Oh I don't know how to thank you Simon! (((HUGS)))...When I was dx'd last week I asked the endocrinologist (sp?) if this is why my migraines have been soo out of control and he said probably not. I've been on Topamax for 2 1/2 years, and while I still get them, I've been able to control them with midrin. This headache has been going on for 6 weeks, which is what finally drove me to my PCP. I couldn't take it anymore. I KNEW the headache had to have something to do with the weightloss, fatigue, hair loss, weakness, joint pain...but those things also go along with lupus, and some with fibro...
The perplexing thing about autoimmune disorders is the symtoms mimmic each other. I found myself ignoring signs I normally would have had checked out because sometimes doctors treat you like you are over reacting, only to later find out you were REALLY having an issue! Thank you for the encouragement Simon and AfterMyNap. I'll go to the other board and see if I can find information that helps also. I don't understand how the google alerts works, but I'm thankful for the infomation. (((HUGS)))
daez
Quote:
Originally Posted by Simonw
Hi Daez,
Google alerts found your post for me.
Severe migraine like headaches can be caused by the excess of thyroid hormones in Graves' disease (they can also occur in underactivity of the thyroid caused by over treatment of Graves' disease).
If this is the case, they should go away when you start the antithyroid medications and your thyroid hormone levels come back to normal (although I have one at the moment despite years of treatment -- at least it isn't the I must go and cry type of pain they use to be). I was lucky, mine mostly stopped within 3 days of starting the drugs, but usually it takes a little longer than that.
I had really bad headaches for 5 years, before the doctors twigged I had Graves'. My mother had Lupus. They are probably just different presentations of the same underlying fault in the immune system, although it isn't much comfort to know there is probably only one underlying thing wrong with you, when you feel bad.
If you need some background on Graves' disease there is a forum over at mediboard.com I can recommend.
Try not to get too down. If it is any consolation, when I started the antithyroid medication, I felt absolutely wonderful for a few weeks. The wonderful feeling of not being poisoned everyday by your own horrnones. Okay one soon forgets how good normal (or nearly normal) feels, but it is a lot better once the treatment kicks in.
The Graves' may also respond to the treatments for Lupus, but this isn't well studied, because it isn't usually considered safe to give such drugs to people who "only" have Graves' disease, unless they have the chronic eye problems that sometimes come with Graves' disease.
 |