[Anonymous June 23, 1998 at 5:16 am Post count: 93172]

#1050520

My aunt was just diagnosed with Graves’ Disease, and I was wondering if it is hereditary. what chance do I have of getting it?

[Anonymous June 23, 1998 at 8:51 am Post count: 93172]

#1149455

Greta –

It has been shown to run in the family. My Aunt (on my mother’s side)
has Grave’s Disease and my maternal grandmother’s sister. I also have
an uncle (again, mother’s side) that has diabetes. I was diagnosed
the first time I had Grave’s Disease when I was 22, which at the time
the Doctor considered young. I am now almost 26 and am experiencing
my second round with the disease. If you have a relative with the
disease, you should definately get tested for any thyroid disorder!

Alyson

[Anonymous June 23, 1998 at 9:41 am Post count: 93172]

#1149456

It seems that autoimmune diseases run in families, but that doesn’t mean you will get one. My grandmother and great-grandmother had thyroid problems, my brother is premature gray, my sister has some arthritis problems and my brother and his son are Hyperactive, which seems to show up in families with thyroid problems. But then I have another brother whose only problem is being a smart aleck.

Read as much as you can on Graves and other autoimmune diseases just because it’s a good idea. But hopefully you will never get it yourself.

[Anonymous June 23, 1998 at 11:26 am Post count: 93172]

#1149457

I think the familial tendency is more towards autoimmune diseases in general than just towards Graves or other thyroid diseases. I know arthritis runs in my family fairly strongly. My mother had an underactive thyroid- but thatwas caused by Scarlet Fever when she was a child.

However, just recently I was talking to someone in my alumni group. She was just recently diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis (underactive thyroid) and she has a sister with Grave’s disease. Poor thing – after diagnosis the endo didn’t give her enough thyroid replacement and her TSH levels climbed to 35! She gained another 12 pounds during her first month of treatment. And she had really bad depression and fatigue.

You may just be lucky and not get any diseases. Trying to stay as stress-free as possible seems to help as having a very stressful incident can trigger Graves and other thyroid diseases.

[Anonymous June 24, 1998 at 12:18 am Post count: 93172]

#1149458

I have been to four Endo’s during the course of this disease. The first question any of them asked me was “Does anyone else in your family suffer from thyroid disease?” In my case it was my aunt on my Dad’s side. She had RAI went on her medication and never had a problem again. I’m hoping by the time any of my sister or brother’s kids might get this disease that there will be a quick and instant cure. We all have to keep talking it up so that more research can be done. I recently read in the Thyrobulletin from the Thyroid Foundation of Canada that someone had left them a substantial amount in their Estate to the Foundation and another person had said in lieu of flowers please send donations to the TFC. It shows there are people out there who are putting this disease first in their list of contributions. We just have to make sure more people are aware of how debilitating this disease can be and the necessity of financial support for research.

[Anonymous June 26, 1998 at 3:32 pm Post count: 93172]

#1149459

I have no knowledge of anyone in my family (on either side) of having Grave’s Disease. I was diagnosed two years ago – I had had an incredible gastrointestinal viral illness for over a week – and while the symptoms subsided somewhat, they were still serious enough for me to return to the dr. Heart rate up, losing weight, diarrhea, and so freaking hot!!!!! I was quickly diagnosed with Graves (TSH of 0) and placed on Inderal. I don’t get it – I thought this was a heredity thing but I guess it has to begin somewhere!! Wish though, I had never been treated with radioactive iodine… simply because maintaining my weight is a CONSTANT battle. While typing this, I probably just gained 10 pounds. Good luck.

[Anonymous June 26, 1998 at 7:32 pm Post count: 93172]

#1149460

I am 19 yrs. old. So, you think that there is a good chance that I could get the disease? My aunt is 46 and was just diagnosed. She apparently has had it for awhile and did not know it. I don’t know of anyone else in our family that has any kind of thyroid problem. She was ungoing much stress with her job which probably triggered the disease. I have been feeling pretty stressed out lately. Please give me any information you can. Thanks

[Anonymous June 27, 1998 at 1:39 pm Post count: 93172]

#1149461

Dear Gretta-Dean:
Good Morning to everyone here at our BB,HOPE YOU ALL ARE HAVING A NICE WEEKEND.So, now Gretta-Dean,how are you doing my young friend? By the way welcome to the BB,first of all I must tell you that it could be an auto-immune disease that you could get,as the case in my own family. I also have relatives with the thyroid too.If I were
you I would just keep being very aware of what is happening in lines with my body(any sudden changes)also ,I would have thyroid blood work done every few months or so,and this for sure,don’t let this go by undone,because there is the chance you could get some type of immune disaese and like your Aunt mine I had for along time before noticed,now I sit and wonder if only I had been diagnosed earlier just maybe my eyes would be better for it and Getta-Dean I will never know,so just make a point to have your self tested,good Luck to you and your Aunt
take care now Little warrior here at the BB –Barb

[Anonymous June 28, 1998 at 11:44 pm Post count: 93172]

#1149462

Should everyone in the family be tested for the disease? I am curious because everyone on here that has replied to my messages has told me that i should get tested.

[Anonymous June 30, 1998 at 10:36 am Post count: 93172]

#1149463

Hi Greta,
I think that if the closest relative with Graves is an aunt and you
haven’t noticed any of the symptoms of Graves, it is probably prudent
simply to mention this family history to your primary care doctor and
see what s/he thinks is appropriate. Of course, you want to be aware of your body and
if at some point in your life you notice graves symptoms, you’ll know to
have your thyroid tested.

I have graves, but so far, my sister and 2 brothers do not. [My sister did have
her thyroid levels checked at one point after I got ill, but they were fine.]
My mom recalls having both hyper and hypo thyroid problems at different
times when she was in her 20’s, but doesn’t think anyone told her it was
graves. So who knows where my illness came from?
I just told my kids’ pediatrician about my graves, so they could add it to my children’s
family history, but the pediatrician did not think any testing needed to be done as neither has any symptoms.

I suppose you could have your blood levels done now just to get some reassurance.

Hope this helps a little — no need to get stressed over what may never be!
Casey

[Anonymous June 30, 1998 at 4:23 pm Post count: 93172]

#1149464

Testing for auto-immune diseases was recommended for our son due to the amount of diseases in our families. It is a personal choice on everyones part. We chose to test.
Hope this helps.

Regards,
JAN

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