TED

Hi all. I was diagnosed at age 41 with Graves. In the summer of 2021. Had 12 ER visits for tachycardia/chest pain palpations tremors. I developed one hell of a panic disorder coming from a pretty chill person prior to Graves I had a total thyroidectomy summer of 2022. Just before my surgery, I noticed some changes to my right eye and that has progressively gotten worse .

Struggling with TED

I am profoundly sad all the time that bursting into tears at any given moment has become my new normal. I used to be outgoing and so full of self-confidence and now I simply retreat to my home. I don’t look in the mirror, no pictures and I can’t look anyone in the eye. I assess and reassess my eyes constantly and feel I am going crazy with fear and worry and anger from what is happening to me.

I have heard conflicting information about Tepezza and made an appointment with Minnesota eye institute to hopefully get my eyes fixed or at least start down a TED treatment plan. I am a 20-year RN so I am surrounded by illness and reminders of how things can go from bad to worse.

It is overwhelming

The amount of worry and changes that have occurred over the past two years are so overwhelming I can’t even remember who I was before Graves and TED. I feel like a burden to my family and I am so ashamed of what I’ve become, this obsessive basket case. It’s disgusting!

I’m overweight after my surgery. I just don’t know if there is any hope in sight. I’m terrified that my vision will get worse and have never experienced depression like this.

Sorry to dump the negativity, but that’s all I got right now . They definitely named this illness correctly as it kills the beautiful pieces of a human.