[Anonymous]

#1027828

Hi,

I am a patient of Standford Medical Center in the bay area. God is so good cause my endo fought the fight to get me there and dealt with my insurance untile they finally approved for me to been seen there. The doctor who I am seeing (cannot post her name on the board) is awsome. I looked her up on the internet to learn more about her and where she has been and what she has done in the world of “graves disease” and I was impressed. In the best hands and I cannot ask for more in spite of all my issues I am now dealing with. Besides the “graves” and double vision I am also dealing with the fibromaylgia and a disk issue in my neck.

Going to have to have some major surgey on topp of all of this. Issue with my bladder which has dropped and causing me problems when it comes to holding my you know what. Trying to hang on untile the end of April to see what Standford tells me then I will make a date for the surgery and get it over with. The specialist I think will want me to come back again in another 3 months and by this time it will be 12 months since I had the radiation treatments for the eyes. The thyroid glad like I said is working right and my t3 and t3 levels have improved and I am no longer loosing weight and maintaing the weight I have gained back.

So far I have learned so much about what the thyroid gland does and how it effects the entire body. Lean all you can about the graves disease to make sure you understand everything and ask questions after questions untile you get the right answers. Also I have learned when it comes to one heath you must be pushie and take the ball and run with it.

Take care and May God Bless!

Thank you for all your prayers too!

Charlene

[Anonymous]

#1098110

Hi, Im hoping someone can help me. My daughter is only 9 years old but my concern is that thyroid problems seems to run on her father’s side of the family. More specifically, my daughters’ aunt has graves disease, also her grandmother suffers from thyroid problems (overactive I think). I know its impossible to predict any disease but was just wondering about the hereditary factors. Also, what is the general age when this disease first develops?

Are there any mom’s out there with my same concerns?

Thanks!!!!

[Anonymous]

#1098111

Well, I am not sure what I can give you to help but here it is. My son is now 7yr old with Grave’s, he was 2yr old when we first found out he had the disease so there is no age, you can be born with Grave’s which they think he might have been. Now as for the hereditary side, when my son was born, we saw many doctors, one genetic specialist in particular since we did want more children, and basically any Auto-immune disease (which Grave’s is) have not been found to be genetic in nature HOWEVER you do seem them in cluster in families, i.e. a grandmother with low thyroid or a sister who is diabetic. Basically Grave’s is one blood test and at this point you should have a good feel for the side to look for…if things look off then have your daughter checked. Unfortunately there was no one in either side of my husband or my family that had any auto-immune disease so we were lost nor did we know what to look for so my son suffered for 2 years before we figured out what he had…you are ahead of the game and thank your stars!!! Hope this helped….mm fr VA…..

[Anonymous]

#1098112

Hi Drakemm, many thanks for your comments. My daughters father is diabetic, I suppose this might increase her risk of developing an autoimmunce disease like thyroid diseases. I find some small relief knowing that auto-immune diseases have not been found to be genetic. I hope I dont sound too ignorant, Im not too clued up when it comes to this. But saying that, I will take her for a blood test. I also read somewhere that the majority of graves/thyroid diseases diagnosed usually occur in women after the age of twenty. Is this not true?

Thanks again!!

[Anonymous]

#1098113

Autoimmune diseases tend to occur in women most frequently around the time of changing hormones: i.e. puberty, pregnancy or menopause. That said, it is a good idea for the family doctor to keep an open mind about symptoms, and for the family members to make sure to have thorough health check ups once a year.

Bobbi — NGDF Online Facilitator

[Anonymous]

#1098114

The main group that this disease hits is older females (over 50) HOWEVER that does not mean that a child or a male can’t get Grave’s, my son (a Male) was 2yrs old when they told us it was Grave’s so like Bobbie said, just make sure to have good yearly check ups for the family and your daughter and things should be good for your family. Hope this helps…mm in VA…

[Anonymous]

#1098115

Thank you both for your comments.
God bless and wish you all the best!!

[Anonymous]

#1098116

Hi I am looking all over any website I can to find information, or anyone who has a child with Graves Disease. My daughter is 7 years old and has Graves. One year ago, while getting a hair cut, the hairdresser told me she found some bald spots. I took her to the pediatrician and he suggested a thyroid test. Well she came out hypothyroid. Went to an Pediatric Endo. and I was told she has Hashimoto’s Disease. Went for blood work 6 months ago–no change. Went 3 weeks ago and levels were off the wall. TSH 0.01, T3 Totals 556. Pediatric Endo. ask me numerous times did she have access to thyroid meds-NO. Bloodwork redone, radioactive iodine test done….everthing points to hyperthyroid. Dr. tells me that she switched and now has Graves Disease. His problem-he never had a child this young 7 years old with it. Hospital we had the scan done at-maybe once a child that young. I am so concerned for my daughter, she is my little one and right now takes 8 pills a day. 4 to control the thyroid Methimazole 10mg 2tabs 2X a day. She also takes propranolol 3 times a day to regulate her heart rate- which is way too high.
I guess my concern is — is there anyone out there who has/had a child age 7 or so with Graves. My husband’s grandmother had her thyroid removed 50+ years ago. No idea why-things different back then.
If you have any concern-LOOK INTO IT. I could easily see how someone could say a child is ADHD because of similar symptoms. If it was not for that hairdresser who knows. Let me know how things go.
Take care…..

[Anonymous]

#1098117

You’ll probably get a response from a woman in VA who has a son with Graves — her son was diagnosed when he was two. I am drawing a complete blank on her name right now, but if I think of it, I will put it in.

Given that your child has already been diagnosed with Hashimoto’s as well, you might be prepared for her thyroid levels to “cycle” between high and low levels of thyroid hormone. Adults who have both Hashimotos and Graves typically are advised to definitively treat the hyperactive end of things by removing the thyroid — that way they are only dealing with the hypo end of things. But I have no idea what would be recommended for a child.

Bobbi — NGDF Online Facilitator

[Anonymous]

#1098118

Yup, that is me, I am the mom in VA with a son, now 7yr old with Grave’s. He has been suffering with this disease since he was 2yr old. The first thing I have told any parent that finds their kids with a thyroid condition like this is…you guessed it…question the doctor as to how many patients he has treated with Graves and how young? You will find that their knowlegde is very limited and you might have to go to another doctor, maybe even three, I had to go to 4 before I had the best out of the pick. Now onto the treatment, children are treated VERY different then adults so throw out anything you are reading on the treatments for adults because most of doctors/radiologist will not recommend them for any child under 10yr old, i.e. RAI or even surgery. My son also is on 10pills a day, PTU and Snythroid even though it took a year to get him regulate, he has been stable for the past 5yrs…unfortunately we are now dealing with eye problems…TEDS, and hopefully your daughter will not have those issues. If you are looking into information on this area, check how the doctors in Europe treat the disease, they normally handle everything with meds and that might help you. We are always here if you need an ear, and remember to keep your spirits and chin up, they need us to lean on since they are too young to truly understand what is going on….mm in VA….

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