Graves Disease - what else does it affect apart from thyroid and eyes?

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My doctor want's me to remove my thyroid gland in order to fix my hyperthryoidism symptoms. BUT, I believe that i will still have Graves Disease anyway. What other organs etc can be affected please?

Thanks
I had Graves and had the radioactive iodine treatment...it is painless and has worked for me. the only time that the thyroid is removed is because of a growth on the thyroid. If it is just Graves ask your doctor about the radioactive treatment. You will then have to take thyroid replacement hormone for the rest of your life but its no big deal. Graves causes heart palpitations, sweating. muscle soreness, sleeplessness, thinning hair, depression among other problems...just go through with the treatment and you will feel much better.  (+ info)

What is the difference between Graves Disease and Hyperthyroid?

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Hyperthyroidism is one SYMPTOM of Grave's disease. Granted, it is the most common, main symptom. But it's still only one symptom.

You can have hyperthyroidism without Grave's disease.

You can also have Grave's disease without hyperthyroidism, although that's kind of rare. Grave's disease can attack the eyes, the skin, and other areas besides the thyroid.
  (+ info)

Does Graves' Disease (hypothryoidism) pose a serious problem when trying to get pregnant?

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My husband and I are TTC for a year. I have had one miscarriage at 6 months. I was wondering there is any hope for a pregnancy. I have a thyroid condition that seems to be under control, but I was just wondering if there is anyone out there that has conceived and has graves' disease..i'd like to know if there is some hope out there for me.
YES it can, if you are not being treated. However, if you are being treated and your thyroid levels are below 3, your thyroid shouldn't get in the way of your conceiving.

The important thing is to work with your endocrinologist to get your thyroid level (TSH) within the preferred range for TTC, which is below 3.

Good luck.  (+ info)

How hereditary are thyroid problems. My sister was recently diagnosed with Graves disease?

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Should I get my thyroid checked too?
Yes ma'am you should. Graves disease is another name for hyperthyroidism. It is all very hereditary. The thyroid controls so much. We all need to make sure we stay on top of our thyroid!  (+ info)

If a mother has hyperthyroid, graves disease and low iron while she is pregnant?

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what are her chances of having a healthy baby. This person never seek medical attention till she was already in her 3 trimester. And her hypothyroid has gotten really bad. Will her baby be healthy? Or will the baby have health problems?

thanks in advance!
no way of telling....that why prenatal care is so important. I would go with whatever the medical professional said during the 3rd trimester visit  (+ info)

I have Graves Disease with a goiter. Is a goiter that is 6cm considered large? If so what does that mean?

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I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism about 3 months ago. Although we think I have had it for closer to 18 months. I am a 24 year old female that is healthy other than this disease and a swollen abdominal lymphnode.
I think you're mixing up a goiter and a nodule. Although you may have both. 6cm is a huge nodule. What does your doctor say it means? Has it been biopsied?

If your doctor can't explain things to your satisfaction, you need to fire him and find someone who will.  (+ info)

Do you still have Graves disease after your thyroid has been terminated by radio active treatment?

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My friend wants me to ask this for her. Thanks
Yes, you do. Grave's disease is an autoimmune disease. That means that it is caused by antibodies created by your body. The antibodies are created by the immune system, not the thyroid. The antibodies attack the thyroid. Destroying the thyroid does not stop the production of the antibodies. You will still have the antibodies, and you will still have Grave's disease. The antibodies can find other things to attack besides the thyroid. Namely the skin, and most notably your eyes.

Check this out. This is what Grave's disease of the eyes looks like:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001204/mediaindex

By destroying the thyroid, you will also be giving yourself a disease in addition to the Grave's disease. Now you will also have hypothyroidism. You will have to be treated for the hypothyroidism for the rest of your life.  (+ info)

Does anyone else with Graves Disease notice that the tremors get worse with age? Any meds to treat this?

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I did the radiation therapy and am on a replacement hormone. My tremors have not stopped however. The experts say it should have stopped after the radiation. Am I the only person who still has problems?
I get Graves disease five years ago. In the beginning I notice that I had tremors.After two months of treatment with pills (first metibasol after thyrax and metibasol), finished the tremors. I have 60 years and I don´t want to take radioiodine.  (+ info)

do i need to have the radioactive iodine treatment for graves disease?

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a had a thyroid storm and found out i have graves disease i've seen people talking about radioactive iodine treatment yet it sounds maybe not worth it could i just live on my meds and never have surgery or the iodine treatment and be fine???
There are other treatments available.  (+ info)

How much do you really know about Graves Disease (hyperthyroidism)?

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Out of the list of symptoms listed below, which ones are associated with hyperthyroidism? Which ones are not?

01. Rapid weight gain
02. Severe muscle atrophy - to the point of being crippling
03. Muscle pain
04. Rapid heart rate
05. High blood pressure
06. Goiter
07. Hair loss
08. Brittle fingernails & toenails
09. Extreme intolerance to cold
10. Severe mood swings

Can you think of any symptoms that are not listed here?

Also, are there any methods for the treatment of this disease that does not involve popping any pills?
Graves' disease can manifest with any or all of the following:

Shortness of breath

Weakness

Fatigue

Pretibial myxedema (lumpy, reddish-colored thickening of the skin, usually on the shins)

Double vision

Muscle wasting

Increased eye tearing

Infrequent or absent menstrual periods

Abnormal breast enlargement (men)

Increased hair loss

Diminished sex drive

Brittle nails


Treatment of Graves' Disease
The choice of treatment depends upon the age and overall condition of the patient, the size of thyroid gland, and patient preference.

Currently, there are at least three methods of treatment: drugs that inhibit production of thyroid hormone or provide symptomatic relief, the use of radioactive iodine to destroy part of the thyroid gland and thereby reduce hormone production, or surgical removal of part of the gland.


Drug therapy. Your doctor will prescribe either methimazole (Tapazole) or propylthiouracil (PTU) pills. These drugs act to prevent the thyroid from manufacturing the thyroid hormone.


The side effects of this medication may be drowsiness and minor lethargy; in rare cases, they can cause agranulocytosis, a blood disease. Most of the time, however, this form of therapy is safe and restores normal hormone balance within a couple of months.


Another medication, propranolol, is a beta-blocker that helps relieve the symptoms of Graves' disease including rapid heart rate, tremor, sweating and anxiety. Iodinated contrast agents can also provide effective treatment for hyperthyroidism of any cause.


Radioactive iodine therapy. This is an alternative if drug treatment fails. You are given a capsule or a drink of water containing radioactive iodine. After being swallowed, the "radioiodine" is rapidly absorbed by the overactive thyroid cells and are destroyed by the radiation, so less thyroid hormone is produced.


The radioactivity disappears from the body within days. You should not undergo radioactive iodine therapy if you are pregnant as the radiation can adversely affect a developing fetus.


Surgery. Thyroidectomy is surgical removal of all or part of the thyroid gland. If only a single lump or nodule within the thyroid is producing too much hormone, the surgeon can take out just that small part of the gland. If the entire gland is overactive, which is more often the case, a total thyroidectomy is needed.


Surgery is the preferred treatment for people with a large goiter who chronically relapse after drug therapy, if there is a risk of cancer, and for people who refuse or are not candidates for radioactive iodine therapy, such as pregnant women. Depending on how much of the gland is left after surgery, you may need subsequent thyroid replacement therapy.  (+ info)

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