Got Graves’ disease? 10 things you need to know
Have you been told you’ve developed Graves’ disease? This is the most common form of hyperthyroidism, and can have some significant consequences for your health. That’s why it’s important to arm yourself with the knowledge that empowers you around your thyroid health.
Got Graves’ Disease? 10 Things You Need To Know
Graves’ disease is an autoimmune disease
In this condition, the immune system attacks the thyroid gland tissue. As a result, the thyroid produces too much thyroid hormone over time.
Like most autoimmune diseases, it is more commonly seen in females compared to males.
The symptoms of Graves’
The symptoms can vary from person to person. However, the most common you will come across include:
Unexplained weight loss
Increased appetite
Heart symptoms such as racing heartbeat, skipped/irregular beats and palpitations
Shortness of breath
Increased sensitivity to heat
Increased sweating
Frequent bowel movements and diarrhoea
Goitre
Fatigue (feeling wired but tired)
Muscle weakness
Trembling, tremor or shakiness
Fine brittle hair
Mood symptoms such as nervousness, anxiety and irritability
Insomnia
How it is diagnosed
This condition is typically diagnosed based on a blood test that looks at your thyroid hormone levels and thyroid antibodies.
Unfortunately, many doctors only start by testing TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) and if that is normal, they don’t persist. But this doesn’t give us a true picture of Graves’ disease! You can have thyroid antibodies present even with a normal TSH level, particularly in the early stages. That’s why it’s better to check TSH, T4, T3 and thyroid antibodies if thyroid disease is suspected.
The earlier it is detected, the better. Undiagnosed Graves’ disease can do serious damage to your wellbeing.
Conventional treatment of Graves’ disease
There are several potential treatments you could be offered. In the initial stages, it is often treated with beta-blocker medication to slow the heart and anti-thyroid drugs to block the production of thyroid hormones.
Unfortunately, around 50% of people with Graves’ don’t respond to drug therapy. In that case, other treatments such as thyroidectomy (surgical removal of the thyroid gland), or radioactive iodine (killing off thyroid tissue) may be considered. However, both these treatments are extreme and can cause their own problems such as hypothyroidism and lifelong reliance on thyroid medication.
There’s an important role for nutrition and lifestyle
While the medical model might focus on damaging the thyroid, there is more to managing this condition than taking medication or causing irreversible damage!
The majority of contributing factors in Graves’ disease can be reduced or removed by addressing your diet and lifestyle.
This can include:
Removing dietary intolerances and trigger foods
Increasing nutrient-dense foods
Moving your body consistently
Managing your stress levels
Optimising your sleep
Eliminating any environmental triggers
However, there is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to diet and lifestyle for Graves’. It needs to be tailored based on your specific case and drivers of the disease.
increased RISK OF OTHER AUTOIMMUNE CONDITIONS
Once you have one autoimmune condition, it significantly increases your risk of developing others. So it’s important to monitor yourself for new symptoms and take your health seriously.
THERE IS NO KNOWN CURE, BUT YOU CAN GO INTO REMISSION
One day we might have a cure, but at this stage, there is none. However, you can put yourself into remission. In fact, there are case studies out there where people have successfully gone into remission with their Graves’ disease!
Your condition needs ongoing monitoring
Like any autoimmune condition, Graves’ disease can fluctuate based on your life stage, hormones, lifestyle and even the season! Frequent testing helps to ensure you’re taking the right medication dose.
It’s also critical to ensure you’re not tipping into hypothyroidism – particularly if you’ve had surgical intervention or radioactive therapy.
If left untreated, it can have dire consequences
This is not a condition to be ignored or mismanaged. If you do, you could end up with some pretty serious health concerns. They include:
Cardiovascular symptoms and conditions
Low bone density
Eye conditions and vision loss
Thyrotoxic crisis (thyroid storm)
A Graves’ diagnosis doesn’t mean you have to suffer!
So many people settle for feeling unwell or opting for treatments that put them into a hypothyroid state. But I’m here to tell you that you can thrive even with a Graves’ diagnosis.
Your daily habits can make a massive difference to how you feel and how healthy your thyroid is. The key is to keep learning about your condition and empowering yourself.