Often when people think of Thyroid disease Hypothyroid is our first though, however some patients have the opposite issue and have hyperthyroidism or Graves’ Disease.
What is Graves’?
Graves’ disease is an immune system disorder that results in the overproduction of thyroid hormones (hyperthyroidism). Although a number of disorders may result in hyperthyroidism, Graves’ disease is a common cause.
Symptoms: Here are some common symptoms of Graves’:
Anxiety
Bulging eyes
Difficulty concentrating
Diarrhea
Excessive sweat
Fast heart rate
Fatigue
Intolerance to heat
Muscle weakness
Tremors
Unexplained Weight-loss
How is Graves’ tested?
Graves is often suspected when there is a high level of Free T4 (FT4) and high Free T3 (FT3) in addition to a low suppressed TSH but it is confirmed by looking for presence of Graves’ antibodies in the blood.
There are three Graves’ antibody tests used to diagnose.
TPO
T’rAb
TSI
TPO (Thyroid Peroxide Antibody) – note Hashi’s patients also have this but no TSI
TSI (Thyroid Stimulating Immunoglobulin)
TrAb is Thyrotropin receptor autoantibodies is the primary test for graves. This is what is stimulated by TSI.
How is Graves’ Treated?:
Medicine: Doctors also prescribe anti-thyroid medicine to control the disease. Common names are methimazole (Tapezole) and propylthiouracil (PTU).
Surgery: Doctors recommend remove of all or part of the Thyroid*.
RAI: Often doctors recommend RAI to kill the thyroid*.
*Please see our Without a Thyroid page for more info about living without a thyroid.
Additional helpful links:
Cancer Risk from RAI article: Solid Cancer Risk Tied to Radioiodine Thyroid Tx
One of the best resources for Graves’ Patients can be found here: http://elaine-moore.com/