[belldandy112]

#1072439

Hello, Oh, Canada! Sorry for the slight goofiness — you live in my favorite part of the world. Most of my friends live in Ontario. I read up on Diane Finley when I found out she has Graves — glad to hear that she’s doing okay these days. ” title=”Smile” />

I have GD and have probably had it for more than 10 years. Currently in remission and have been for a long time now. I had no eye issues until late this winter, when my eyes started to get puffy, first on the top lid, then underneath the eye. I assumed that it was a part of allergic conjunctivitis that I get each spring. But it was largely Graves-related — the allergic response just made things much more difficult.

You can have puffy lids, but that doesn’t mean that there is pressure going on behind your eyes — the type of pressure that pushes the eye out. My CT scans show no pressure on the orbitals. The way it was explained to me by my eye specialist is that the tissues that make up the eyes are very similar to that of the thyroid. And for some reason, the eye tissue gets "confused" and starts to react much like the thyroid — to swell, that is. Your eyes might not "pop" like your mother’s. You might just get swollen lids.

I doubt that a doctor will give you cosmetic surgery at this juncture. This thing needs to run its course. I just started Prednisone tx. to relieve the puffiness. There are other options, but this seems to be working extremely well. If I need it, I’ll have the laser surgery, but only after all of this resolves. As the doc explained it, I’d be wasting money to have the lid lift if the puffiness returns again. Make sense?

There are a lot of other people here who have had a variety of eye treatments and surgeries. My little Prednisone treatment is uninspiring compared to what they went through. They should weigh in. I would definitely see an opth. who specializes in Graves Disease.

[lakeview]

#1019554

Hi everyone, I am new here – from Ottawa, Canada.
In early December, I started getting very puffy eyes. I was also getting over a bad flu so I initially thought there might be a connection. I went to doctor after doctor with no conclusions, finally my optician suggested it may be my thyroid. I went back to my doctor and insisted on getting thyroid blood tests done. My TSH, T3, T4 and TRAB were all normal – So, my doctor insisted it could not be thyroid.. or Graves disease. I then asked to be sent to an ophthalmologist.
Finally, last week (March) the ophthalmologist who has no bed side manner whatsoever, said "You have Graves disease – your thyroid can be normal with this… and its manageable – and then he said I am finished now you can go.
Fortunately, he is referring me to another eye doctor at the hospital. Who knows how many months this will take?
My conclusion is that he is right since my mother had Graves eye disease with hyperactive thyroid. She got it in her 20s and I am in my late 40s. Her eyes popped out a lot, and it was really difficult for her – I remember her nightly vaseline in the eyes ritual. Unfortunately she passed away in her 40’s so I can not ask her any questions about this.

So here I am trying to figure out what happens next – and doing my own research. My understanding is that hyperactive thyroid could kick in at any time, but so far it hasn’t. I really don’t want to end up with eyes like my mother.

I saw a posting about laser eyelid surgery – and I am wondering if I could get more details on that – and if it works in getting the puffiness down.
I am going back to my doctor this week and I am going to insist that she send me to an endocrinologist – and that we test my blood monthly??
We have an Member of Parliament here in Canada, named Diane Finley, who has Graves and has worn tinted glasses for several years, and I notice she is no longer wearing tinted glasses and her eyes look normal. There are photos of her on the net and she looks great. Does this mean there is more hope for Graves disease nowadays?
Any suggestions on next steps would be helpful – also has anyone had this experience – with normal thyroid – and what was the evolution. What next?
I am a little confused.
Many thanks – and I am very grateful to have this website
Lakeview.

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