Karen,
Thanks for the info. My friend is moving to Florida to reduce the stress
in her life. She feels that escaping the winter here and spending more time
in the sun and swimming in the ocean will help her health. She is also
very diet aware and is taking vitamins and herbs that are supposed to help
the immune system.
She is not following the doctor’s advice to take the radioactive iodine
because she feels that the root problem may be something else, something that
first showed up as lymph node swelling and became grave’s disease later on.
This root problem is what she is seeking diagnosis/treatment for, but her
doctors can’t seem to figure out any connection and have no answers to her
lymph node questions.
She also does not have all the symptoms, such as swelling eyes. She does
suffer from a protruding neck somewhat, due to the swelling of the thyroid.
She also has had periods of racing heartbeats and large appetite with no
weight gain. These 2 symptoms seem to have subsided somewhat.
She is looking for information about any connection between graves, lymph
problems, and cortisone treatments. She had long periods of cortisone
treatments for skin problems in the past, and is wondering if these treatments
my be part of the root problem.
I am wondering about the long term prognosis of a person with this type of
thyroid problem that does not undergo thyroid surgery or radioactive iodine
treatment. Has anyone recovered from this without becoming hypothyroid and
needing thyroid supplements for the rest of their lives? Any information
will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
-Rob
