angry with graves

[GravelyOptimistic]

Hi, I tried posting this to another thread, but was worried it was the wrong place for the question, so I'm posting it here. During my adrenaline surges, I get angry. Not at anyone or anything.. But I'm just mad as hell. Normally I am very meek, shy, and I cry when I'm angry. But when my graves isn't being treated well, I get angry when I'm angry. Except the anger isn't stimulated by anything other than an adrenlaline surge. I've told my endo about this and she seems very disinterested, acting as tho I'm just listing normal graves symptoms. So I've assumed its related. When my levels were balanced (for a short time) this almost went away, but then I swung into hypo (over medicated) and now hyper again. So I'm not quite sure what's been going on with me. My hypo symptoms oddly matched my hyper symptoms (rapid heart rate of over 140bpm, adrenaline surges etc.) Which made me and the endo raise an eyebrow. I thought maybe hashimotos, or maybe I have an adrenaline condition as well. The endo said the symptoms are not universal, and there is nothing horribly shocking about my hypo symptoms almost matching my hyper symptoms. My symptoms when I got diagnosed were atypical anyway (I gained a ton of weight with graves, and lost it when I was hypo. Etc.) So anyway. Will I stop being angry once my doage is right?

[goolarra]

You're absolutely right.  We get a little too close to our subject at times.  We sometimes don't even think of giving someone a term to google.  I'll try to keep that in mind.  I suppose doctors have the same problem.  They know the symptoms and don't realize they have to take the time to reassure the patient that this is a "normal" symptom of the disease.

If you have some time to play around in the archives, you'll see many posts about the emotional aspects of Graves'.

Have you tried more than one beta blocker?  They're all slightly different, and some work better for a given individual than others.

I've learned that husbands should not try to help treat thyroid disorders.  LOL  However, it sounds like your husband is very supportive, and that certainly helps with this disease.  

Best of luck...keep us posted on your progress.

[GravelyOptimistic]

:) I think we all assume everyone knows the little things about thyroid, (like the simple graves' rage term) so we forget to bring them up. I have literally typed in everything I could think of to describe the episodes, and I'd just get vague "irritability" related to graves links, or links directing me to adrenaline conditions, and hashimotos, or mental illness. I had sort of started beliving that I had just become a rageful mean person now. Which made me feel hopeless, and like a monster. I wish the emotional/mental aspects of graves were discussed more. I was certainly ashamed of my hulk-fits and scared to post a question about them. Maybe others are too I don't know.
Thanks for mentioning the beta blockers. i'm already taking a beta blocker, I am allowed to take it when I need it, and depending on if it lowers my rate enough (gauging with a monitor) I am allowed to take another. It interferes with my asthma so when I don't need it I skip it. Lately, I have needed it like crazy.
When I have my hulk-fits I really wish someone would just hit me over the head so I could sleep it off. :) maybe if I keep on like this my husband will get to the point where that sounds like a good idea to him too. Lol. :) I'm hoping for a fast acting sedative/anti-anxiety magic potion to get me through the worst of them, at least until my thyroid levels even out.
Thanks again for dropping the appropriate term into my world. I called my husband at work right after reading your post and googling it, with a "there's hope on vanquishing the hulk!" message. :)

[goolarra]

Gee, I don't think I've ever gotten such a response over two little words!  LOL

I'm so glad you were able to connect with others.

Don't forget to ask your doctor about a beta blocker.  While it won't help much with the rage, it will calm your heart down.  It's fairly standard treatment for hyper until ATMs get stabilized.  Tachycardia can be scary, which I'm sure doesn't help the rage any.

[GravelyOptimistic]

Oh my god. Goolarra. The relief I felt when I read or comment. Thank you. I just googled "graves' rage" my world just blew open. I was calling these moments "hulk fits" or "hulking out". They are a serious problem. Its wonderful to hear that it is my thyroid, and I wasn't mistaken when I thought it had gotten a lot better when I had leveled out. My hulk-fits are back and I just got blood work done and discovered I'm hyper again. Its a huge relief to know that the hulk is gonna calm down in a few months when my doage has had time to kick in. Thank you SO much. Seriously. That term "graves rage" has given me so many results on google, and a lot of them offer advice and support. I'm so happy and hopeful now.

[goolarra]

I'll join the group that has told you that this is a very common symptom of Graves'.  I've heard it called "Graves' rage".  

Many symptoms "cross over" and are symptoms of both hypo and hyper.  While it's more usual to lose weight when hyper and gain when hypo, some people lose or gain either way.  

You might ask your doctor about a beta blocker for your tachycardia.  Beta blockers will slow your HR.