Small Talk: The Prayer Closet

[Love2dance]

@doodlebug, your psychic story about John (and your interactions with “him” after his passing) are the best and most comforting I have ever heard. Wow, hard to be a total skeptic after that. Thanks for sharing your experiences.

[zoomama]

i hope you will all forgive me but i cant read that ghost story stuff-- i have trouble sleeping at night to begin with and i would not forget what i had read IF i had read your posts.  i do, however, believe in angels visiting and intervening in my life as well as evil stuff. i just try to stay away from scary  stuff in my life. i HAVE had a real, physical experience with an angel once and have complete faith that he was sent to help us. 

[Love2dance]

49 minutes ago, zoomama said:

i hope you will all forgive me but i cant read that ghost story stuff-- i have trouble sleeping at night to begin with and i would not forget what i had read IF i had read your posts.  i do, however, believe in angels visiting and intervening in my life as well as evil stuff. i just try to stay away from scary  stuff in my life. i HAVE had a real, physical experience with an angel once and have complete faith that he was sent to help us. 

@zoomama, I completely understand. I don’t ever watch scary, violent, or bloody movies, I’m such a chicken. But for some reason I find actual descriptions of ghost encounters comforting, not scary, and don’t think I’d be scared if I saw one in my house. (At least that’s what I’m saying now.  ?)

Edited September 21, 2018 by Love2dance
added words

[Christina87]

@doodlebug I absolutely love all your stories!!!! The funeral one is so amazing with the level of detail. I absolutely believe in premonitions too! My mom and I both go through phases where we know things we couldn't possibly know. Most are trivial, like one random morning I was certain my hair straightener would be dead when I plugged it in, and it was. The weirdest thing that's ever happened to me, though, sort of reminds me of your story. One morning my first year of working, I had a terrible dream. I live close to an interstate, and it was a very vivid dream of a crash just north of my exit, southbound. I could see the people and the kinds of injuries they had, and it was horrifying. I woke up with a start and looked immediately at the clock. It was 6:00 am on the dot. Shaken, I managed to sleep a few more minutes, but I wasn't thinking about it anymore when I drove to work. I didn't have to take the interstate to get there. However, a lot of teachers were late, and the principal announced that they would be here as quickly as they could, due to the bad accident. That's when I remembered, with a start. During my planning period that day, I googled it, and an article was up. Turns out I had seen the wreck happened...it exactly matched my dream...the location, types of cars, number of people...and they called 911 at 6:00 am. 

I saw it happening live!!!

i totally believe there are soooo many things out there that can't possibly be explained by the world as we know it! I remember talking in psychology class about the possibility that knowledge just "exists," but our brains have to be able to pick up the frequency. That would be an explanation for math savants who don't have to do the computing...they are just able to access a frequency that we are not. I definitely think this could be applied to events! It could even be that your grandpa's funeral had already happened in another dimension, even. Apparently there are some theories that everything is going on at once in different dimensions. Or, it could be that maybe deep down your grandpa had a desire to attend his funeral (I think everyone does on some level!), and God gave him this vision to make it happen, and give him one last awesome thing to experience on earth. In any event, I'm glad to experience it!

your story about the man in the house STRAIGHT UP gave me chills!!! That is how all my ghost experiences have been...just random, mundane things that are only scary after the fact. Did you ever get to see a picture of that guy?

i LOVE the story about John, too! That was really comforting what he said about God, and I love that you got to have such a good relationship with a great mentor, which has not had to end. I truly believe that everyone leaves a bigger mark on the world than they think. John may not have gotten to practice, but his knowledge and encouraging attitude lives on in you every day. It's amazing that the psychic was able to pick up on all that, too! It seems like good motivation for the hard days too...John is cheering you on, and is proud of you! 

Kind of on that note, when my grandmothers died, I made a conscious decision to strive to match their best qualities. This way, they would live on, and their lives would still influence others. I try my hardest to be warm and kind like my maternal grandmother, and classy and ladylike, while strong, like my paternal grandmother. Consciously striving for these virtues and knowing they would be proud of how I'm living means a lot to me. 

It sounds like John is living on through you in your vocation, which is helping thousands of people, and i'm betting you have mentored a person or two yourself and passed on his encouraging attitude that way! Everyone's life has the potential to keep influencing others in a positive way. ?

[Ohiopirate02]

I don't have any personal experience with ghosts, but I still remember a dream that I had as a kid.  I dreamt  that I was at a funeral home for an old woman.  The next day my dad found out that his grandmother had died in Pennsylvania.   We go to the viewing and it was at the same funereal as my dream.  I've never had such a vivid premonition since.  I occasionally have vaguer dreams that are mostly my dad and best friend checking in on me.  

 

Now my best friend and her mom had and have some kind of frequency with God.  I remember my friend taking one step into a historic building , turned around and walked right back out.  I was still in the building reading a plaque about a person who either died there or was buried beneath it.  She felt his presence immediately upon entering.  As a child she was found playing with her dead grandfather when her parents went to visit her grandmother.  This goes both ways in regards to Jennifer.  On the first anniversary of my dads death, my cat was acting strangely.  She kept on trying to jump up on my mom and give her some love.   Now my cat was an asshole who only liked me.  That was the only time she ever tried to hop into my moms lap.  Jennifer knew my mom was hurting and tried to comfort her.  Or it was my dad talking to my cat.  They were the only 2 people my cat ever tolerated.   Her mother would also have visions periodically of either angels or the Virgin Mary.  

[marypat57]

I just wanted to put in my 2 cents worth about the experiences evrryone has been dharing.

The night my mother died (on her wedding anniversary--my dad had died almost 11 years before), I was at my school's end of the year party.  I had not wanted to go but I did because I knew I couldn't get my money back.  At about ten minutes to nine I was talking to a colleague's husband when I felt a tap on my shoulder.  I looked at my watch and noted the time.  As I was nearing my house, there was a tremendous amount of what I called heat lightning and Joshua Caddison's song You'll Always Be Beautiful In My Eyes was playing on the radio.  When I pulled in front of my house, there were many cars out front and my first guess was one of my brothers (I have 6) did something stupid. My dearest friend's husband came out to tell me, and it turned out that my mom died at about the time I felt he tap on my shoulder.  A few months later I bought the Joshua Caddison cd, and the song on the cd after You'll Always Be Beautiful In My Eyes was a song about a little boy whose mom had just died.

My mother and father both died in the kitchen of our home.  I did not disclose the information when I finally sold the house.  I often wonder if my parents return to 'visit'.  

Fast forward about 22 years.  On the anniversary of my mother's passing, I was in my classroom getting ready for the day when I noticed a beautiful butterfly in the room.  As I observed the butterfly, I noticed that it had wings with no pattern except that the wings were the exact color of my mother's hair.  Naturally, the butterfly disappeared before I could get my phone out to take a picture.

[Marshmallow Mollie]

I have a ghost/angel story. In 2011 my mother was diagnosed with cancer and my beloved Grandmommy entered hospice care, so I was driving across the state every weekend. I always stopped halfway at a Sheetz gas station, which was brand new to our region, and would text my family to let them know where I was. The text from Sheetz became a running joke. For our NC readers, it’s the one on exit 154 Mebane Oaks off of I-40. After Grandmommy passed, the grief was awful and raw, and I was still traveling back and forth for my mother. One time I stopped and walked in the Sheetz bathroom, and I was overcome by the feeling that Grandmommy was with me. What’s more, the automatic faucet turned on even though no one was there. It turned off when the feeling left. My Grandmommy was a very classy lady, so to make an appearance at the gas station bathroom is definitely weird, but that’s the only explanation I have for what happened.

[andromeda331]

All these ghost stories are really amazing!

[Temperance]

I wouldn't want to meet a strange ghost. I used to think my grandma's spirit was with us after she passed. To me, that's not a weird ghost, it's my grandma. Here are some stories about particular times she came. I felt strongly she was with my mom and her sister as they visited their childhood home on her birthday. Probably with grandpa too.  Mom and I were Christmas shopping and having a good time when a song from an old musical came on the radio. I was flipping through the radio and found a station playing really old, jazzy kind of songs. It was not the kind of song played every ten minutes. Since grandma took us to see a revival of the show, I knew she was there. And the most impressive was when she stopped in to tell me when a cousin was labor. This cousin was having a very stressful, tramatic pregnancy with lots of prenatal care and monitoring. They were going to do a c-section the next week at 37 weeks, but she went in to labor a week early.  We were in the car and I got this feeling like grandma was there and was coming in spirit to be there for the birth. (I actually had a vision of her holding a baby). We had no way of knowing she was in labor until we got home. She and her son (the baby from the story) are both alive although they still have some medical problems. For the most part, I think they're okay. 

I haven't seen her as much lately since she's been gone longer.  I have to admit I like the idea that loved ones watch over us. I also admit I was more into this idea when I watching Long Island Medium, even as I grew very suspicious of Theresa's gift. 

Edited September 21, 2018 by Temperance

[Ohiopirate02]

8 hours ago, Marshmallow Mollie said:

I have a ghost/angel story. In 2011 my mother was diagnosed with cancer and my beloved Grandmommy entered hospice care, so I was driving across the state every weekend. I always stopped halfway at a Sheetz gas station, which was brand new to our region, and would text my family to let them know where I was. The text from Sheetz became a running joke. For our NC readers, it’s the one on exit 154 Mebane Oaks off of I-40. After Grandmommy passed, the grief was awful and raw, and I was still traveling back and forth for my mother. One time I stopped and walked in the Sheetz bathroom, and I was overcome by the feeling that Grandmommy was with me. What’s more, the automatic faucet turned on even though no one was there. It turned off when the feeling left. My Grandmommy was a very classy lady, so to make an appearance at the gas station bathroom is definitely weird, but that’s the only explanation I have for what happened.

I've been to that Sheetz.   Out of all the bathrooms to appear in I would not have picked that one. 

[Christina87]

@Marshmallow Mollie ahhhhhhh that is the best Sheetz! ??? My grandma lived in Raleigh, and we would always stop there! It was so cool because you could get a cup of all Carolina blue M&M's. that was the first Sheetz I ever went in. We drove back and forth by there so much! I remember as a kid thinking Efland was Elfland, and I really wanted to go there!

i love how all these people have had dreams or sensed the presence of a loved one. I was visited in a dream once by a lady from our church who died a tragic death. She had a daughter my age who took the death super hard. One night a few years ago, I was dreaming in black and white about college choir, and then suddenly, this lady walked in. She was HUGE and in vibrant color, looking the prettiest and happiest I could ever imagine her. She just stopped and asked if I knew where her daughter was. I told her the town, but was sorry I couldn't tell her anything more specific than that. She thanked me and just moved on, and the dream went back to normal. Now, I often have dreams with dead relatives in them, but they are just normal dreams, and I don't believe the person was really there. This one was SO different! I woke up early in the morning literally shaking and thinking, "I know she is okay!!! Her daughter will be so relieved to know she is okay!" I made myself go back to sleep, but still felt shaky and crazy when I woke up. I thought all day about what to do about it, and then I ended up writing her daughter a Facebook message that her mom had been on my mind, and I was praying for her family. She wrote back and said she'd been feeling especially sad about her mom's death lately, and needed to hear that. I'm hoping that her mom realized she really needed her, and eventually did find her!

Edited September 21, 2018 by Christina87

[ehall1052]

I have kind of a funny “ghost” story. A few months earlier, my Mom had passed away in our home. I was in the bedroom she used putting something away, thinking about and missing my Mom, so I took her perfume and gave it a squirt. I then went to sit down in the living room. And my husband, who had a very capricious relationship with my Mom, suddenly sat straight up in his chair and said “Hon, I smell your MOTHER!” So I calmly turned to him and said “ I told you she’d come back and haunt you!”

[Natalie68]

18 hours ago, Christina87 said:

@lookeyloo I love those stories!!!! I have heard of people being able to smell spirits...I have never had that experience! Things always seem to happen to me in moments like yours in the store, where you're totally off-guard and just chilling. If you go out and LOOK for ghosts, you'll never find one! It's always in the moments you don't expect, at least for me. 

Your last story reminded me of something too. My mom had a horrible experience in 2010 when her mother and brother passed within a month of each other, and her brother's illness progressed very quickly (found out in January, died early April). She used to buy dog food from this lady who claimed online to be a psychic, but my mom never talked to her about that stuff. When she went to buy the dog food after the deaths, the lady kind of jumped back when she approached and looked visibly shaken. My mom always wondered if she brought some guests with her or something!

one more thing that your grandma story reminded me of...I'm not sure I believe this, but it's an interesting coincidence. When my uncle was very sick, my mom was heartbroken and desperately wished she could be with him. She was planning to go the next day. My dad claims that she walked over to get in bed, and while she got in bed, he saw an image of her...like...come out of her body and through the wall! I'm really not sure if I believe that, though. Can a soul leave a living person? I've never thought so. But anyway, my uncle hadn't spoken for days, and right around the time that happened, he woke up and clearly said, "[my mom's name] is the ONLY one who agrees with me!" I don't think her soul really left, honestly...I think my dad was maybe super upset or just so tired he wasn't quite lucid...but it makes you wonder!

My sister claims to have had an out of body experience.  Maybe that is what your mom had?  

This isn't a ghost story per se but a moment I knew my dad was with me after he died.  His death was full of mystery and confusion and upset.  He was a victim of elder abuse by his gf and she had forged his name on docs giving her POA and kept me and my sisters out of his life. Anyhoo, I was driving home from work and I KNEW he was sitting in the passenger seat and was holding my hand like he did in the later years of his life in the few times I got to see him.  I have smelled my grandmother as has my cousin.  She wore White Shoulders perfume which none of us do.  

In my house growing up I remember laying down for a nap with my mom (I was maybe 5) and heard walking above her room.  We were adding onto our house and none of the crew were there and my sisters weren't home from school yet.  It didn't scare me for some reason.  Same house but I was 12 and home alone.  My parents were out of the country and my sister was staying with me.  I didn't know she had left to take her bf home and I heard heavy running down the hall outside my bedroom.  I flung open the door and no one was there.  Her car was gone.  I was pretty creeped out.  My mom used to see and hear things a lot in that house as well.  My dad thought my mom was haunting him as he got older.  Now, THAT could have been dementia but I am not totally denying that happened.  His bitch of a gf also spoke of having seen something in their room.  On 3 occasions I saw figures in my bedroom when I was little.  One was a little girl and her dog standing at the top of the stairs (my room at that age was an open loft with stairs leading to the living room).  The other two may have been Native American.  We lived on what used to be Chumash ground.  

My husband had a weird experience when we were first married.  We lived in an apartment and he heard energy swirling around our heads.  He said he reached over to cover me just in case it was something dangerous.  I have no idea what that was and he isn't prone to making stuff up.  He still remembers it 27 years later.

[galaxychaser]

I believe in heaven and the other side.  I never seen a ghost. I do believe in them 100%.

When my grandfather was dying (long before I was born) he kept saying his deceased wife's name over and over. He was even talking to her.  His kids believed that she was in the room with him.

For me ever since my mom died I feel her around me.  Don't want to creep anyone out, but multiple times I felt as thought she was next to me her arm around my waist.  And she used to wake me up by brushing my hair back and kissing my forehead. I still feel that frequently. Maybe I'm crazy haha, but I really do think its her.  I just feel her presence. 

on the 8th day after she died i had a dream about her. when she died she had short hair. in my dream her hair was long and she was just radiating in white light and she was smiling and she was really happy. i do think it was her telling me she is okay.

And like many of you I also frequently have dreams (dejavu) that come true.

We are surrounded by spirits of people who loved us and are waiting for us to pass on to the next phase and join them...

 

off to cry again. i turned into such a crier since she died.

Edited September 21, 2018 by galaxychaser

[galaxychaser]

46 minutes ago, ehall1052 said:

I have kind of a funny “ghost” story. A few months earlier, my Mom had passed away in our home. I was in the bedroom she used putting something away, thinking about and missing my Mom, so I took her perfume and gave it a squirt. I then went to sit down in the living room. And my husband, who had a very capricious relationship with my Mom, suddenly sat straight up in his chair and said “Hon, I smell your MOTHER!” So I calmly turned to him and said “ I told you she’d come back and haunt you!”

This is hilarious!

[Natalie68]

14 hours ago, marypat57 said:

I just wanted to put in my 2 cents worth about the experiences evrryone has been dharing.

The night my mother died (on her wedding anniversary--my dad had died almost 11 years before), I was at my school's end of the year party.  I had not wanted to go but I did because I knew I couldn't get my money back.  At about ten minutes to nine I was talking to a colleague's husband when I felt a tap on my shoulder.  I looked at my watch and noted the time.  As I was nearing my house, there was a tremendous amount of what I called heat lightning and Joshua Caddison's song You'll Always Be Beautiful In My Eyes was playing on the radio.  When I pulled in front of my house, there were many cars out front and my first guess was one of my brothers (I have 6) did something stupid. My dearest friend's husband came out to tell me, and it turned out that my mom died at about the time I felt he tap on my shoulder.  A few months later I bought the Joshua Caddison cd, and the song on the cd after You'll Always Be Beautiful In My Eyes was a song about a little boy whose mom had just died.

My mother and father both died in the kitchen of our home.  I did not disclose the information when I finally sold the house.  I often wonder if my parents return to 'visit'.  

Fast forward about 22 years.  On the anniversary of my mother's passing, I was in my classroom getting ready for the day when I noticed a beautiful butterfly in the room.  As I observed the butterfly, I noticed that it had wings with no pattern except that the wings were the exact color of my mother's hair.  Naturally, the butterfly disappeared before I could get my phone out to take a picture.

We had to inform the buyers of my dads home that he died there but we did not disclose the ghosts.  We have all wondered if the ghosts have visited the new owners.

[MonicaM]

Interesting that this subject has come up here.  Just a few days ago, I decided to write down all my experiences with what I believe are messages or encounters with departed loved ones.  I have several, but most of them require too much of a back story to write here.  

One that i can write about here involves my maternal grandmother.  She had a beautiful maple rocking chair that she had used to rock many of her grandchildren and great grandchildren.  When she passed, my mother inherited the chair and put it in her living room.  My mother, my siblings, and I agreed that we always thought of our grandmother whenever we looked at or sat in that chair.

When my mother was 84, she fell, broke her hip, and had to go to a nursing home.  I came for a visit, and was spending my first night in her house without her.  I was alone in the house, doing something in the kitchen, when I heard a noise in the living room.  Somewhat alarmed, I went in to see what caused the noise.  No one was visible, but the rocking chair was slightly rocking, just as it would do when someone had just gotten up from it.  For some reason, this didn't phase me in the least and I just calmly accepted that my grandmother had been enjoying her chair again, ans keeping me company in a stressful time.

As I said, my mother broke her hip, which resulted in surgery for a partial joint replacement, and going to a nursing home to recover.  Despite an initial relatively optimistic prognosis, my mother declined rapidly.  Her surgical incision got infected and didn't heal, etc.  She had no appetite, so we took in her favorite foods to try to stimulate her appetite.  She started scolding us for not bringing in enough to share with her mother.  She hated eating in front of her mother, even though her mother indicated she didn't mind.  

My mother was married twice, and outlived both husbands.  One day she asked if her second husband was alive or dead.  I told her he had passed away a couple of years earlier.  She looked puzzled and said that's what she thought, but he had been to visit her.  She then started asking when her first husband was coming.  We never knew how to answer, but when she started asking for her first husband, I knew the time of her passing was coming soon.  She passed away about two weeks later.  

I wasn't with her when she died, but thanks to Facetime, i was able to talk with her literally minutes before she left.  She was weak and barely responsive, but when I told her she was going to a wonderful place, she smiled and nodded emphatically.  I still miss her terribly, but I have a LOT of peace about her passing.

[Christina87]

Haha I get a little anxious when I sleep over with people for the first time. You never know what places could have ghosts! Even though most of my experiences haven't been scary, you don't want to find the one that is! I'm so happy that my apartment was built over swampland (heyyyy, I have something in common with Jenelle from TM2 lol...but they were obviously constructed by people who knew what they were doing) in 2009. I moved in in 2013, and I'm so thankful to be living somewhere where literally nothing has ever been!!! 

My parents' house was built in the 1920's, and there has been plenty of activity. Another one that stands out is when my sister and I were in high school (before we had ever talked about ghosts!), my dad said something funny, and a very pleasant young girl in a bonnet stuck her head in the door and laughed, looking straight at my mom. I guess she knew she was the only one who could see her! It creeps me out because I was standing right beside her, but didn't know. How much is going on around us all the time that we don't see?

[marypat57]

Natalie68:

When I sold the family home , I asked the attorney who was respresenting me if I had to disclose that my parents had both passed away in the kitchen.  His answer was no--NYS law at the time only required you to disclose a crime (e.g. murder, suicide) that had occured.

I did however, give my favorite neighbor (whom I consider to be my 7th brother) permission to disclose the info if he felt it was appropriate.  I believe he did after one if the new owners became injured in a fall and needed a ride to the hospital.

[bigskygirl]

No ghost stories for now. I think I am coming down with the cold my husband has, or I am back in hyperthyroid land again. UGH!!! My new insurance does not kick in until 10/1, and I see the specialist for a fellow up thyroid visit until 10/2. I have things to do next week, and I do not want to get a cold because it causes everything to kick in.

[Mindthinkr]

6 minutes ago, bigskygirl said:

No ghost stories for now. I think I am coming down with the cold my husband has, or I am back in hyperthyroid land again. UGH!!! My new insurance does not kick in until 10/1, and I see the specialist for a fellow up thyroid visit until 10/2. I have things to do next week, and I do not want to get a cold because it causes everything to kick in.

Get some vitamin C and B complex into you (as long as you tolerate it well). It will help boost your immune system. 

If people around you have colds take zinc. It helps to keep you from catching it.  I always use that Airborne stuff when I travel as it really does thwart illness. 

Feel better and I’ll pray your thyroid doesn’t get fickle. 

[Jynnan tonnix]

2 hours ago, Mindthinkr said:

Get some vitamin C and B complex into you (as long as you tolerate it well). It will help boost your immune system. 

If people around you have colds take zinc. It helps to keep you from catching it.  I always use that Airborne stuff when I travel as it really does thwart illness. 

Feel better and I’ll pray your thyroid doesn’t get fickle. 

Is it OK if I just quote this rather than typing out my own list of recommendations?

[Mindthinkr]

30 minutes ago, Jynnan tonnix said:

Is it OK if I just quote this rather than typing out my own list of recommendations?

Sure. Help yourself. 

[Natalie68]

14 hours ago, marypat57 said:

Natalie68:

When I sold the family home , I asked the attorney who was respresenting me if I had to disclose that my parents had both passed away in the kitchen.  His answer was no--NYS law at the time only required you to disclose a crime (e.g. murder, suicide) that had occured.

I did however, give my favorite neighbor (whom I consider to be my 7th brother) permission to disclose the info if he felt it was appropriate.  I believe he did after one if the new owners became injured in a fall and needed a ride to the hospital.

We had heard that it varied by state.  I am not sure I would mind if someone died in the house.  I am just glad we didn't have to disclose the ghosts!   I have to admit, when we left the house for the last time I encouraged them to introduce themselves to the new owners but to not freak them out.  I think they bought it as a vacation rental so it may take awhile before they realize they are sharing the house with many!  Which reminds me, I forgot one that was super strange.  I cannot believe this one escaped my memory until last night.  

In 2016, 2 weeks after my dads bday (he was already gone) and about 2 weeks before the anniversary of my moms death (right before Halloween) something really strange happened.  I was woken up to music playing and thought WTF is the ice cream man doing outside our bedroom window at 7am on a Saturday??  We don't HAVE an ice cream man/truck that goes through our neighborhood.  I wake up further and notice it is coming from our bedroom.  I get up and go over to the sound.  It is a music box that was locked in an old display case (it is an antique lawyer bookcase).  Couple of things.  I got these (3 total) for my 10th, 11th, and 12th bday.  That was probably the last time I heard what music they played (not a huge fan of music boxes, but they were from a really important person so I kept them).  I realize the one making music is playing Close to You by the Carpenters.  My mom's fav song.  It stops playing and I take it out.  The thing needed to be wound up so it WOULD play.  I opened my bedroom door and 2 of my cats were there looking freaked out.  I asked my husband if he had heard that and he said yeah, didn't know what it was.  Never happened again.  Never happened before that (I hadn't heard them for over 35 years).  I am friends with a psychic who occasionally is on Ghost Adventures so I send her a message and she said that at that time of year the veil is thinner so it wasn't surprising that if they wanted to send some sort of message, it would be a good time.  Not sure what the parents were trying to tell me at that point.  I immediately told my sisters and they were a little freaked but excited.  

One other thing that isn't necessarily ghostly but was my mom giving me a message.  I had been on disability in 2006-2007 and my old boss had basically let me go so I was looking for a new job.  I had applied for the one I have now and got it.  The day I got the call I heard my mom tell me good job kiddo.  

[Christina87]

3 hours ago, bigskygirl said:

No ghost stories for now. I think I am coming down with the cold my husband has, or I am back in hyperthyroid land again. UGH!!! My new insurance does not kick in until 10/1, and I see the specialist for a fellow up thyroid visit until 10/2. I have things to do next week, and I do not want to get a cold because it causes everything to kick in.

Just curious, how did you know you had hypothyroidism? I gained 50 pounds between January and February 2017 without changing my lifestyle at all (and nothing but flu starvation for two weeks has budged it much), had no outer eyebrows, my hair was falling out by the bucket, and I had most of the other symptoms too. I went to the doctor, and they were POSITIVE it was hypothyroidism. They said, "we'll get you on some thyroid medication and you'll be much better! Let's do a blood test as a formality, but that has to be the problem." Took the blood test, and got a letter in the mail that it came back normal. Went back again a few months later, and the exact same thing happened! I eat sooooo much better than I ever have before, and I can lose maybe 5 pounds, but I'm so desperate to get to the root of the problem and lose! 50 pounds that fast isn't normal. I literally had my pants fit one day, feel a little too tight a couple days later, suddenly be WAY too tight, and ended up going up two pants sizes that quickly! It was too fast to even realize there was a problem and try to fix it! My weight has been stable, and at least not gone up any more, but it should be easier than this to get back to where I was. 

[bigskygirl]

23 minutes ago, Christina87 said:

Just curious, how did you know you had hypothyroidism? I gained 50 pounds between January and February 2017 without changing my lifestyle at all (and nothing but flu starvation for two weeks has budged it much), had no outer eyebrows, my hair was falling out by the bucket, and I had most of the other symptoms too. I went to the doctor, and they were POSITIVE it was hypothyroidism. They said, "we'll get you on some thyroid medication and you'll be much better! Let's do a blood test as a formality, but that has to be the problem." Took the blood test, and got a letter in the mail that it came back normal. Went back again a few months later, and the exact same thing happened! I eat sooooo much better than I ever have before, and I can lose maybe 5 pounds, but I'm so desperate to get to the root of the problem and lose! 50 pounds that fast isn't normal. I literally had my pants fit one day, feel a little too tight a couple days later, suddenly be WAY too tight, and ended up going up two pants sizes that quickly! It was too fast to even realize there was a problem and try to fix it! My weight has been stable, and at least not gone up any more, but it should be easier than this to get back to where I was. 

I had a radiation iodine treatment in December 2012 for Graves Disease because stupid me believe an out of town quack who told me I would feel better, quality of life would improve, and hypothyroidism is easier to treat. Wrong! My Graves Disease flare back up within a month of a blood test showed I was mild hyperthyroid. If I was treated when the mild hyperthyroidism showed up in the test, I probably would have been fine. Six weeks after treatment, I was told by the one doctor I had no thyroid, and I was hypothyroid leading him to put me on a thyroid hormone replacement med. Of course, he was wrong and put me on too high of a med dosage. Within two weeks after I started taking the med, I felt like crap and was back to full blown hyperthyroidism. He would not listen to me when I kept saying something is not right. Luckily my home town hospital finally got an endocrinologist in. I saw him for a second opinion, and I was told I am very sensitive to hyperthyroid symptoms. The bad part no one listen to me for two years after the treatment when I said something is wrong leading to multiple health issues.

If you do not mind me asking, have you seen an endocrinologist. Sometimes levels can go off for some reason and then level out soon after. I was told almost anything can throw your thyroid levels off-being sick, changes in the weather, changes in the weather season, and other medical conditions can cause your thyroid to produce too little or too much thyroid hormones. In my case my auto-immune system decided to attack my system and went after my thyroid. I was also diagnosed with endometriosis in December 2002, and I read on the internet women with endometriosis can end up with thyroid disorders also.

Edited September 22, 2018 by bigskygirl

[Christina87]

@bigskygirl I have thought about it, but I have not been! I think that would be a good idea. I absolutely can't imagine how it's not hormonal, whatever it is! In your experience, do your thyroid problems get worse for a while, or are they always about the same (not counting adjusting for meds, etc)? It seems to me like something was out of whack with my body, but it must have improved because my hair grew back and I felt way better, plus quit gaining weight. The only problem I have now is absolute resistance to losing. I was just so disheartened by the doctors not really trying to pursue this further than just a blood test, and I keep thinking if I go in, they will just give me another test and everything will come back "normal," since my body seems more or less normal right this minute. 

Edited September 22, 2018 by Christina87

[bigskygirl]

26 minutes ago, Christina87 said:

@bigskygirl I have thought about it, but I have not been! I think that would be a good idea. I absolutely can't imagine how it's not hormonal, whatever it is! In your experience, do your thyroid problems get worse for a while, or are they always about the same (not counting adjusting for meds, etc)? It seems to me like something was out of whack with my body, but it must have improved because my hair grew back and I felt way better, plus quit gaining weight. The only problem I have now is absolute resistance to losing. I was just so disheartened by the doctors not really trying to pursue this further than just a blood test, and I keep thinking if I go in, they will just give me another test and everything will come back "normal," since my body seems more or less normal right this minute. 

I can tell when my levels are off. Sometimes I will start out with symptoms and then it gets worse to the point I am calling my doctor and asking if I need to go in for a blood test. He always said it is my body, so if I feel something is off for awhile I can call and ask for a blood test or an appointment. I have days while I feel something is off a little and then it gets better. I have days where it seems to get worse, and everything feels way off.

[lookeyloo]

1 hour ago, Christina87 said:

Just curious, how did you know you had hypothyroidism? I gained 50 pounds between January and February 2017 without changing my lifestyle at all (and nothing but flu starvation for two weeks has budged it much), had no outer eyebrows, my hair was falling out by the bucket, and I had most of the other symptoms too. I went to the doctor, and they were POSITIVE it was hypothyroidism. They said, "we'll get you on some thyroid medication and you'll be much better! Let's do a blood test as a formality, but that has to be the problem." Took the blood test, and got a letter in the mail that it came back normal. Went back again a few months later, and the exact same thing happened! I eat sooooo much better than I ever have before, and I can lose maybe 5 pounds, but I'm so desperate to get to the root of the problem and lose! 50 pounds that fast isn't normal. I literally had my pants fit one day, feel a little too tight a couple days later, suddenly be WAY too tight, and ended up going up two pants sizes that quickly! It was too fast to even realize there was a problem and try to fix it! My weight has been stable, and at least not gone up any more, but it should be easier than this to get back to where I was. 

My experience and some research indicates that some doctors go only by the TSH and even within the medical community there is wide variation on what is the normal range.  I feel much better when my TSH is very low, but the other numbers are within normal range. When I encounter a doctor going just by the TSH I know it isn't a good fit.

[Christina87]

@bigskygirl @lookeyloo you two have inspired me to start looking for another doctor to try! I felt so brushed off when they didn't really try to get to the bottom of it, and wondered if I would have the same experience anywhere I went. You're both right that you definitely know when something is not right with your body! Certainly there is someone who can help me. 

[emma675]

Christina87, I'm another thyroid patient here and I can tell you if they are only looking at your TSH, that's not enough. Plus, you could be in the "normal" range and still be hypothyroid. You have to insist on them testing Free T3 (that's the one that is really tied to metabolism) and Free T4.

I basically had to become my own endocrinologist after 10 years of bad treatment led to a total thyroidectomy a few years ago that could have been avoided if my doctors had known what they were doing.

[Temperance]

@Christina87 . Try seeing an endocrinologist (hormone specialist). They will have a better sense of what is up with your thyroid. It may not be the thyroid and some other hormone problem. (Someone I know with thyroid problems was diagnosed by an endocrin specialist.)

[bigskygirl]

15 minutes ago, emma675 said:

Christina87, I'm another thyroid patient here and I can tell you if they are only looking at your TSH, that's not enough. Plus, you could be in the "normal" range and still be hypothyroid. You have to insist on them testing Free T3 (that's the one that is really tied to metabolism) and Free T4.

I basically had to become my own endocrinologist after 10 years of bad treatment led to a total thyroidectomy a few years ago that could have been avoided if my doctors had known what they were doing.

@emma675  !0 years of bad treatment. *thud* I thought two years of bad treatment after the radiation treatment was bad enough. If my primary care provider would have taken a look at my blood test in July 2012, and said we need to address and treat your mild hyperthyroidism before sending you out of town to the other doctor I would be fine today. I was in remission for almost eight years, and yes it was my primary care physician (not the same one in 2012) who handled the blood testing and med dosage and did an excellent job.

[Christina87]

Omg thank you to all of you!!! This gives me hope that I can get diagnosed by someone who knows what they're doing. There is no way this is normal!!!

[emma675]

I would also not recommend an endocrinologist, they seem to be stuck on TSH only. I would recommend an integrative physician, gynecologist or doctor who is knowledgeable about whole body hormones. 

[Christina87]

The one I went to before was an integrative physician...BUT I think she was just out of med school. Everyone has to start somewhere, but my regular doctor had just retired, and she was very, very new. Maybe someone more experienced would be a bigger help! No offense to anyone on here that may be a beginning doctor. ?

[doodlebug]

13 minutes ago, Christina87 said:

The one I went to before was an integrative physician...BUT I think she was just out of med school. Everyone has to start somewhere, but my regular doctor had just retired, and she was very, very new. Maybe someone more experienced would be a bigger help! No offense to anyone on here that may be a beginning doctor. ?

I think an endocrinologist is the way to go, but, as noted in other posts, thyroid disease is very tricky to diagnose and the blood work can be misleading and there can be wild swings between 'normal' and 'not normal' even in people who aren't on meds and such.  There are some endocrinologists who have specialized in the thyroid specifically (they might see people for other endocrine problems, but they've had extra training in the thyroid, are often doing research in it).  If you live near a large teaching hospital, I would call the department of endocrinology there and ask for the name of a doctor there who is specifically interested in the thyroid.  However, I must tell you, we see people all the time (especially perimenopausal women) who've put on weight unexpectedly and then have trouble losing it and most of them don't turn out to be hypothyroid.  Alas, there is more that we don't know than that we do.  It doesn't mean there wasn't something happening, just that you may not get an answer as to what it was/is; which can be really frustrating.  It's important to keep working on living healthy and doing what you need to do to feel better even if you don't get an diagnosis.

BTW, about a third of all women will become hypothyroid at some point.  Most common in the perimenopausal years.

[bigskygirl]

6 minutes ago, doodlebug said:

I think an endocrinologist is the way to go, but, as noted in other posts, thyroid disease is very tricky to diagnose and the blood work can be misleading and there can be wild swings between 'normal' and 'not normal' even in people who aren't on meds and such.  There are some endocrinologists who have specialized in the thyroid specifically (they might see people for other endocrine problems, but they've had extra training in the thyroid, are often doing research in it).  If you live near a large teaching hospital, I would call the department of endocrinology there and ask for the name of a doctor there who is specifically interested in the thyroid.  However, I must tell you, we see people all the time (especially perimenopausal women) who've put on weight unexpectedly and then have trouble losing it and most of them don't turn out to be hypothyroid.  Alas, there is more that we don't know than that we do.  It doesn't mean there wasn't something happening, just that you may not get an answer as to what it was/is; which can be really frustrating.  It's important to keep working on living healthy and doing what you need to do to feel better even if you don't get an diagnosis.

BTW, about a third of all women will become hypothyroid at some point.  Most common in the perimenopausal years.

My endocrinologist is an osteopathic physician. My husband sees him for his diabetes. If I did not trust him or believe he is doing his best for the both of us, my hubby and I will be seeing a different physician. My husband also sees a doctor at the local VA Hospital for his diabetes. I notice my specialist runs other tests besides TSH, and he will willingly work with other doctors to see what the heck is going on.

[lookeyloo]

2 hours ago, Temperance said:

@Christina87 . Try seeing an endocrinologist (hormone specialist). They will have a better sense of what is up with your thyroid. It may not be the thyroid and some other hormone problem. (Someone I know with thyroid problems was diagnosed by an endocrin specialist.)

May I respectfully disagree?  My worst experiences were with endocrinologists.  Not to say there aren't some good ones, but, the several I waded through insisted my TSH was within normal limits so I was a hypochondriac.  An internist, then a family medicine doctor and finally my oncologist understood there is more to the thyroid than a TSH.  One told me if she continued my current meds they would kill me!  I said, I've been on basically this combo of meds for over 15 years and I feel good.  Why would they kill me?  TSH not right she said.  Goodbye I said.

Edited September 22, 2018 by lookeyloo

[bigskygirl]

2 minutes ago, lookeyloo said:

May I respectfully disagree?  My worst experiences were with endocrinologists.  Not to say there aren't some good ones, but, the several I waded through insisted my TSH was within normal limits so I was a hypochondriac.  An internist, then a family medicine doctor and finally my oncologist understood there is more to the thyroid than a TSH.  One told me if she continued my current meds they would kill me!  I said, I've been on basically this combo of meds for over 15 years and I feel good.  Why would they kill me?  TSH not right she said.  Goodbye I said.

I like your style. I am very picky about who I see. If I do not like their attitude and lack of skills, I do not see them. Like my endocrinologist says it is my body and I know what is going on.

[lookeyloo]

14 minutes ago, bigskygirl said:

I like your style. I am very picky about who I see. If I do not like their attitude and lack of skills, I do not see them. Like my endocrinologist says it is my body and I know what is going on.

Good for you and keep it up.  I have gotten off the table in several doctor's offices when they refuse to consider the "whole me".  It is annoying and inconvenient but necessary.  A bunch of years ago when I was feeling awful my acupuncture dr. recommended an internist and I made it to his office and I could barely keep it together I was feeling so bad.  I went through my sorry state of affairs with him and he took my hand in his and said "there are a lot of things to try and we will try all of them until we find what works for you".  I honestly burst into tears.  He had my bloodwork and that's when he discovered my T3 was low and gave me the prescription and it changed my life. Then he went to concierge medicine to my dismay so I had several other appointments and made some phone calls and found the family practitioner who understood.  then we moved to a big city and the two endocrinologists were stuck on TSH.  My oncologist is wonderful and always appears that he has nothing else to do but talk to me.  He said "so what's going on?" and I began my sorry story again and he said "of course that won't kill you. Let me take that worry off the table and you come here and I will monitor things and prescribe what you need".  I LOVE him.  Not in that way of course!!  Now my internist here is taking an interest.  I don't want to give up the other fellow so I am in a wait and see pattern. When I first started seeing her she said "I can only prescribe Synthroid".  I don't even take Synthroid.  Very annoying!!!

[Catfin]

22 hours ago, marypat57 said:

Natalie68:

When I sold the family home , I asked the attorney who was respresenting me if I had to disclose that my parents had both passed away in the kitchen.  His answer was no--NYS law at the time only required you to disclose a crime (e.g. murder, suicide) that had occured.

I did however, give my favorite neighbor (whom I consider to be my 7th brother) permission to disclose the info if he felt it was appropriate.  I believe he did after one if the new owners became injured in a fall and needed a ride to the hospital.

DH and I briefly considered purchasing a house that had been the site of a suicide after a police standoff. It involved dh’s department. We couldn’t do it. 

[andromeda331]

10 hours ago, Christina87 said:

@bigskygirl @lookeyloo you two have inspired me to start looking for another doctor to try! I felt so brushed off when they didn't really try to get to the bottom of it, and wondered if I would have the same experience anywhere I went. You're both right that you definitely know when something is not right with your body! Certainly there is someone who can help me. 

I know its really hard but look for another doctor. Keep trying until you finally find one that will listen. I've been brushed of so many times by so many doctors I know how really hard and discouraging it is to keep going from doctor to doctor only to keep being brushed off, ignored and told so many times that I should see therapist. Finally after five years I finally found a doctor who listened and ran tests and diagnosis my stomach problem. Thanks to him I've been able keep it under control with a specific diet. When my second problem started I had to go through all that crap until I once again found one who would listen to me. This time it took three years before I found someone who would listen. This was all the while I went from being normal to needing a caretaker, from being able to walk to needing a wheelchair and on good days a walker. But I finally found one. I really wasn't expecting him to be any different from the last dozen I talked too. You can imagine my surprise when he not only listened, he went through my entire medical records while asking me a ton of questions and he listened when I answered! I've been seeing him for over a year now and he really is trying. We've tried tons of different medicines, tons of different tests, he's got me into a specialist, improved my iron and other levels that were shockingly low. It absolutely sucks that its so hard to find a good doctor and that there are so many bad doctors out there. Keep trying. Don't give up. There's got to be someone out there who will help you.    

[bigskygirl]

7 hours ago, andromeda331 said:

I know its really hard but look for another doctor. Keep trying until you finally find one that will listen. I've been brushed of so many times by so many doctors I know how really hard and discouraging it is to keep going from doctor to doctor only to keep being brushed off, ignored and told so many times that I should see therapist. Finally after five years I finally found a doctor who listened and ran tests and diagnosis my stomach problem. Thanks to him I've been able keep it under control with a specific diet. When my second problem started I had to go through all that crap until I once again found one who would listen to me. This time it took three years before I found someone who would listen. This was all the while I went from being normal to needing a caretaker, from being able to walk to needing a wheelchair and on good days a walker. But I finally found one. I really wasn't expecting him to be any different from the last dozen I talked too. You can imagine my surprise when he not only listened, he went through my entire medical records while asking me a ton of questions and he listened when I answered! I've been seeing him for over a year now and he really is trying. We've tried tons of different medicines, tons of different tests, he's got me into a specialist, improved my iron and other levels that were shockingly low. It absolutely sucks that its so hard to find a good doctor and that there are so many bad doctors out there. Keep trying. Don't give up. There's got to be someone out there who will help you.    

I was totally surprised when I had my first appointment with the endocrinologist I see now. I was thinking where were you when the Graves Disease came back. I could tell he was not happy with the out of town doctor. He explains things well and is willing to work with my medical team to get me better. His bed side manner is much better than the other doctor. He does not have an ego trip, and I can ask him questions without worrying he will get upset with me.

The bad part is I am at the point where I do not want to take any new medications because I worry I will have a bad reaction to it. I know it could be the anxiety kicking in a little, but five and a half years of being sick and miserable, and three years of constant medical appointments, medical procedures and blood tests would make most people a little nervous in my opinion.

[andromeda331]

3 minutes ago, bigskygirl said:

I was totally surprised when I had my first appointment with the endocrinologist I see now. I was thinking where were you when the Graves Disease came back. I could tell he was not happy with the out of town doctor. He explains things well and is willing to work with my medical team to get me better. His bed side manner is much better than the other doctor. He does not have an ego trip, and I can ask him questions without worrying he will get upset with me.

My doctor is like that too. It is so nice. He takes the time to explain things. He answers all my questions. I don't have to worry about him getting mad or yelling at me, dismissing me or telling me my question is stupid.  During my first appointment with him I was so surprised when he listened and asked questions. I hadn't had that happen since my stomach doctor a few years back. He read my medical files and kept asking me "Did your doctor tell you this was low? My answer was always no they always said everything was fine. When he got back my first round of blood tests he was ticked off. All of my numbers were dangerously low. I was three numbers away from needing a blood transfusion. It was all in there and he couldn't figure how none of the other doctors noticed any of it. He knows how much pain I'm in and how very little I can do. He also keeps trying. We have tried a bunch of different medicines. Testing me so many times. He even tries really hard to keep me cheered up pointing out even if a test comes back negative that its another thing that's been ruled out. I feel a lot more optimistic with him and really think he's going to figure out what's going on. Both him and his nurse are really nice. I can call with a question and know they'll answer it.

 

Quote

The bad part is I am at the point where I do not want to take any new medications because I worry I will have a bad reaction to it. I know it could be the anxiety kicking in a little, but five and a half years of being sick and miserable, and three years of constant medical appointments, medical procedures and blood tests would make most people a little nervous in my opinion.

I understand that completely. I have that same worry every new medication I have. My body has a real hard time accepting any new medication. I don't know if its the medical problems or just my body. Even medicines that I finally got into my system I had to keep taking and stopping and trying again until my body would finally accept it and stop having fighting it. We've started by trying to go with the lowest dose possible and cutting that in half to try and "sneak" it into my system get it used to it. Then very slowly raise. 

[Mindthinkr]

@bigskygirl and @andromeda331 

You both are lucky ladies to have found physicians who listen and care about your treatments. I hope y’all can discover the root causes of your problems and find an easy treatment that agrees with your systems. 

[Natalie68]

15 hours ago, Catfin said:

DH and I briefly considered purchasing a house that had been the site of a suicide after a police standoff. It involved dh’s department. We couldn’t do it. 

I understand that for sure!  Too much negative energy and sadness surrounding it.

[galaxychaser]

I’m watching big little lies and enjoying it. After I’m done I want to read the book. 

Also have a book recommendation The Seventh Mother. 

[zoomama]

random weird name seen on a t.v. show (a real woman): shamerica

just thought ya'll would enjoy that tidbit....

[Mindthinkr]

7 hours ago, galaxychaser said:

Also have a book recommendation The Seventh Mother. 

I’ll check that out. 

My recommendation is The Shell Seekers by Rosamund Piltcher. The ending made me feel right about so many things.