[davidkang106]

#1059490

Hello all. For a long time episodes of Graves’ Rage have been freaking me out, and I’ve been obsessing and analyzing every episode, because I want to be able to understand them. I’ve had anxiety and panic attack issues long before I started experiencing Graves’ symptoms, and I know that the general stimulated feeling due to hyperthyroidism definitely was NOT the same adrenaline from anxiety and panic, although it did feel like it had something to do with the adrenals. This really confused me.

Duh, high cortisol levels due to hyperthyroidism. It didn’t occur to me that there was another hormone affecting the adrenals. It’s common knowledge that cortisol levels are affected due to thyroid disease. After reading a few articles, cortisol is the “stress” hormone. That’s why Graves’ rage episodes make you feel profoundly physically stressed out. Your cortisol hormones are raging and it needs a release. That’s why it comes out in explosive ways and you only feel better after hitting something, screaming, or crying. Exercise, anger, and crying are ways of lowering cortisol due to the release of stress. That’s why controlling these outbursts are almost impossible. You instinctively do these things to rid yourself of the stress and by not making those actions, you retain your stress and it’s most likely released later anyway. When your cortisol levels are raging, your stressed out! Even if.. your not stressed out. haha.

It’s your body that’s stressed out, and the nervous, stressful energy release directly affects your mood. Plus hyperthyroidism already has profound effects on your mood and mind. It all just adds up to one ugly episode.

I’m no doctor (obviously). Just an observation I made when reading about cortisol levels, which I should have done a long time ago. What do you think? Is this already common knowledge?

[gatorgirly]

#1175072

Cortisol is also linked to belly fat in those who are otherwise in decent shape, which may explain the “Graves’ belly” some of us get after starting ATDs or – more commonly – after TT or RAI.

[snelsen]

#1175073

I don’t know a thing about it. But, I do know that in the 55 years I have had Graves’, cortisol levels have never been mentioned, or tested. Maybe it would be helpful for you to balance your reading with trying to find information from
academic websites with endocrine departments, like Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, most university medical centers in the country, and NIH. Look for evidence based studies with large samples of the population, and a large sample, that is a longitudinal study over a reasonable period of time.
In addition, I suggest that you ask you endo to explore this question and do extended research about this. I’d think if it were a very relevant variable, it would be universally known.
But, having said the above, I have absolutely no idea. Nor do I know if this information is helpful,once it is known.
I suppose it is possible to have all of this exacerbated by having a history of anxiety and panic attacks for a long period of time. I understand that a panic attack is really awful to have.

I had the Graves’ rage, irritability, anxiety, and all the other typical Graves’ symptoms. But once I began the ATD’s and beta blockers, all of this improved.
Then I had my thyroidectomy.

I sure hope you can get on the path to recovery, for this is very disturbing to experience. I am so sorry. As you know from reading the experience of everyone on this forum, Graves’, and (believe me, I know this to be true,) TED impacts our lives negatively, that is for sure.
Shirley

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