Question:
Maybe a dumb question but one I'm not sure I've seen posted here. I've
been baffled the past few years (and made a couple posts) about
supposedly being hypo (TSH 6.93) but having not even the remotest of
hypo symptoms. Are there outside influences at work that can
artificially inflate one's TSH levels such as extreme stress from say
a divorce, a death of a family member or in my case the stock market.
Answer:
Yes...my dr. told me a few times that stress can affect the thyroid, and the
tests.
It's a commonly accepted theory that a major life stress such as you've
mentioned
often triggers Graves.
Regarding hypo: I know when my mum found out she had breast cancer her hypo
(hashi) levels changed.
So at a guess, and from my own experiences, and from much reading - I'd
say yes.
I'm not as clear on hypo - but - I will tell you from my own experience
with Grave's
Disease (hyper) - major stress has coincided as a 'trigger' factor.
A little long but might give you a chuckle towards th'end :):
I was in remission for 5 years until last summer. During the course of a
couple of months
I was finishing up college, going through a major custody battle, buying a
house, and ..of course the ensuing 'move' during the worst heatwave to hit
the region in decades, all of this with a 'behaviorially challenged'
child - complete w/all stress she was facing -regarding the
move/custody and interviews she was subjected to.
All this stuff started at the end May last year - I was completely out of
remission by end of August. In fact - I told the doctor b4 the results
even came back - the levels were
gonna come back whacked - he was grudgingly giving me my regular test
'early' at my insistance and giving me 'that look' of yeah right - simply
cuz when he'd done them in June and they'd been ok. I will say - I thank
(whichever omnipotent-being that watches over us) for the timing I came out
of remission - because I don't think I'd have made it through last
summer - and ensuing custody battle/move etc whilst still U-thyroid. I
needed every ounce of 'excess energy (adrenalin) and multitasking
capabilities' hyper gives me :)
My first 'trigger' - was probably when I initially got pregnant - 11 years
ago - if not earlier when I had to go through several surgeries - and then
was treated for endometriosis in late teens. We can trace plenty of the GD
symptoms back that far (in hindsight)
Doctors pretty much dismissed everything I went to them with. The June my
Grandfather died - 6 years ago - I spent 2.5 months - sure I was loosing my
mind (complete with hallucinations) and I finally went into
the doctors again that September (generally I'm pretty passive until I get
ticked off by repetitive inaction)
and said 'find out what's wrong or check me into the psych' - the ultimatum
seemed to work.
In fact, I can look back on and laugh about my 'hallucinations'...
During the course of that particular summer - I'd started to see things
move out of the corner of my eye, but try and focus on the area - nothing
would be there (I also have TED which has been obvious to my mum for
years - since I was a teen - but no doc picked up on), I'd feel things
'brush' against my foot while watching TV - nothing would be there. I'd
wake up with a 'start' sure something had touched some part of my body,
nothing would be there. I had completely isolated myself - not from
depression or maybe a little - simply at the frustration of 'knowing
something was wrong - just, not what 'it' was - or - simply from
constantly being so irritable - with major mood swings, complete with
panic attacks/racing heart - constantly fatigued - always in pain and
catching every strand of strep/cold going around, inability to 'remember'
or concentrate. The more time I spent in the apt - the worse these
'imaginings' were getting - which was the final straw.... I went into the
docs armed with my ultimatum and attitude...
I'd had 'thyroid tests' before (at my mum's insistence) but apparently I
found out afterwards never the 'full panel' and what he did test was coming
back 'within the range' - common apparently for Graves.
- thankfully - the doc was a little more thorough that time - and found the
lil'culprit.
The best part....
Anyway ..during the 'ice storm' in 98 - we 'doubled' up with another lady
who I'd started to make friends with. (smaller apt - trying to conserve
heat etc) Over her very cold vodka I'm telling her about my 'experience'
with these little 'brushings and visual blurs of seeing things' ...she
nearly peed herself laughing ....and sputters out through hysterics "its
the voles you idiot, the voles".
"The voles?" I query, "what the heck are voles?" - not being from the
region, in the few seconds it takes her to answer (and get a grip of her
laughter) I'm thinking some local derivative of mythical trolls - central
to the area -Viking maybe...? hence the 'V' so immediately images of Viking
costumed trolls dance across my imagination - then I try to get a grip and
remind myself she drinks to much - and must be crazier than me ...nope -
apparently they are little mice/mole like creatures - who generally live in
the basement of this house ...however - during the summer months - (I lived
on the third floor of 100+ yr old modified house) they start to spread out
over the house (especially in late august) - and really 'invade' the upper
levels as winter approaches.
I barreled back to my frozen apartment - and literally ripped apart the
most obscure unused cupboard in the kitchen - there sat 3 of the tiniest
little 'poops' anyone could rejoice at seeing. I felt much better
(unlike mice, apparently they don't 'poop' just anywhere - which is
probably why it never occurred to me it was rodents - and a couple of weeks
later after we finally got power back, I was in my dining room, and
actually 'saw one' stand still long enough for me to 'focus' on it actually
being there.
So even though - I'd lived with the presumption I'd been hallucinating - it
had, gotten me panicked enough to bitch out the doctor :)
