My dx and RAI was June 2011. Went into full thyroid storm the end of July and experienced 9 migraines in 10 days. Since that time the migraines have lessened some but I still am getting between 3-7 per month. They were always caused by something: stress, hormones, etc. Now I can't seem to find a trigger and it is driving me nuts.

I am taking 90 mc of Armour and my levels are great- at least for me. I feel normal again. Sleeping well, lots of energy. Actually can't complain about anything other than weight gain. I do aerobics 4x per week and am following a low glycemic diet. Take 2000 mg of a B complex and 5000 D vitamin, and eat about 2 brazil nuts every other day to keep my eye pressure in line. I prefer eating the solenium rather than taking a pill.

Has anybody had problems with migraines? I can't find anything written about its correlation to Graves.

Any suggestions?
Thanks everyone. I couldn't have made it thru last year without the support of everyone on this website. You are truly doing GOD's work.
Thanks
Gayle

Hi Gayle,

Sorry to hear about your migraines. I never thought to ask if there was any correlation, but I have only had three migraines in my life - all in the last year (I was diagnosed with Graves in February 2010 and had RAI one year later). I attributed all three to the combination of a low pressure system and stress. The first two were while I was living in Florida and both occurred during tropical depressions, which bring low pressure, known to cause severe headaches and migraines. I didn't even know what they were at first but when a co-worker told me to go home and sleep in a dark, quiet room, I figured it out because that remedy worked. I was also trying to find a job in and move back to Massachusetts, so I was under a lot of stress. The third and most recent migraine was a few weeks ago as I was trying to get everything in order before my orbital decompression, and we also had a low pressure system hovering over us.

I never even thought to blame Graves since I have been on Synthroid during all three migraines, but since you are now on Armour and still aren't finding relief from your migraines, I wonder if it's something completed unrelated. We tend to blame Graves, our thyroids, or our meds a lot when often times our health woes have nothing to do with Graves.

By the way, I also preferred to eat my selenium at first. I loved Brazil nuts until I realized how much fat was in them. Good fats, yes, but I was desperately trying to lose my post-RAI weight at the time, so I switched to selenium supplements. Now that I am two weeks post-OD, I don't need the selenium any more and I have two huge bottles of them - one unopened!

I hope you find an answer, as well as some relief, soon. Please update us if your physician provides any direction - I'd be interested in knowing if replacement hormone could be the cause.

Hi and thanks for the comments. Funny that you should mention the low pressure - During my last Endo appt my Dr was suffering with her own migraine. She shared with me that hers were caused by the low pressure. I've been charting mine and several of them have been during fronts of low pressure - not big storms but our usual late afternoon thunderboomers - I live in Florida.

The reason I have been blaming the thyroid is due to the 9 in 10 days during my thyroid storm last July. Unfortunately, I also had some during the time that I bottomed out - hypo - before I started with the Armour. Maybe its just that my body hasn't dealt well with the change - both hypo and hyper. Who knows.

My Endo just shrugs her shoulders and basically told me to get used to it - she really isn't sure what causes it. At least she is honest. Fortunately my Cardiologist has me on Propranalol and plans to keep me on it due to the migraines. Since being on the meds my migraines are only visual. The actual headache is pretty minor compared to how they used to be. Much as I hate the visual disturbances - I can live with it.

Did you experience a difference with the selenium? My ophthalmologist has said that I don't have TED even though my eyes “ache” if I stop the brazil nuts. It only takes 1-2 a couple times a week and the muscle ache goes away.

Gayle

Where in Florida are you? I was in Ft. Myers, where there is almost always some sort of system coming in from the Gulf. I knew a LOT of people who had migraines all the time.

I am also on propranolol and have heard it helps with the migraines. I'll have to ask my cardiologist about it when we meet in a few weeks to switch beta blockers or start weaning me off it altogether.

I started the selenium while I was on prednisone for the sudden onset of moderate TED. The prednisone began working the very next day after I started it, reducing my swelling and completing erasing the pain. However, my eyes would continue to ache and were permanently protruded and very light sensitive, so I remained on the selenium even though I attributed most of the relief to the three months of a heavy prednisone dose. My Florida endo knew the Italian researchers who are credited with the selenium benefits for TED, so both he and my neuro-ophthalmologist fully supported me taking it. I took 100mcg a day and then began taking it every other day after four months, and continued that dose up until Sept. 25 when I had my OD.

Have you requested an MRI, CT scan, or visual field exam? I was told by two ophthalmologists that I did not have TED. My endo actually diagnosed me, and sent me to the only neuro-ophthalmologist in southwest Florida, thank goodness.

Good morning
I live in Winter Springs (northeast of Orlando). Your right about all the front coming in all the time. I am looking forward to the fall/winter to see if it changes the frequency of the migraines. I saw my cardiologist yesterday and talked to him about the headaches. He is all in favor of keeping me on the propranalol - which I totally agree. I haven't had any tachy events since the RAI but since it helps the migraines so much - and he said it isn't doing any harm.
What exactly were your first TED symptoms? 6 months post RAI I had aching in my eyes - nothing else. Very similar to the aching you get with sinus infections. I didn't have an MRI or CT but did have a field of vision test by 2 ophth. Since taking the selenium (brazil nuts) the aching has stopped. Visually the only thing I have noticed is a worsening of my close up vision. Some would say its due to over 40 eyes but I had Lasix in 2005 and had no visual change until this past year. ALSO I had a torn retina less than 30 post RAI. All docs said it wasn't related but I find that hard to believe.

I have a regular eye appt scheduled in december soooooo.

Gayle

See for me, propranolol is doing harm. It has caused my total cholesterol to double without any other lifestyle changes other than a cleaner diet and more regular exercise. My endo in FL was eager to get me off it for this reason.

My TED began with minor symptoms about four months after my Graves diagnosis. My eyes became rather dry (thus watering constantly) and slightly protruded, but not enough for anyone to notice but me, and even I only noticed it in photos - not when looking in the mirror. Twenty-two weeks after RAI, I finally went hypO but also developed sudden and moderate to severe TED. My eyeballs bulged out to the sides, my eyes were extremely red and irritated, and the pain was unbearable. Prior to that week, the minor TED had never bothered me in the 14 or so months I had it.

Interestingly enough, I have a very bad headache today. Not a migraine, but also not a minor headache. I took some prescription strength Tylenol and had a cup of coffee and lots of water but no relief yet. We are getting our first freeze overnight tonight but I don't think there's any correlation.

I would recommend finding an ophthalmologist trained in TED, usually a neuro-op. it sounds like you have some minor symptoms, which may never progress, but it's good to have some baseline scans and good photos of your eyes and face to compare to every six months or so.

Thanks for the info. I have an ophtho appt in Dec so we'll see. I still have a problem with puffy eyes, mainly under the eyes. My eyelids will occassionally puff up - but not too badly. Ice helps that greatly.

I realized that my eyes are watering some but it is because nothing drains into my sinus'. I'm going to ask the doc to dilate the tear ducts as I believe they are swollen shut. I used to work in the OR and we dilated toddlers ducts on a regular basis. The docs said that once they were dilated they stayed open. Maybe that will help out my under eye puffy.

Time will tell.
Gayle

I had RAI last Wednesday and have had a bad headache for 3 days now. I have taken Motrin and Excedrin and they have not helped. It's worse at night when I'm sleeping. My headache wakes me up. So I decided to come on to the site and was happy to see that other people are suffering from headaches.

I had called my doctor on Friday and told him that my thyroid was very tender and sore. He had said that this was unusual and to take Motrin. I have been taking the Motrin and that has not helped my thyroid. Then Friday night, I got my headache and it hasn't stopped hurting since.

Before my RAI I asked my Endo if there were any side effects to RAI and he said no. The only thing he mentioned was the thyroid dump that you could get and I haven't felt that at all yet.

I agree with Gayle - this site is great! I didn't know who else to go too.

Maria

@mariaboo - I would definitely check back with your doc if you don't start to see some relief soon. Don't be afraid to be the squeaky wheel!

@gayle - Excessive tearing can potentially be a symptom of TED, which ironically happens when our eyes are too *dry*. Definitely make sure that your ophtho is very experienced with Graves' and TED before pursuing any irreversible treatment options for the watering eyes.

Kimberly - I went to my Doctor today and he wanted to put me on steroids. I didn't want to take that route. So we agreed on a prescription Motrin. My thyroid is definitely inflamed and swollen. When I got home, I started feeling like I had flu symptoms, took my temp and it's a little over 100. And the strangest, I am 59 and been menopausal for 18 years and have started spotting. What is going on? Should I be concerned?