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I don’t know about the elbow bit, but there is a definite change to nails that is associated with Graves. My endo looks at a lot of things, not just the lab reports. Obviously, what we patients care about is feeling well again. And little things like nail separation are not even a blip on my radar compared with feeling well.
Bobbi — NGDF Online Facilitator
When I was at my last appointment at the Endo’s office, I was feeling very good as I thought I was symptom free finally. The three doctors that were in the room checked my elbows and told me that because they were smooth , that was a symptom of graves as well as looking at your fingernails to see if there was any nail separation, I haven’t seen these mentioned in these posts. Anyone experience anything like this ?
Thanks Bobby , ( you don’t have to post this ) you are right that it may not be as important but it seems like you conquer one thing and them something else comes along. When I went to investigate, I saw some nasty pictures on the internet and it was just a little scary. Claudia
Hello:
About 10 years ago, I was diagnosed with Graves Disease. It attacked my thyroid and probably my ovaries….I went through menopause way too early which is uncharacteristic of women in my family. Anyway, recently I’ve seen some strange white pigmentation or white spots/blotches on my nails, mostly where the nail is attached to the skin on the fingers. Very strange things happen with Graves, but the doctor’s only seem to know the obvious…ie., thyroid, maybe ovaries, maybe eyes….etc…so I thought I’d throw this observation out there. Anybody else have something like this?
There is no correlation known between having been hyperthyroid and early menopause. That is not to say that it doesn’t happen to some of us — it just doesn’t happen to enough of us for there to be any causation implied.
It’s really common for those of us who get a disease like hyperthyroidism, which alters the fucntion of so many different organ systems, to subsequently “blame” it for all of our medical problems. My own theory is that we each have genetic issues which might be enhanced by being hyperthyroid for any length of time — weaknesses if you will that the hyperthyroid state aggravates. But again — the problem has to happen to a statistically significant number of individuals before doctors and scientists start to connect dots.
As for “Graves” being the cause — antibodies are specific, like a key to a lock. Antibodies to chicken pox do not fight the flu. Graves antibodies do not attack other parts of the body, just the thyroid. And it is the hyperthyroid state that often leads to other problems in the long run (like osteoporosis, etc.)
Bobbi — NGDF Online Facilitator
Hi Lisa,
Even though not enough patients go into early menopause, I thought I would let you know that it did happen to me. While I was waiting to be diagnosised my periods just stopped. One month I had a normal one the next month nothing and it has never started again. I was in my early 40’s when that happen. Where as family history with early menopause I have no idea, since my mother had her ovaries removed in her 40’s. My older sister still has not gone through menopause and she is in her late 50’s.
With your nails, I also experienced this. While we are hyper sometimes are nails will pull away from the nail bed. This will go back to normal after treatment.
Diane B On-Line Facilitator
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