Wow! Tough One. But you have definately come to the right place for
help. You have just described me at my worst, and that was after my
thyroid was removed and I was without medication for 2 months. I was
quite ill.

I do not feel qualified to advise you in any way, I can just tell you
how my husband helped me through my worst times. He did not argue
with me, and did not try to correct me. He more or less adopted
a 'Yes Dear' approach. I would erupt at a look - I didn't have to
wait for a comment, I would explode at anything that simply had the
misfortune of crossing my path.

The only reassurance I can give you is that with the proper
treatment, your ladyfriend will get better. Your support for her is
invaluable at the moment, and when all is said and done, she will
remember that you were there for her, and supported her. (I don't
mean that to sound patronizing either. I do not know what I would
have done without the quiet reserve of my husband. He explained to
friends and family that my personality had changed and not for the
better, I had changed into an extremely nasty, and trueth to
tell, 'bitchy' person. He was my rock and my support and even though
I was angry at the world, I knew he was looking after me.

Once I was allowed to start on my medication, (I was on synthroid at
first then changed to levoxyl) I quickly became my 'old' self again,
it was about one week after I started taking my medication that I
laughed at something my husband said. He looked at me with such
wonder in his eyes, and said to me "Do you know something? It has
been so long since you have laughed - it is good to hear you laughing
and see you smiling!" It was only then that I realized I was on the
road to full recovery.

I am completely at a loss as to how you could get help for her. I am
confused by you saying she had abnormal blood test results, I would
have thought, that if her TSH levels came back abnormal (I am
assuming this was the abnormal blood test) her own doctor would have
either asked her back for more tests, or at the very least started
her on a synthroid/levoxyl medication, that she would need to take
every day.

Forgive me for going, on and on here, but I have just thought of
something else, before my thyroid was removed, I had been ill for
some time and was not aware of it either, I just put down my bad
moods and terrible temperament to the onset of middle age. I would
erupt into terrible rages, and go into deep depressions at the drop
of a hat. I thought this was what my life was going to be like
through menopause and it was natural, after all - all women have to
go though this - right?

It was a relief to me to suddenly find out that there was in fact
something medically wrong with me, and what was happening to me was
not natural afterall. I was relieved to find out that I was not
turning into 'super bitch #1' in my middle age.

I can only sympathize with you, because you have an extremely
difficult job ahead of you. I remember how argumentative I would be
when my husband said anything I did not like. I can only imagine how
difficult it is for you to try to have a reasonable discussion
without it flaring into an arguament.

In denial......says a lot. Again, another thought has just popped
into my head, maybe she is afraid to see her doctor, maybe she thinks
(like I did) that this is just a natural progression, and if she went
to her doctor, she may be afraid that her doctor will tell her she is
fine! Coz if she was fine, that would mean (just like I thought)
that she was simply turning into a bad temptered agressive person.
You and I and anyone reading this will know that this is not the
case. But sometimes it is really hard for us to acknowledge what we
are afraid of.

I'm going to stop now, I am so sorry to have gone on, and on. Maybe
others on this site will have different insites that they will pass
onto you too.

I wish you luck.

Regards

Deborah Ford




--- In ThyroidDisease2@yahoogroups.com, "madabouteu"
<mosasaur47@m...> wrote:
> Hi, I just joined in hopes of getting some advice. My ladyfriend
is in
> complete denial that she has hyperthyroidism, despite abnormal
blood
> tests and having all the physical symptoms. My doctor, looking
across
> the waitring room at her, was able to tell it! To make matters
worse,
> she seems to have some trouble with thyroid - related psychosis in
the
> form of paranoia. It has becvome very difficult to deal with her,
yet
> she flies into a rage if I even mention that she may have a thyroid
> problem. How do I convince her to see a doctor and get treatment,
> especially with the paranoia? Thanks in advance.