Hi Mark
It does sound like he's on too much thyroxine. Poor guy!
I am not great on Graves and I don't think there's anyone here who is suffering from it afaik, but I can give you a link to follow up.

The 'about.com' thyroid board is very helpful.

Here's a link to the board:

http://forums.about.com/ab-thyroid/

There used to be a UK board but I think they've made it now international since I was last on it.

Prescribing over the phone doesn't sound like a very effective way to look after your patients, and it sounds like your dad may need to lower his amounts so he doesn't get more sick. Being that hyper can cause other health problems so it needs to be addressed quickly. I hope there's someone on the other board who can give you some help.

Thanks a million. I hope they reduce the thyroxine next week - or we are better Dr's than they are! He did seem better on the lower dose - but did say he was a bit cold! But I think he was just normal - and could have stayed on the does he had before (which I think was either 50 or 80mg?)

Yes the 'telephone clinic' sounds a bit suspect - but I did listen in when I was home the the consultant seemed OK. He did answer all my questions. Trouble is that my Dad is 78 and gets confused or forgets to mention important things or forgets what he's told. This is where it falls a bit flat.

Fortunately I wrote them a HUGE urgent email addressing all my concerns - which they did read - and straight away booked him in face-to-face urgently at the hospital next week, so I hope they can lower the dose back to what is was. Yes he's been having a tough time over the past few weeks, and of course me too, as I'm constantly trying to deal with his panic and anxiety on the phone. His GP is a real joke.

I'll check out that other link - I think I might have read some of that before.

Cheers again.

If he feels the increase is too much and it's making him ill, he can cut down himself, although I am not a doctor and would not recommend he doesn't follow doc's advice, but some thyroid people do that for themselves.
If he's taking 100's in one tablet, all he has to do is cut it in half = 50
Then half again=25.
He doesn't have to wait for the doc to tell him to take less.

Thyroxine (T4) can take about 7 weeks to get out of the system, so sounds like he needs to start cutting down immediately.

His anxiety will prob be linked to the thyroxine... too much makes your mind race and your heart rate go up... it's horrible when you're taking too much.

Perhaps somewhere in between his old dose and his new is ideal. Incremental increases are better ... if he was on 80, he should have gone up to 85 for a few weeks, then 90 for another few weeks... this way he wouldn't have got such a huge increase. Some docs do put the dose up by 25mcg at a time but that can be too much for some. It's a delicate balance.

If his anti-d's (I read your other thread) are fluorine based, this can actually detrimentally affect his thyroid, so it wouldn't be helping much.
A course of counselling is shown to be as effective for depressed people as anti-d's so he needs to accept some support from other people.

Age Concern in the UK do the visits for people. I used to do that myself for an hour or so every week.

I'm not a doc and would never give medical advice and it's up to him how he manages his health. I'm sure he's more capable of knowing what's good for him. Taking control of that is empowering.

Good luck!

Thanks for that TP. You are a mine of information. I just had a development with my Dad though. He phoned me with chest pains - his heart was racing again. So he called an Ambulance and has just left for hospital. The good news is that the Paramedics said his heart seemed OK - but it sounded like his meds needed sorting out. They have still taken him away so they can do some more tests. I'm happy about that - else he would have had to wait until his weds appointment. So the issue has been forced now. They have a letter from me which explains all his recent symtoms - and our neighbour printed it out and gave to the Paramedics. So I'm waiting now to see what happens. A bit tense - but at least I know he is in good hands. Cheers for the Age Concern tip - I'll def be calling them soon as well.

Mark.

Yep, I had palpitations when I was told to take too much. Dropping it back down soon sorted it out.

Good on you for taking charge of your Dad's health; I did similar with mine last year when he lost a lot of weight and was scared to find the cause. When I went back for my planned trip I marched him straight to the surgery and I was emailing and talking to his doctor until we got answers. Had to do the same with Mum earlier this year as nobody was telling my sister a thing, and she's old school - doesn't challenge authority, the doctor is always right, etc.

Well they're not, so keep at them.

Yes you are SO right - especially the 'old school' not challenging the Dr's opinion. My dad would take a cyanide pill if the Doc told him to!!! He never questions anything! I'm hopeful now after hearing from you and TP that it seems the lowered dosage will be the solution. Lets hope the hospital takes the initiative. I still haven't heard anything more - so I guess he is still there. They might keep him overnight - which is a good thing.

Heart racing and palps is a sure sign he's taken too much though it can be an indication he's also low on some minerals too. Look up vitamins and minerals for heart health on google.

I hope the hospital gets to the bottom of it for you. Saying this, they may just send him home because he's stopped having chest pains, which happened to my mother - the cardiac guy told her it was nothing to do with her thyroid. Idiots!
Still, she is old school too and doesn't like to defy the doc. I happily am not old school to defying doctors comes naturally to me.

They have him all hooked up for obs and will keep him there tomorrow as well. They've done a whole range of tests so It will be interesting so see what they get back. I'll check the minerals and see. He has been eating quite well recently (as the neighbour has been bringing him food because of the snow) but he does always eat well enough in my opinion - and I tell him all the time - and what to eat. But when I am not there to cook for him he does what he wants. Lets hope the hospital sort him out now. Thanks again, Mark.

but he DOESN'T always eat well enough in my opinion....

Sorry my typos!!!

Also if his metobilsm is racing he may not be absorbing nutrients from his foods so there's something else to watch.

Very difficult being on the other side of the planet. Let us know how he gets on.
Good luck.

I will do. At least he is in good hands for a few days Now for some sleep!

Things have moved fast.

Dad is still in hospital - BUT it seems he has a heart abnormality which may have caused the chest pains and palpitations. All the thyroid levels were normal. They have now taken him off the Thyroxine totally, and are tapering down the anti-tyroid meds - so they can see if he is improved. Apparently they keep you on the replacement therapy for 9-10 months (if you are hyper and have the anti-thryroid meds + replacement therapy). So lets hope that all works out now.

But now we need to see what the heart problem is - and there are a few tests being done now. To complicate things, he suddenly got VERY confused, delirious and totally out-of-character. Much like dementia but suddenly with no warning. I was shocked, but apparently they suspect he has a UTi which can produce very strange cognitive symptoms in the elderly because the bacterium crosses through the blood/brain path. Then when in the brain can cause havoc.

So doing blood tests and now a CT brain scan. So if positive result and treated with antibiotics, he could respond and return to normal soon. If too late, then he could stay this way - which is not a nice thought.

Looks like I'll be having an unplanned and expensive trip to the mother country coming up.

My sympathies. Hope they sort him out quickly and he's home and happy as soon as.

Thank You - I do too

Some adrenal fatigue information here:
http://www.hormone.org/public/myths_facts.cfm