Graves' Disease is a type of autoimmune disease that causes over-activity of the thyroid gland, causing hyperthyroidism. This over-activity is also sometimes called ';toxic diffuse goiter.'; The thyroid gland helps set the rate of metabolism, which is the rate at which the body uses energy. When the thyroid is too active, it makes more thyroid hormones than the body needs. High levels of thyroid hormones can cause side effects such as weight loss, rapid heart rate and nervousness. This is an uncommon disease that affects 2 percent of all women at some time in their lives.
These are the most common symptoms of GravesDisease and hyperthyroidism:
--trouble sleeping
--fatigue
--trouble getting pregnant
--frequent bowel movements
--irritability
--weight loss without dieting
--heat sensitivity
--increased sweating
--muscular weakness
--changes in vision or how your eyes look
--lighter menstrual flow
--rapid heart beat
--hand tremors
GravesDisease is the only kind of hyperthyroidism that is associated with swelling of the tissue around the eyes and bulging of the eyes. And rare cases, patients will develop a lumpy reddish thickening of the skin in front of the shins called pretibial myxedema. This skin condition is usually painless. The symptoms of this disease can occur slowly or very suddenly and are sometimes confused with other medical problems. Women can also have GravesDisease and have no visible symptoms at all.
Graves' disease can be caused by a group of different factors that come together to cause thyroid problems, including heredity, your body's immune system, your age, sex hormones, and possibly stress.
There are three treatments for Graves' Disease:
--Medicine. There are some medicines called antithyroid drugs that can lower the amount of thyroid hormones made by the thyroid, causing it to make, normal levels. A doctor must give these medicines to you. Some patients who take an acute thyroid drug for 1 to 2 years have a remission from Gravesdisease; their thyroid function may remain normal even without medication.
--Radioactive iodine. The radioactive iodine damages thyroid cells, shrinking and eventually destroying the thyroid gland in order to reduce hormone levels. Like surgery, this condition usually leads to hypothyroidism, so that thyroid hormone supplement medication is needed for the rest of the patient's life.
--Surgery. All of the thyroid gland will be removed. In most cases, people who have surgery for Graves' Disease will develop an under-active thyroid (hypothyroidism, the opposite of hyperthyroidism), and will have to take thyroid replacement hormones for the rest of their lives.
After a diagnosis is made and a treatment is chosen, you should return to your doctor for regular follow-up visits every year to make sure that your thyroid levels are normal and for adjustments in your medicine dose if need be. (It may take some time before your levels are accurate...even if you get it taken out, you will still need medication to ';fake'; your body into thinking it has a thyroid)
NOW READ THIS!! If left untreated, GravesDisease can lead to heart problems and problems in pregnancy, and an increased risk of a miscarriage. Severe, untreated GravesDisease can be fatal. Thyrotoxic storm is a rare life-threatening condition that develops in cases of untreated hyperthyroidism. It is usually brought on by an acute stress, such as trauma surgery or infection. Symptoms are severe, with a pounding heart, sweating, restlessness, shaking, diarrhea, change in consciousness, agitation and confusion. Congestive heart failure can develop rapidly and lead to death.
You can find out more information about Graves' Disease by contacting the National Women's Health Information Center (800-994-9662) or the following organizations:
GravesDisease Foundation of America
P.O. Box 8387
Fleming Island, FL 32006
Internet address: http://www.ngdf.org
The American Thyroid Association
6066 Leesburg Pike, Suite 550
Falls Church, Virginia 22041
phone: 703 998-8890
fax: 703 998-8893
e-mail: admin@thyroid.org
Internet address: http://www.thyroid.org
Thyroid Foundation of America, Inc.
One Longfellow Place
Suite 1518
Boston, MA 02114
phone (toll-free): 800 832-8321
phone: 617 534-1500
fax: 617 534-1515
e-mail: info@allthyroid.org
Internet address: http://www.allthyroid.org
And, if you're interested, here's some info about me, and for anyone else who may come across your question %26amp; needs more information about thyroid problems:
I have low thyroid. If you have low thyroid...here's a great question to answer: Can you see the floor of your house? That was what was asked of me at one point, and to my amazement, the answer was no!
Anyway, the signs are:fatigue and lack of energy. Women suffering from underactive thyroid experience heavier menstrual periods. Sluggishness and forgetfulness are symptoms of underactive thyroid problem. Other symptoms of this thyroid disorder are dry skin and hair and constipation.
If you have high thyroid, or an overactive one, the signs are: increased body metabolism. This is followed by weight loss and excessive warmth and sweating. Persons suffering from overactive thyroid experience trembling hands, irritability and rapid heartbeat or palpitations. Women with overactive thyroid or hyperthyroidism may experience shorter or lighter menstrual periods.
I take medication, and sadly will have to take 1 pill everyday for the rest of my life. There's a blood check that they will do to see if you have low or high. Again, as I mentioned before, it may take some ups %26amp; downs until the medicine gets where it needs to be for you. I hope i've helped you!!I have Graves disease (thyroid) and I don't like taking the medicine for it.I lose my hair and get sick from
Sorry, you can't do alternative medicine when your thyroid is out of whack.
Please talk to your endocrinologist or general treating doctor about how you are feeling. I had Graves and the hair loss/thinning is unfortunatley a symptom of Graves. I also felt sickness at the start when first diagnosed. I don't know maybe your sickness could be a side effect of the meds or you need your dosage adjusted.
I wouldn't stop the medication and/or go on natural therapies.
I was told that I had a very slim chance of the meds working and might need RAI but thankfully after nearly a year of taking them, I was in remission. :)
I gave up soy milk and soy products (not good for those with thyriod problems) and tried not to get stressed as I knew it would aggravate my condition. I strongly urge you to educate yourself about your condition through books, there is a very good yahoo club (US)support group for graves (the name escapes me)
plus a lot of online resources such as :
http://thyroid.about.com/
I am a big one for aletrnative therapies so I may try one but if its something serious I will suffer it out with allopathic medicines
Have you tried to take Synthroid?
sooner or later you will die with out med's.... it's sad, and it will take a while, but it will happen.
I have Thyroid problems as well.
try alturnitive meds, and check the net, it has billions of solutions
you could have your thyroid removed/destroyed with radioactive iodine then just get on levothyroxine (if that seems easier, you would feel completely normal if this was done). natural remedies probably arent going to work for thyroid problems.... plus natural stuff is no more natural to your body than a drug made in a lab. natural doesnt equal good
id talk to your doctor about possible alternatives, such as the one i mentioned above, or see if you can get on a different drug
I have Thyroid Cancer, I am hypo, I had a complete thyroidectomy, and also had the radiation. I too get very sick from the medication. I am currently taking 400mg of Synthroid once a day. I have also tried armour. Synthroid is synthetic drug, and Aurmor is derived from pig enzimes.
It is not the medication itself that is making you sick. It is that they can not find the proper dosage for you. It can take several years to get the meds right. If they mess with the micrograms to much, you can have a heart attack, or other serious problems.
I have experienced the hair loss, bones aching, anxiety, depression, mood swings, diabetes, weight gain, and more... When they get my meds right I am feeling great and my hair grows back....but.... My body seems to not to be regular, and my levels do not stay the same. I end up losing hair, and going through all of the side effects from not being able to maintain a steady level.
I am not sure about the natural remedies. I have some health insurance, and it will not cover these ';natural remedies.'; I do however see a Chiropractor.
Last year I was on Morphine patches. This year is a bit better, and I have weaned myself off the patch. THree years ago I could not walk believe it or not. I am going to find some links to my experiences with the thyroid. Even though you do not have thryoid cancer, you may still experience some of the side effects I have... I felt that I can relate to what your talking about. If you have any questions feel free to email me.
http://www.epinions.com/content_27716240
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