The one good thing about autoimmune disease is that the antibodies are selective: they attack one specific type of tissue or combination of cells; they do NOT simply run amok creating havoc everywhere. Having antibodies against the thyroid, as we do with Graves, messes up thyroid function. Period. And, obviously, having messed up thyroid function makes us very, very ill while it is going on. But once we have the thyroid back under control, we get healthy again. And, when we have our thyroid removed, the antibodies are out of work completely.
When you go online and read boards like this one, you are reading about people who are newly diagnosed, in early treatment, or, sometimes, have the eye disease that is associated with Graves. But you do NOT typically see folks who have gotten well, and stopped coming onto these boards. There have been HUNDREDS, over the years, who have come here ill, and eventually disappeared. Occasionally someone comes back to wish others encouragement, but they start living their lives again and that usually means they don’t spend lots of time on the Board. All you need to do to confirm that is go back into this board’s archives. You will see the same sad story, over and over, but the names of the people posting will be different.
Here at NGDF, there are facilitators — like me, Kimberly, and Ski — who are healthy again. We try to give you a bit of perspective, which is what a lot of boards lack.
As to whether or not you can get another autoimmune. Yes. Having one autoimmune means that we are slightly — emphasis on slightly — more likely than someone in the so-called "normal" population to turn up with another one. It is something you should look for, because odds are that it won’t happen.
