[nikkig]

#1058827

Hi I am new. My 12 year old daughter was diagnosed with graves and we are not able to see the specialist until March. Is there anything that I can do for her stomach pain until we see the specialist? She isnt taking any meds yet and I dont have a clue what to do….

[Kimberly]

#1170237

Hello and welcome! Has your daughter’s pediatrician been able to rule out any other causes for her stomach pain? Stomach pain is not really one of the “classic” symptoms of Graves’ disease, although being hyperthyroid can certainly cause digestive issues.

If your schedule is somewhat flexible, you might call the specialist and see if they can notify you in the event of a cancellation — sometimes that can help get you in a little sooner. In the meantime, if she’s really feeling poorly, I wouldn’t hesitate to take your daughter back to the pediatrician to see if you can get her some relief.

Take care!

[nikkig]

#1170238

Thanks for such a quick reply. We have a appointment tomarrow. But I was just trying to see if there was anything to help with it that is over the counter or any type of food that would help. I had found out about this problem in my family and i asked the pediatrician and he didnt find anything, then he retired. I forgot all about it and a few months later we went to a family dr. and she found it on the first trip to her office. I have been reading a lot and trying not to read to much into what I have been reading. Since they have diagnosed her with “hyperthyroid if that is the one that she dosen’t make enough hormons” I dont know what to expect. What should I expect when we go to endocrinologist for our first visit. Do they perscribe meds that day or do they do more tests?? Im just lost and confused…

[Ski]

#1170236

Graves’ in young people is typically treated with meds at first — there are three potential treatments for Graves’ Disease, but the meds (we call them anti-thyroid drugs, or ATDs) are the only choice that doesn’t aim to destroy the thyroid, so it’s usually the first line treatment for young patients, in hopes that the meds work for them and at least postpone the need for destructive treatment.

I could go on for weeks about Graves’, but I’ll try to keep this short.

First, you mention “the one that she doesn’t make enough hormone,” so let’s quickly look at the thyroid hormone and the test results you may see. Thyroid hormone is the substance in our bloodstream that you could call the “fuel” of every cell. When you have Graves’, you have too much thyroid hormone in your bloodstream. It can be confusing, because the typical test that is run to check your thyroid function is the TSH level, which is actually thyroid-stimulating hormone, NOT thyroid hormone. TSH comes from the pituitary and is meant to “talk to” the thyroid in order to tell it how much thyroid hormone to release. There is a balance between these two, kind of like a seesaw. If the thyroid hormone level is high, the TSH level is low, and vice versa. So while you may see test results that indicate TSH is low, what that means is that there is too much thyroid hormone in the bloodstream.

In Graves’ disease, we have somehow developed autoantibodies that attack the thyroid, and PRETEND to be TSH, so they convince the thyroid to release more and more thyroid hormone. The “real” TSH level responds to this by dropping lower and lower, to stop the release, but the thyroid is responding to the intruders.

We can’t de-activate the autoantibodies that cause this reaction, so we must either control the release of thyroid hormone in another way (through the use of ATDs), or get rid of the thyroid entirely (through a treatment we call RAI, or by surgical removal of the thyroid), and just go on with replacement hormone taken in pill form.

I won’t go into the pros and cons of each, I’ll just say that there are things to consider for each treatment option. None are absolutely perfect, but all can return us to health. So learn as much as you can about the disease and the options, and you’ll be a good advocate for your daughter. While she’s hyperthyroid, it may be tough for her to navigate all of this, but I would encourage you to do the research WITH her, and involve her in the process. It’ll be important for her ultimate recovery to understand what’s going on and what her options are.

There are two types of ATDs, only one of which is typically recommended for young people. It’s generic name is methimazole, and in the U.S. the brand name is usually Tapazole. It’s typically given in a higher dose to start with, in order to bring the thyroid hormone levels down rapidly, and then the dose must be adjusted as symptoms change, so it’s going to involve lots of blood tests, fairly often, and that’s something you should both be prepared for. There are some symptoms to watch for early on, to be sure your daughter isn’t having any of the more serious side effects, so be vigilant, but please know that the incidence of the serious side effects is very, very low, so try not to obsess on it, but do be watchful. As her levels drop, she’ll likely need lower and lower doses in order to maintain a normal thyroid hormone level, and the stability will really help her to feel better. It does take a while — reaching normal levels is a milestone, but maintaining them is the critical step for healing to begin.

I hope this helps!

[nikkig]

#1170239

Thank you Ski for the information. I will just keep on reading and try to get as much information that I can..:o

[hope1]

#1170240

While I am much older than your daughter, I have had issues with adominal pain. I do know that there are a numerous autoimmune disorders that can present with Graves. Some cause adominal pain, cramping etc. One is Celiac disease. A simple bood test can detect whether an individual has the disease. Your primary care doc would want to take a thorough history as well.

I developed a pancreatic disorder -spincter of oddi dysfunction- that caused cramping in my side and bouts of pancreatitis. I had scarring of my ducts, so they inserted stents and removed three days later. No discomfort since that time. I had this disease process immediately prior to the onset of the Graves. While they have treated teenagers for this disease, I think it is generally pertains to older individuals. I honestly never spent a great deal of time learning about it as it was finally totally resolved. I am also aware that there is a pancreatic autoimmune disorder which seemed similiar to what I had.

I do agree with others, I think the medications can be tough and can aggravate the stomach lining and cause perhaps some gastritis. My primary care doc recommended something as simple as TUMS to some of the over the counter antacids. I did not have great luck with them. I have found controlling caffeine, and some other foods to help. I do think you want to rule out Celiac disease as I believe that individuals with thyroid disease are at risk.

Best of luck. Perhaps a visit to a gastro. specialist would also help.

[gatorgirly]

#1170241

Like Hope, I’m also older (27 to be exact) than your daughter, but since RAI, have had severe GI issues. It turns out to be GERD and gastroparesis, which is common in diabetics. I am nowhere close to diabetic or even prediabetic, but my gastroenterologist thinks it’s related to the ups and downs of my thyroid function since we have not been able to find a stable dose of Synthroid yet. I am now taking domperidone (a Canadian drug not available in the US) 30 minutes before meals and have been symptom-free since the day I started it. He also suggests four (4) Tums between meals. It has helped. Like others, I echo the recommendation to see a pediatric GI specialist. Good luck!

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