So who has Graves Disease?

[NancyDz]

I went for my yearly physical yesterday and had done some bloodwork last week beforehand. Well my doc tells me my thyroid
was off and she mentioned Graves but they are doing some more testing. She didnt say much and I didnt ask much since she didnt
seem real concerned. Of course I came home and looked it up on the internet

I have felt a little off lately but nothing major. I've had what I thought were anxiety attacks with some heart pounding, insomnia, night sweats, but I already have meds for those... maybe I was misdiagnosed back then? How did Grave's show itself for you? Ive read some threads on here about thyroid issues and Graves and it sounds like many of you have it and struggle with it. Could I have a milder case or has it just not become full blown yet or does it present different in everyone?


Thanks for any help!

Nancy

Odd too that a good friend was just diagnosed with Hashimoto disease a couple months ago and now I may have this...

 

[shelleyd2008]

I did have it, until the doctor decided to give me radioiodine treatment, now my thyroid is completely dead. But I'll tell you how it affected me

First off, I lost a lot of weight really fast. I wasn't that heavy to start with, about 170 pounds. I went from 170 to 130 in about 2 months, the majority was in the first 3-4 weeks...I lost a good 30 pounds. It was about 7-8 pounds a week at first. This isn't that bad, except I wasn't dieting, so shouldn't have been losing weight. I had extreme intolerance to hot and cold temperatures; 'night sweats', but they happened all day long; my hair was falling out; I had the buggy-looking eyes; dry skin and oily (greasy looking) skin at the same time, in different areas; high blood pressure and heart rate; palpitations; goiter on both sides; and I think that's it. I'm sure there was more, but it has been a while since I first got it. I believe I had balance problems as well. I was starving to death all the time too, I couldn't get enough to eat.

Hope they get it figured out, I know I felt like total garbage.

ETA: I forgot to mention the tremors, I looked like I had Parkinsons' sometimes.

 

[danaljamat]

My son, who is 15, was given a provisional diagnosis of Graves disease. He started with weight loss, eating all the time and feeling sick. This developed into pain in the abdomen, palpitations, extremely high heart rate, sweats and inability to maintain body temperature. He then became very hyper, not being able to sleep with major anxiety attacks and mood swings. He was put on medication to kill his thyroid and we were told he would need this for around two years. He was also put on heart meds to control heart rate. After 3 months he had a repeat blood test and that showed a normal thyroid level. Hmmmm! He was then taken off the meds.
We are now waiting for another blood test in about two months to check and see what is happening.
That is his history anyway but I must say the symptoms were quite drastic. He is a lot better now so I am sure that his diagnosis will change.

 

[goobhen]

My DH had Graves Disease. His worse complaint was the heart palpitations! I just asked him other symptons. He said his hands would shake all the time. His eyes did change, one droops now, the other is bigger (bulges some). All his symptons went away, with the exception of his eyes. My husband is a nuclear medicine tech, he basically diagnosed himself. He went to his doctor, he ordered the test, came back positive, got it treated. He is on Synthroid, no more symptons! Good luck and keep up on this! God bless you, Theresa

two additional symptons: anxiety & insomnia, mood changes

 

[insiderart]

Ugh I have it. I've had my thryroid ablated but still, it's an autoimmune disease and, I am still having some issues. I probably have had this for at least 15 years before I was diagnosed. At least the last 7 were serious, the last 2 of those practically bedridden, before I was diagnosed. It took almost a year for my meds to be adjusted to the right dose, but I do feel soooo much better now.

Memory issues, tachycardia, loss of breath, inability to sleep, hair loss, skin changes, night sweats, shaky/jittery, inability to tolerate hot/cold.. I was a mess.

I forget, what do you want to know about it?

 

[NancyDz]

Thanks for the replies, I did get a call from my doc on Friday, she's referring me to an endocrinologist, the other test results came back and apparently confirm an overactive thyroid. It seems like they must have caught mine very early as none of my symptoms are as
extreme as any of you. Sorry to hear everything you all have been through!

Nancy