPD again and fail being a mom to not only Ryland but a new baby. I have a really great group of people supporting me as well as my dr. So I have the support if it does happen again it's just trying to move past that fear. </p> <p>I feel bad that when we were TTC with our son we were so blissfully happy about trying to get pregnant and how awesome it would be to have a baby but our son had bad colic until he was 6 months old I had PPD ... My 'dream' of what it looked like to be a mom didn't happen and that was really hard to move past. If that makes sense? I'm Hoping that in 3 more months I will be feeling relaxed enough to TTC again, aiming for a 2.5 ish year gap. I might try joining the TTC boards maybe at that time, I feel like I haven't really found my 'place' in hellobee yet like I did in weddingbee :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/graves-disease#post-2091854 Mon, 02 Mar 2015 16:28:43 +0000 HappyBluebird 2091854@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsHoneyC: Wow how stressful that must have been. I'm so sorry breastfeeding wasn't as you planned. It's good that you've found a Dr who understands and can be helpful. Are you TTC now or waiting?</p> <p>The molar pregnancy has been very difficult but we are coming through the dark part and hopefully getting to the light. I was "lucky" in that I had the "better" of the two. I'm super nervous about it happening again but I try to take one day at a time.</p> <p>ETA: the pictures on your blog post are absolutely adorable! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/graves-disease#post-2091829 Mon, 02 Mar 2015 16:12:45 +0000 MrsHoneyC 2091829@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@HappyBluebird: I did a more in depth blog post as a guest on this website about my experience having a baby while dealinwith thyroid issues. I'm super anxious to TTC again, really worried about getting PPD again. I think I won't be attempting to breastfeed again. My dr is in agreement that it was just too hard on my body. With Ryland we ended up quitting at 7 months old when he was only getting about 15% of his daily milk via breastmilk. Even with pumping , medication, and herbs. </p> <p><a href="http://www.thealphaparent.com/2014/03/triumphant-tuesday-breastfeeding-with.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.thealphaparent.com/2014/03/triumphant-tuesday-breastfeeding-with.html</a></p> <p>I really have my fingers crossed you guys get that BFP soon. I has to search up what a molar pregnancy was, I'm so sorry you had to go through that. Also I think it's amazing that your disease is in remission! That's really amazing that it just went dormant. </p> <p>As for being diagnosed at 12 it was weird because I was the 'sick kid' in school but it's been alright. I think it's made me a stronger person. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/graves-disease#post-2091786 Mon, 02 Mar 2015 15:47:01 +0000 HappyBluebird 2091786@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsKoala: I was very nervous when we found out I was pregnant because my first endo really had me thinking the antibodies are the worst thing ever and that there would be so many problems. I switched to a new endo and she said my antibodies were on the low end and that they don't worry as much with lower levels. That made me feel a little better about it. I didn't get far enough to have detailed monitoring but my OB says next time I will be monitored closely. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/graves-disease#post-2091607 Mon, 02 Mar 2015 14:42:54 +0000 MrsKoala 2091607@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@HappyBluebird: My story is similar to yours. I also opted for the meds , however I took PTU instead of methimazole since I'm actually allergic to it. I've been in remission for about 5 years. I was monitored closely during pregnancy (tested positive for antithyroid antibodies, though) and postpartum and haven't had it return so far, which I'm thankful for. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/graves-disease#post-2091458 Mon, 02 Mar 2015 13:29:38 +0000 HappyBluebird 2091458@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>As for me, I was diagnosed with Graves disease when I was 25 (I'm 30 now). I had almost no noticeable symptoms (at the time) except that I felt a lump on my throat around my thyroid. At the time I thought maybe I just had a swollen lymph node. After making an appointment with my GP, he sent me to an endocrinologist. I had the uptake and scan as well as blood work before I got the final diagnosis. </p> <p>The endo really pushed the radioactive ablation but I worked in a nuclear medicine department and my mother is a NM tech so I had both sides of the argument (both for and against). I opted to try medicine first and if that did not work I would go forward with the ablation.</p> <p>I took methimazole for approximately 18 months before they weaned me off. I think it actually took about 10 months to get into a "normal" range but they prefer to keep you on for at least 18 months per my endo. At the beginning I was also on beta blockers for an extremely high heart rate.</p> <p>My symptoms (though I didn't notice them at the beginning) were high heart rate, trembling fingers, and of course the lump, which turned out to be my swollen thyroid. All my symptoms have gone away except for the swollen thyroid which did go down but is still noticeable when you feel it.</p> <p>I've been off the meds for about 2.5-3 years and so far it has stayed in remission. I don't have a LO yet but I did get pregnant in July of 2014. They informed me then that they would monitor me more closely since the antibodies do cross into the placenta. Unfortunately, that pregnancy ended up being a partial molar pregnancy but had nothing to do with the Graves disease. We are currently TTC now.</p> <p>Hopefully if anyone has any questions I can help answer them! There's a good amount of research on the internet but it's always nice to talk with other people who've dealt with it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/graves-disease#post-2091426 Mon, 02 Mar 2015 13:07:37 +0000 HappyBluebird 2091426@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsHoneyC: I can't imagine being 12 and being diagnosed with Graves! How scary it must have been! So glad you had a happy ending and were able to have your son!</p> <p>Thanks for starting this thread! I'll give my story in the next post. I think it's good to have a place to post if anyone has any questions. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/graves-disease#post-2091066 Mon, 02 Mar 2015 10:42:25 +0000 MrsHoneyC 2091066@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I thought I would start a thread for the mommas of the hive dealing with Graves' disease. Regardless of where you're at with treatment there's many side effects that can make life challenging and it would be nice to have a little space of the hive to support and uplift one another. </p> <p>My story: </p> <p>I was diagnosed at age 12 at a children's hospital, spent the better part of 8 years struggling with my medication. My parents and I were told it was very likely I wouldn't be able to have children since I was diagnosed in those critical years of puberty and since infertility is a big part of graves is grew up knowing that having a biological child might not be achievable. </p> <p>Fast forward 8 years and my heart was very strained the stress of my disease put me on bedrest for my heart until I could get I to surgery and have a total thyroidectomy. In 2009 I had my thyroid removed and it's really improved my quality of life. </p> <p>Got married starting charting my cycles on recommendation of my dr and then started TTC. To my amazement I got pregnant and we now have a 15 month old son. We went to a specialist while I was pregnant at a children hospital to have a number of tests run on him to see how his thyroid function was, as my OB had never dealt with a Graves' disease patient before. Everything looked normal. </p> <p>Now Its been 13 years since diagnosis life without a thyroid is very challenging some days and it has it's struggles but mostly I am so thankful to have the health I do. :heart: </p> <p>Here's my scar 5 years post operation.</p> <p>[attach=4917/15/nklcyp.600x473.image.jpg] </p>