What is more about graves disease

Graves’ disease is a type of hyperthyroidism caused by an autoimmune attack on the thyroid gland. It usually produces enlargement of the thyroid gland and may cause ocular symptoms.

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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 m…

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n. A condition usually caused by excessive production of thyroid hormone and characterized by an enlarged thyroid gland, protrusion of the eyeballs, a rapid heartbeat, and nervous excitability. Also called exophthalmic goiter . [After Rober…

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Related Questions Answered on Y!Answers

Can anyone tell me more about Grave’s Disease / having a Hyperactive Thyroid?

Q: I have Grave’s Disease and just had radiation therapy to kill my Hyperactive Thyroid. EVERY woman in my family has had to have this done, so it wasn’t a matter of IF I was going to, but WHEN. The problem is… ALL of them have gained 50-100+ pounds afterwards. With no thyroid, they have no metabolism… So needless to say, I’M NERVOUS! I’m 5’7″ and 102 lbs now. I’m aware this is underweight, but that’s what the radiation is going to fix. BUT. Will I gain as much weight as my family members? Is it avoidable? Does anyone know anyone who’s dealt with this? Do you know anyone who DIDN’T get fat? Help!

A: Your thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland located at the base of your neck, just below your Adam’s apple. Although it weighs less than an ounce, the thyroid gland has an enormous impact on your health. Every aspect of your metabolism, from your heart rate to how quickly you burn calories, is regulated by thyroid hormones. You cannot live without your thyroid gland or the thyroid hormone, thyroxine. As long as your thyroid produces the right amount of these hormones, your metabolism functions normally. But sometimes your thyroid gland produces too much of the hormone thyroxine — a condition known as hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid disease). Hyperthyroidism can significantly accelerate your body’s metabolism, causing sudden weight loss, a rapid or irregular heartbeat, sweating, and nervousness or irritability. Several treatment options are available if you have hyperthyroidism. Doctors use anti-thyroid medications and radioactive iodine to slow the production of thyroid hormones. Sometimes, treatment of hyperthyroidism means surgical removal of part of the thyroid gland. Although hyperthyroidism can be fatal if it’s ignored, most people respond well once hyperthyroidism is diagnosed and treated.Hyperthyroidism can lead to a number of complications:Heart problems. Some of the most serious complications of hyperthyroidism involve the heart. These include a rapid heart rate, a heart rhythm disorder called atrial fibrillation and congestive heart failure — a condition in which your heart can’t circulate enough blood to meet your body’s needs. These complications are generally reversible with appropriate treatment. Brittle bones. Untreated hyperthyroidism can also lead to weak, brittle bones (osteoporosis). The strength of your bones depends, in part, on the amount of calcium and other minerals they contain. Too much thyroid hormone interferes with your body’s ability to incorporate calcium into your bones. Eye problems. People with Graves’ ophthalmopathy develop eye problems, including bulging, red or swollen eyes, sensitivity to light, and blurring or double vision. Red, swollen skin. In rare cases, Graves’ disease also affects the skin, causing redness and swelling, often on the shins and feet. Thyrotoxic crisis. Hyperthyroidism also places you at risk of thyrotoxic crisis — a sudden intensification of your symptoms, leading to a fever, a rapid pulse and even delirium. If this occurs, seek immediate medical care. Once you begin treatment, symptoms of hyperthyroidism should subside and you should start feeling much better. The following suggestions also may help:Ask your doctor about supplementing your diet. If you’ve lost a great deal of weight or experienced muscle wasting, you may benefit from adding extra calories and protein to your diet. Your doctor or a nutritionist can help you with meal planning. In most cases, you won’t need to continue supplementing your diet once your hyperthyroidism is under control. Maintain an adequate intake of calcium. Because hyperthyroidism may contribute to thinning bones, it’s important to get enough calcium every day to help prevent osteoporosis. Adults younger than 50 should aim for a total of 1,000 milligrams daily, either from food you eat or from supplements or both. Adults older than 50 should get 1,200 milligrams of calcium every day. Ask your doctor about taking vitamin D supplements along with the calcium. Graves’ ophthalmopathyIf you have Graves’ ophthalmopathy, the following suggestions may help soothe your eyes or skin:Apply cool compresses to your eyes. The extra moisture may provide relief. Wear sunglasses. When your eyes protrude, they’re more vulnerable to ultraviolet rays and more sensitive to sunlight. Wearing sunglasses helps protect them from both sun and wind. Use lubricating eyedrops. Eyedrops may help relieve dryness and scratchiness. Be sure to use eyedrops that don’t contain redness removers. Elevate the head of your bed. Keeping your head higher than the rest of your body reduces blood flow to your head and may help relieve the pressure on your eyes. Try over-the-counter creams for swollen skin. Over-the-counter creams containing hydrocortisone or triamcinolone may help relieve red, swollen skin on your shins and feet. For help finding these creams, talk to your pharmacist. Several treatments for hyperthyroidism exist. The best approach for you depends on your age, physical condition and the severity of your disorder:Radioactive iodine. Taken by mouth, radioactive iodine is absorbed by your thyroid gland, where it causes the gland to shrink and symptoms to subside, usually within three to six months. Because this treatment causes thyroid activity to slow considerably, you may eventually need to take a medication every day to replace thyroxine. Anti-thyroid medications. These medications gradually reduce symptoms of hyperthyroidism by preventing your thyroid gland from producing excess amounts of hormones. They include propylthiouracil and methimazole (Tapazole). Symptoms usually begin to improve in six to 12 weeks, but treatment with anti-thyroid medications typically continues at least a year and probably longer. For some people, this clears up the problem permanently, but other people may experience a relapse. Beta blockers. These drugs are commonly used to treat high blood pressure. They won’t reduce your thyroid levels, but they can reduce a rapid heart rate and help prevent palpitations. For that reason, your doctor may prescribe them until your thyroid levels are closer to normal. Surgery (thyroidectomy). If you can’t tolerate anti-thyroid drugs and don’t want to have radioactive iodine therapy, you may be a candidate for thyroid surgery, although this is an option in only a few cases.In a thyroidectomy, your doctor removes most of your thyroid gland. Risks of this surgery include damage to your vocal cords and parathyroid glands — four tiny glands located on the back of your thyroid gland that help control the level of calcium in your blood. In addition, you’ll need lifelong treatment with levothyroxine to supply your body with normal amounts of thyroid hormone. If your parathyroid glands also are removed, you’ll need medication to keep your blood-calcium levels normal.Graves’ ophthalmopathyIf Graves’ disease affects your eyes, you can manage mild symptoms by avoiding wind and bright lights and using artificial tears and lubricating gels. If your symptoms are more severe, your doctor may recommend treatment with corticosteroids, such as prednisone, to reduce swelling behind your eyeballs. In some cases, a surgical procedure may be an option:Orbital decompression surgery. In this surgery, your doctor removes the bone between your eye socket and your sinuses — the air spaces next to the eye socket. When the procedure is successful, it improves vision and provides room for your eyes to return to their normal position. But there is a risk of complications, including double vision that persists or appears after surgery. Eye muscle surgery. Sometimes scar tissue from Graves’ ophthalmopathy can cause one or more eye muscles to be too short. This pulls your eyes out of alignment, leading to double vision. Eye muscle surgery may help correct double vision by cutting the affected muscle from the eyeball and reattaching it farther back. The goal is to achieve single vision when you read and look straight ahead. In some cases, you may need more than one operation to attain these results.

question about Graves Disease?

Q: well ive got graves disease im pretty sure its hyperactive thyroid (cant really remember what the doctor said) and ive lost like 30 pounds in about 2 months (from 163 to about 131) its been about a month now and ive been eating allot more but my Weight hasn’t changed AT ALL is this healthy should i stop eating so much or keep my current eating habit just which is healthier??other stuff that might be important:i work out regularlydrink plenty of water and other liquids (almost never dehydrated) when i sweat i sweat ALLOT more than i think i shouldand my doctor said i need more carbs than a normal person i just dont know what it meansive seen an endocrynologist

A: the thyroid gland helps with metabolism or the rate your body burns food for energy. A person with an overactive thyroid needs more carbs because your metobolic rate is higher. See a endocronologist if you haven’t already. They are doctors that specialize in thyroid problems.

Ppl who know about hyperthyroidism and/or graves disease, please help!?

Q: Hello. I started out as a very healthy person, who used to be very awake and alert more of the time. Ever since August, I have gotten sicker and sicker: Now I am homeschooled which means I usually get atleast 8 hrs of sleep & drink plenty of water, but every day I end up feeling very tired, dizzy, and feverish. I also get headaches 5-6 days out of 7 every week, and most of the time they develop into migraines, which make me very nauseous. I end up taking medicine to relieve the symptoms, usually it gets a little better, but everything starts over the next day.My mother has hyperthyroidism (along with her mom, & her only brother and sister), and she believes I have it too. I also have a very bad bone density even tho I consume plenty of calcium (she said hyperthyroidism may be the cause of that).Hopefully I am going to the doctor soon, but meanwhile, does anybody have any suggestions as to what I can do to feel better? Can any foods do this to you? Thanks!

A: i do have graves’ disease, but never had headaches.well, if you have graves’, you need to avoid iodine including;dairy, iodized salt, seafood.suite101.com has a list of foods to avoid for hyperthyroidism/graves.but you need to be tested first before you eliminate any foods from your diet. don’t self diagnose, have a blood test first and go from there.good luck!