It all started with tingling in my right hand. I just assumed that it was from all of the heavy lifting. But as time went on, it went down my right arm. So then I thought ok, carpal tunnel, so I started wearing the braces and continued working. My right leg began to get heavy so I started slowing down a bit, doing light duty nursing work. I did that for a couple of weeks and then it happened right in the middle of a transfer – I lost grip of my patient. And I was in home care so I was alone. I had to hold her with my legs and use my hand to call for a nurse. I had to stand like that until the nurse got there so I didnt drop her. It worked.
After that, I knew something more than carpal tunnel was wrong so they pulled me out of work. It sucked. I had a series of tests done over a year’s period of time. The best the docters came up with was strained muscles so I had to go see a specialist. By this time I couldn’t talk or walk. I was just a week away from my Maker and didn’t know it. While at the specialist’s, they discovered myastenia gravis which is known as Grave’s disease, and you can die from it. People have. It’s a rare form of muscular dystrophy. So I had to undergo lots of exchanges, different pills, but they settled on steroids. I had to have surgery as well. I had my thymus gland removed. During the surgery, I almost died again so they had to put in a fast tube and while they were doing that my lungs collapsed twice so they had to pump them up slowly. It hurt a little. So I have scars, mental and physical, I can’t run, I lost my job and gained weight. But I can walk, talk, and go on living. It’s a bad one. I have my days but, in a way, I feel blessed. I can stay home and take care of our teenagers. Thank you.
Michelle
New York
Submitted 6-20-11
The informational content of this article is intended to convey a personal experience and, because every person’s experience is unique, should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional healthcare advice.
I’m glad to hear a lot of you have been fortunate I suffered a thyroid storm and almost died coma and life support for a week seizures on the brain had to learn to walk again major issues since that time if your graves or hyperthyroidism gets to aggressive before they can treat it, it can be deadly
I also had a diagnosis of Graves about 15 years ago. They gave me radioactive iodine I do have the eye issue . The Graves did create some health and heart issues due to the high levels of adrenaline that were being released but I am on medication and I live a very normal life. I am also a 9 year colon cancer survivor, 8 months of chemo every Friday but it was worth it. I believe that Michelle may either not know what she was diagnosed with or may have gotten hold of some incorrect information as Graves and MS are not even distantly related.
well i give you credit girl you went threw alot sometimes you can not get the right answers from doctors they run a ton of tests put you on meds and i understand i have fibro and thyroid problems and alot more took me awhile 2 get real answers even now it is a day 2 day struggle w all doctors and meds raising my daughter i got sick 19 and as yrs go by it gets worse plus diabetes it gets frustrating but i do pray count my blessing my daughter helps me push on and stay positive i came here so i can talk 2 ppl who can relate and i usually keep it in there is no need for ppl 2 be rude it is an honest mistake ppl come on here 2 vent and hopefully touch ppl wow good luck michelle
Wow……when I read that Michelle had Graves disease and her symptoms I thought I must need mental help because I was so misinformed about a disease I too have had for over 20 years. I had a. Storming thyroid 20 years ago and lost 10 pounds in 2 weeks while stuffing my face with food. The doctor diagnosed and treated right away. Doctors have little concern when I tell them I have Graves disease because I have not developed problems with my eyes, one of the other problems of is disease…you get Barbara Bush looking bulging eyes! I think Michelle’s post is irresponsible and should be removed…she doesn’t have a clue, glad she was never a home care nurse for anyone I know!
Hello,
I’m very sorry for the troubling health issues you have experienced. However, Myastenia Gravis and Graves disease are two very different conditions. Graves disease is an abnormally high thyroid gland or ‘hyperthyroidism’ which is not fatal. I had Graves disease and was sucessfully treated for it.
I agree totally. I am a 53 yr. old nurse who was diagnosed with Graves disease when I was 30. I had a total Thyroidectomy with some parathyroids removed as well. I have been on medication (synthroid)ever since and feel great. In the beginning until they got the levels straightened out I did gain some weight but I had lost a lot of weight with the hyperthyroidism (Graves disease). This is a totally treatable disease. A lot of people opt to have no surgery and are treated with radioactive iodine. Myastenia Gravis is a neuro muscular disease and very different from Graves’s disease, usually treated with some type of steroids.
yOU CAN DIE FROM COMPLICATIONS OF GRAVES DISEASE. I JUST LOST MY BOYFRIEND HE HAD RADIOACTIVE IODINE TREATMENTS AND DIED OF HEART FAILURE 4 WEEKS LATER. WISH WE WOULD’VE KNOWN HOW SEVERE THE COMPLICATIONS COULD ACTUALLY BE