3 years ago I began to feel like something was wrong with me, always tired, lots of aches and pains, stuff like that. My Dr. tested me for all kinds of things, then I got pregnant. Everything seemed to go back to normal overnight. It all stayed normal through the pregnancy and the year afterward while I was breast-feeding. I slowly lost my prego weight and was a size seven last Dec. when I stopped breast feeding. I don't know how much I weighed because I didn't care.
Then my life got very stressful the end of Dec. I noticed that I was losing quiet a bit of weight, but assumed it was the stress. Then all of my pre-prego pants got to be too big. By May I was a size 3. Then in the beginning of April I bought a size 1. Then the end of April that pair of pants were too big. I knew something was wrong but still thought it would get better when my life straightened out. My life began getting better and my size stayed the same, so I figured "at least I am not losing weight". I never got a period after having my son, then I had an IUC put in 3 months later. I have not gotten a period since, so for two full years. I figured it was because of breast feeding and the IUC.
Then the other problems got worse, my pulse seems to be faster than normal. I cannot handle extreme temp changes. I cannot stand heat, like hot tubs or evern hot baths.
Everytime I was going to go to the Dr. my husbands employer would cancel our insurance because of hours. I started drinking protein shakes hoping that would help. I thought it was for about a month. I felt good. Then one day I actually looked in the mirror after a shower and realized how grossly skinny I was actually getting.
Then the last thing began to happen. I don't know if this is part of it but it is getting harder to tell the difference between green and blue.
I am finally going to go to the Dr. but my Dr. takes forever to get into. Someone told me that this is probably due to an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism). I researched this a little and it seems to fit.
So here are my questions... to anyone who knows about this condition
How long is too long to wait for my own Dr? There is another Dr. in the office, but he speeks poor english and I try not to go to him for things I will have lots of questions about.
How long does it take to get results from a blood test testing thyroid function?
Daily pills versus perm. fix? Pro's and cons for boths. What happens then if it then doesn't function enough.

If I had these same problems before pregnancy, why did they go away while I was prego and breast feeding?
How fast will I gain weight after begining treatment?
What is a thyroid storm, what does it feel like?
Plus any other info that would be helpful or other symptoms I should watch out for.