[Anonymous August 21, 1997 at 4:39 pm Post count: 93172]

#1157852

I really second this advice. ANY change in your eyes or their condition, you vision should be checked out immediately by a doctor who KNOWS graves eye disease.

[Anonymous August 21, 1997 at 5:43 pm Post count: 93172]

#1054096

Everyone by all means take care of those pair of beautiful eyes
you were born with. As a measure of precaution anyone diagnosed with
graves disease should have their eyes checked right after RAI, or treatment with PTU
or surgery and followed very closely with a thyroid eye specialist or a neuropthamologist and receive
a thorough eye exam. An optometrist is not really recommended.

I speak to you because severe graves eye disease has taken my
vision from me in my right eye after undergoing two major surgeries
three wall optic nerve decompressions as those antobodies attack
the muscles behind they eyes and press on the optic nerve cutting
off the supply of blood from the brain. The antibodies are quite active
and continue to attack my good left eye and I presently am
undergoing a procedure plasmaphoresis and chemotherapy to keep
the eye stabilized. Radiation is no option for me as I also have diabetes since
I was 4. There is no sign of any diabetes complications. Doc say eyes
are remarkable having this disease for a long time.

The optic nerve is a small vessel hairlike and severly affects your vision output. Any headaches, color distortion,
double vision should be reported to a specialist immediatelu. Better to
be safe than sorry. Unfortunately ,in my case I had seen 15 eye
specialists and each new I had graves but misdiagnosed from migraines to aneurysm’s, etc.
which was inaccurate and they all missed the graves diagnosis!
Please be extra careful with your eyes and have them checked even
if you do not currently have eye problems. You do not realize
how much your life is worth without good eyes.
Love and happiness to all,
Dee

[Anonymous July 17, 2003 at 4:17 pm Post count: 93172]

#1157853

Hi I have been suffering for nearly 2 years and gone through hell, i was singned off work for 6 months, my legs swelled up, i could hardly get up the stairs, had racing heart etc… i was finally diagnosed with Graves disease. I have had RAI twice and am now Hypo (TSH 1.2) for the last month (approx), but i still have swollen fingers, get breathless, sleep everyday after work,suffer badly with upset stomach/indigestion (since being on steriod), I am very emotional cry over silly things one minute and ok the next, also i feel very stressed at times, i still need to take one betablocker a day because i get palpitaions. Can anyone advise me, if i am now left with these symtoms or will things improve.

Must say i hade read your messages have geatly helped me get through this.

Sophie

Thanks

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