I woke up in the middle of the night with a small yeast infection. I took some probiotic. (I quite taking these because I was afraid of a reaction between them and the anxiety meds. However, I decided a 3am that I needed the probiotic, because no yogurt in the house.
Woke this morning with the beginnings of a head cold. Started with Ziacam. After dosing 5 times during the day, I don't feel like the beginning of cold. More like the end of one!!
I had to take the Alprazolam around 6pm, too much interaction with husband and kids, and dinner, and bills, and baseball, and work, and house appraisal, and tv, friends calling, talking to son in AR, and next weekend, and spicy chili.......Or maybe just life?????

I set up a washing station at the main entrance of my home--the mud room. Of course I had to clean that room from top to bottom. I could not expect others to wash if my sink was dirty. I didn't finish. I will finish tomorrow!! This one little bitty room took me about 4 hours to clean, every time my heart raced- I rested. I finally felt like I was doing something besides sitting around or napping away my life. I took the alprazolam when I first noticed something "not right". What a difference. I feel better today than I have felt since October 08!! {I have been "sick" since Oct 08.} It was almost like my old self (before the GD), I knew that it wouldn't last. But i really enjoyed those hours when i could pretend that i existed as a whole person.
NOTE**Sinus Surgery scheduled for May 8th.

Slept late. I am always tired and exhausted, even with 8,10,12,14 hours sleep! Randy lead a Bible study for us today. I miss the fellowship of church, however, the lights give me a headache and cause me to be dizzy.
The tremors started and the anxiety hit like a brick slamming into a window. i feel like the broken window. Parts of myself are still there, but i can't reach the rest. My heart is racing...it feels that it it will explode any minute. My dh went and got me a blood pressure / heart monitor.
**Talked to Randy and kids about how GD is immune disease so we need to do everything we can to protect mom. This means everyone MUST wash their hands immediately when they come in. Also shoes need to be left at the door. And the most important---if you are SICK or think that you are SICK; you will not be ALLOWED in. Casey wants to make a sign for the doors. Emily said that she would help!! DH explained to the kids that they had to help also by cleaning the rooms and keeping them as germ free as possible.

I made french toast & washed a few dishes and was wore out till noon! Then the tremors started and I began to feel "crazy". So I took alprazolam...in about 30 mins I went from yelling and barely moving to a felling of contentment (kind of like i just accomplished the best most greatest thing). Around 4- I started feeling edgy so I took a 2 hour nap. I'm trying hard not to take the meds to all day. It scares me that I am starting to feel that being "doped up" is the only way I can make it through the day.
NOTE**I have been checking my heart rate all day=consistently around 100 resting. Will get some kind of monitor so that i can go back to yoga and light walking. Also, going to get a different ointment for my eyes. I really need the thick gel that goes in at bedtime. My eyelids are not closing all the way so they are dry, itchy, and feel swollen. Hopefully this new stuff will help my eyes to feel better.

Slept most of the day. Exhausted beyond all. Eyes getting worse. Randy confirmed that believed that "a little change" was noticeable--more like swollen below eye, not bulging. Continueing to take pictures of eyes.

Visit with GP. The anxiety is out of control. I can't go through another day with these ranges of emotions and reactions. Prescribed Alprazolam .25mg , 3x daily. Seemed to think that the insomnia is related to the anxiety. Watching and will consider something different after surgery.
**I am soo tired. My headache feels like someone hitting me in the head with a hammer!!

Visit with Vascular Surgeon. He went over Graves Disease, suggested immediate and complete thyroid removal. Will my eyes get better? maybe-maybe not. Will my anxiety get better? maybe-maybe not. Will the depression lighten up? maybe-maybe not. Get the picture?
This horrible disease effects EVERY PERSON differently. The drs don't know what causes it and their only plan is to treat the symptoms so that the patient can have some sort of normal life. Also, stated that I should be healed enough to undergo sinus surgery in the 4-6 week range.
SURGERY ON APRIL 9TH.

Visit ENT. Strongly suggested having Sinus surgery ASAP (before thyroid). I just can't do this. I have to get this diseased organ out of my body -- so that I might get better. Also wants to do an allergy test [120-160 needle pricks, with time in office up to 4hrs ---yuck]. He thinks that the pan sinusitis could be caused by an allergy. And if that is the case then sometime after surgery, my sinuses will be fully impacted again. Bringing back the constant headaches and dizziness.

Visit ENT. Went over CT scan. Said that I needed surgery ASAP. Explained procedure & recovery. I told him about visit to vascular surgeon tomorrow, then I would make decision on what to do. (I am leaning towards the Thyroid removal first--then the sinuses)
Also called GP, asked for something to help with the anxiety. It is getting to where I can't control the emotions!@! ENT also said that I needed to be allergy tested on the chance that some kind of prolonged allergy caused the sinus problem.
**My eyes seem to be getting worse, my vision is getting worse and it is harder to focus. I also noticed that my Left eye seems to be bulging a bit more (I am still taking pictures to document these changes)

Results from CT scan. Mucosal thickening 6mm in right frontal, 4mm in left frontal, 3-4mm in ethmoid, 2mm in sphenoid, 8mm in right maxillary, 12mm in left maxillary. The ostiomeatal complex appears obstructed on the left and patent on right. The nasal septum is minimally deviated towards the right.

Did manage to get dressed today. First time in weeks. What a day. I can't seem to focus on the storyline in a book (I have read it before...). Barely sore in my muscles. Just the roof of my mouth tender. Very thankful of Inlaws for having Casey over, I don't think I could have made it through the day with his energy in the house!!

Sleep and more Sleep. Then I just rested most for the day. Exhausted physicality and mentally. When awake and aware -- I am feeling more lonely even though Randy is right there.
Note to self--I have found that a hot bath seems to de-stress me better than anything else.

I feel better today. Still sore in arms and back. Not much pain and barely numbness. 3.
I am going to continue the MM that ENDO prescribed since I am getting better within the time frame he allowed-- but I will still watch symptoms.
However, I woke this morning with tiny white sores on the tip of my tongue and one the roof of my mouth... not sure where all this fits in??

CT scan today at Summitt.
Not as much pain today and it seems more focused in my arms, hands and lower back. It feels like my arms going numb.??. Still fell disconnected from everyone.

Visit Endo. He thinks that I can not tolerate all the meds I am on. Took me off the antibiotics, steroids & nose spray to see if the muscle pain fades or goes away. My emotions are uncontrollable at this point. I will be happy and within a second be so depressed that death seems to be a release. Then in a blink I become melancholy. This is insane! Talked with Endo about how GD symptoms appear different in each person. I am in the 3-5%. Go figure that I am different and unique (hahahahaha).

I am much worse!!! I can barley move because my muscles hurt so bad. I can feel the numbness and pain as it moves through my body. I cried most of the time today...or I slept.
By lunch, the pain encircled my throat and moved into my shoulders. By dinner, the pain was into my arms and down my back. By bedtime, the pain had moved into my elbows, arms and hips. The PAIN is like someone BEATING on ALL my muscles at the same time. To go with all that the gas is enough for a station!

Started to feel "outside" of myself again today. My eyese felt like they were on fire when I tried to use the OTC eye drops, so I quit using them! I have had more gas in the last 2 days than probably my whole life (i know, i know---gross!) And yet, smaller and more frequent bms.
Around 8pm experienced another anxiety attack. My toungue felt so swollen that I thought I was going to die!! I felt like someone had been choking my neck . That is the best way to describe the way that my throat aches.

My eyes are more sensitive today! It has been a long time since I have been able to wear my contacts, but today it hurt to wear my glasses. The light reflecting off the lens felt like a knife touching my eye. So-- I walked around the house with sunglasses over my glasses. Talk about looking like a nerd. When my headache got worse; I just took a nap. I seem to be taking a lot of naps. And on top the the eyesight issues . . . My taste is OFF, everything tastes bitter!!!

Bloodwork results came in mail. T3 6.69, T4 1.81. Not sure what this means. Just that my numbers are high. Will continue to search for answers.

Visit GP. He wants to oversee and wants me to have all the DRs send him reports. (not sure what to think about this??) Stated that the vascular surgeon is one of the best and he would use him. Still having the headaches. If need more, he will call in script. Suggested a psychologist who will help with the depression.

Call from ENDO. It will not hurt my eyes to take the steroids. However, it might help my thyroid function.

Concerned about the steroids prescribed....call ENDO office and asked if they would make my eyes worse?????

Visit ENT. Diagonised with an active infection and prescribed Avelox and Methypredisolone. He checked my sinus cavities (with a camera on a loooooooong wand!) and confirmed the MRI (2/3) that I still have chronic pan sinusitis. Ordered a CT scan in 10 days hoping that this stronger combonation of antibotics and steroids will break up sinuses. Discussed surgery options-- he believes that I need this ASAP if not cleared up. UGGGH.

Menstration Cycle. 3/9-14

Started Probotiac-- Acidophilus.

Visit ENDO. Confirmed Graves Disease. Leaned toward surgery because my eyes are involved. Suggested to hold off on the upcoming sinus surgery, because thyroid is #1 priority for my overall health. Prescribed Methimozole. Referred to Vascular Surgeon. Come back in 2 weeks post-op or as needed with other health concerns.

Developed Head & Chest Cold with Irritable Bowel.----OTC

Visit Eye Surgeon (Nashville). He checked and measured my eyes. Considered not sever. Prescribed Pataday eye drops for morning use. And OTC for day (soothe xp) and evening (Gen-Tal) for bedtime use. Call back in 2 weeks if no change. Visit if eye problems worsen. Stressed no smoking to me---try to not even be around 2nd hand smoke!!

Call from GP. Thyroid Uptake showed Graves Disease. Referred to Endocrinologist.
Test showed 18.4% at 6 hrs and 21.5% at 24 hrs.

STOPPED SMOKING

Visit Optho. Confirmed Thyroid problem after looking at my eyes. Called Summitt Ancillary to look at my MRI (2/3) for eye problems. Eyes now worse. Referred to Eye Surgeon. Told to stop smoking immediately---it will make my eyes worse and can lead to "bug" eyes or blindness due to double vision.