I too had Graves for what I think was about 5 to 6 years before being
diagnosed. The doctors told me that I was “normal”. Never drew any
labs though. Said it was “all in my mind”. So I did not go to any doctors
for a long time because I did not like being labeled just another
neurotic female. I finally went to see a female doctor after the
symptoms got really bad. I was having alot of bone pain and my hands
and feet tingled all the time. My mother has a severe case of rheumatoid
arthritis and I thought I was getting it also. My rheumatoid factor was
negative but my thyroid levels were high. Autoimmune diseases run in some
families, my mother has RA,an autoimmune disease. My paternal grandmother
went completely gray-headed in her early 20’s, also associated with
autoimmune disorders. So far I’m the only one with Graves, but I watch
my children for any symptoms.
