Graves' Disease
There are a number of causes of an overactive thyroid or hyperthyroidism, with one of the most common being Graves' disease. When a doctor says "graves" to a patient, he or she may worry that they have a serious disease, but it's simply named after someone called Graves. In other countries, it's called Basedow's disease or Perry's disease.
Causes & Symptoms of Graves’ Disease
The thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland in the front of your neck. Graves' disease is an autoimmune disease that occurs when the immune system attacks your thyroid and produces an antibody. This causes your thyroid to produce more hormones than your body needs. If there’s thyroid disease in your family, you’re more likely to develop Graves’ disease.
Symptoms of Graves’ disease include:
• Weight loss
• Fatigue
• Bulging eyes (Graves' ophthalmopathy)
• Enlargement of the thyroid gland
• Heart palpitations
• Anxiety
• A tremor in the hands or fingers
• Changes in menstrual cycle
Other causes of an overactive thyroid include inflammatory thyroiditis. There are three types of inflammatory thyroiditis: one that occurs right after pregnancy, one that appears with no pain at all, and one that can be incredibly painful. Toxic nodules, where a little part of the thyroid decides to make hormone on its own, can cause hyperthyroidism. So can certain drugs such as amiodarone or interferon.
Treatment for Graves’ Disease
There are three main treatments available for Graves' disease, and it’s largely up to the patient do decide which one works best for him or her. The least popular option is removal of the thyroid.
Another includes drinking radioactive iodine, which essentially kills the thyroid, eliminating the conditions. Most patients' thyroid levels drop to low within three months, which is a permanent condition. However, it's very easy to treat an underactive thyroid, so this can be an attractive option. The third option is taking anti-thyroid drugs to slow down your thyroid, which works about 40 percent of the time. For the other 60 percent of patients, thyroid levels go back up once the medication is stopped.
Talk to your healthcare provider if you'd like more information on Graves' disease.
Visit HealthChoicesFirst.com for more videos and resources on metabolic issues.
Print this Action Plan and check off items that you want to discuss with your healthcare provider
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Graves' disease is an autoimmune disease that occurs when the immune system attacks your thyroid and produces an antibody. This causes your thyroid to produce more hormones than your body needs.
-
Symptoms of Graves’ disease include weight loss, fatigue, bulging eyes (Graves' ophthalmopathy), enlargement of the thyroid gland, heart palpitations, anxiety, a tremor in the hands or fingers and changes in menstrual cycle.
-
There are three main treatments available for Graves' disease, and it’s largely up to the patient do decide which one works best for him or her. The least popular option is removal of the thyroid.
-
One treatment involves drinking radioactive iodine, which essentially kills the thyroid, eliminating the conditions. Most patients' thyroid levels drop to low within three months, which is a permanent condition. However, it's very easy to treat an underactive thyroid, so this can be an attractive option.
-
The third treatment option is taking anti-thyroid drugs to slow down your thyroid, which works about 40 percent of the time. For the other 60 percent of patients, thyroid levels go back up once the medication is stopped.
Graves' Disease
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Information - Graves' Disease
There are a number of causes of an overactive thyroid or hyperthyroidism, with one of the most common being Graves' disease. When a doctor says "graves" to a patient, he or she may worry that they have a serious disease, but it's simply named after someone called Graves. In other countries, it's called Basedow's disease or Perry's disease.
Causes & Symptoms of Graves’ Disease
The thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland in the front of your neck. Graves' disease is an autoimmune disease that occurs when the immune system attacks your thyroid and produces an antibody. This causes your thyroid to produce more hormones than your body needs. If there’s thyroid disease in your family, you’re more likely to develop Graves’ disease.
Symptoms of Graves’ disease include:
• Weight loss
• Fatigue
• Bulging eyes (Graves' ophthalmopathy)
• Enlargement of the thyroid gland
• Heart palpitations
• Anxiety
• A tremor in the hands or fingers
• Changes in menstrual cycle
Other causes of an overactive thyroid include inflammatory thyroiditis. There are three types of inflammatory thyroiditis: one that occurs right after pregnancy, one that appears with no pain at all, and one that can be incredibly painful. Toxic nodules, where a little part of the thyroid decides to make hormone on its own, can cause hyperthyroidism. So can certain drugs such as amiodarone or interferon.
Treatment for Graves’ Disease
There are three main treatments available for Graves' disease, and it’s largely up to the patient do decide which one works best for him or her. The least popular option is removal of the thyroid.
Another includes drinking radioactive iodine, which essentially kills the thyroid, eliminating the conditions. Most patients' thyroid levels drop to low within three months, which is a permanent condition. However, it's very easy to treat an underactive thyroid, so this can be an attractive option. The third option is taking anti-thyroid drugs to slow down your thyroid, which works about 40 percent of the time. For the other 60 percent of patients, thyroid levels go back up once the medication is stopped.
Talk to your healthcare provider if you'd like more information on Graves' disease.
Visit HealthChoicesFirst.com for more videos and resources on metabolic issues.
Print this Action Plan and check off items that you want to discuss with your healthcare provider
-
Graves' disease is an autoimmune disease that occurs when the immune system attacks your thyroid and produces an antibody. This causes your thyroid to produce more hormones than your body needs.
-
Symptoms of Graves’ disease include weight loss, fatigue, bulging eyes (Graves' ophthalmopathy), enlargement of the thyroid gland, heart palpitations, anxiety, a tremor in the hands or fingers and changes in menstrual cycle.
-
There are three main treatments available for Graves' disease, and it’s largely up to the patient do decide which one works best for him or her. The least popular option is removal of the thyroid.
-
One treatment involves drinking radioactive iodine, which essentially kills the thyroid, eliminating the conditions. Most patients' thyroid levels drop to low within three months, which is a permanent condition. However, it's very easy to treat an underactive thyroid, so this can be an attractive option.
-
The third treatment option is taking anti-thyroid drugs to slow down your thyroid, which works about 40 percent of the time. For the other 60 percent of patients, thyroid levels go back up once the medication is stopped.
