[Anonymous October 10, 1996 at 6:40 pm Post count: 93172]

#1058463

Wow! Am I ever glad to have found this! Like many of you, I went years (5) undiagnosed and through a pregnancy that was riddled with problems. Luckily, my daughter was healthy despite being born 5 weeks early. She looked like she had Down’s syndrom for the first two years of her life but has outgrown that. The really FRUSTRATING part is that I had gone to the doctor’s 6 mos after the birth of my 1st child and they did a series of blood tests. I was told then that everything came back normal when in fact I was hyper ( I looked up my blood tests much later). I went through 5 years of being sick all the time, having abnormal pap smears, feeling like a truck had run me over, and trying to convince my husband that I wasn’t insane – somethong was wrong inside. I couldn’t cope with anything. I was beginning to question if maybe I was mentally ill and yet deep down I knew I was “normal”. I almost went on anti-depressants but held off because of the stigma. Then my pulse went up to 160 and I got a goiter — TADA! Finally, a diagnosis! I took the RAI and now take synthroid. For the last two years I’ve felt like a person again. It’s too bad so much of my precious time with my family was lost because I was “crazy”. MY QUESTION IS: has anyone else experienced any other diseases (besides the eye thing) that is associated with Graves’ , such as pernicious anemia or rheumatiod arthritis? I have carpel tunnel syndrome and my doc told me it was related to thyroid disease. No, I don’t type a lot. This is the most I’ve typed in years! Sorry to have gone on so long.

[Anonymous October 11, 1996 at 3:05 pm Post count: 93172]

#1168586

I too had Graves for what I think was about 5 to 6 years before being
diagnosed. The doctors told me that I was “normal”. Never drew any
labs though. Said it was “all in my mind”. So I did not go to any doctors
for a long time because I did not like being labeled just another
neurotic female. I finally went to see a female doctor after the
symptoms got really bad. I was having alot of bone pain and my hands
and feet tingled all the time. My mother has a severe case of rheumatoid
arthritis and I thought I was getting it also. My rheumatoid factor was
negative but my thyroid levels were high. Autoimmune diseases run in some
families, my mother has RA,an autoimmune disease. My paternal grandmother
went completely gray-headed in her early 20’s, also associated with
autoimmune disorders. So far I’m the only one with Graves, but I watch
my children for any symptoms.

[Anonymous October 11, 1996 at 6:58 pm Post count: 93172]

#1168587

Isn’t this a lovely condition? I found my first gray hair at the ripe old age of 22! Now that I’m 30 I have a nice Garden o’ Gray. Yes, Yes, I know that’s nothing to worry about, but still. One of the other side effects I’m experiencing is a mild case of hypochondria. Because I went for so long feeling yucky– and being told it was nothing — then finding out it WAS something I now feel like there is a “reason” for every ache and pain I have. How am I ever going to know whether something is a problem or if I’m just getting OLDER? Neither is a pleasant prospect. Am I the only one to feel this way? JULIE

[Anonymous October 11, 1996 at 7:26 pm Post count: 93172]

#1168588

Dear Julie,
Know exactly how you feel. After so many years of having my symptoms
brushed off as nothing, I too want to blame every ache and pain on
Graves. I feel also that doctors may think me something of a hypochondiac,
which causes me not to want to discuss my symptoms.
Too often I notice M.D.’s eyes glaze over when they are no longer
paying attention to what I’m saying, then they just kinda act patronizing.

[Anonymous October 11, 1996 at 7:50 pm Post count: 93172]

#1168589

Dear Tara,
Ah yes, the infamous Glaze Over! My husband has also perfected this noble talent. He seems to think that the problem has been fixed and I should have nothing wrong now. Nothing. Ever. JULIE

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