[Anonymous]

#1046535

Hi, JMC!

I’m sorry to hear about your added medical problems. Graves’ is bad enough! I hate to say it, but people with thyroid trouble have a greater tendency than most of developing rheumatoid arthritis (not sure about the gout).

To quote Sara Rosenthal from “The Thyroid Sourcebook”, page 56-57:

“Some people with Graves’ or Hashimoto’s disease experience tendon and joint inflammation. Painful tendinitis and bursitis of the shoulder, for example, is reported in about 7% of Graves’ and Hashimoto’s disease patients, while it occurs in only about 1.7% of the general population.

In fact, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a more serious disease, appears to be only slightly more common among thyroid patients than among the general population. Nevertheless, RA can cause inflammation of many joints in the body, including knuckles, wrists, and elbows. Stiffness tends to be more severe in the morning. If you are either hyperthyroid or hypothyroid and have noticed this kind of pain or stiffness, ask your doctor to recommend appropriate medication for arthritic symptoms. Sometimes the pain and stiffness does improve when the thyroid condition is corrected.”

“Your Thyroid” (Drs. Wood, Cooper, Ridgway) says essentially the same thing, but also adds the feet as a possible affected area.

So, you’re not a freak of nature…just unique! I hope that you find some answers and treatment soon.

Wishing you more comfortable days ahead,
Debby
OLAF, NGDF

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