[Bobbi]

#1061092

Hi, Marza and welcome to our Board.

The sad reality for us all to acknowledge, is that with an autoimmune disease the condition is permanent. There can be periods of remission (defined here, at least, as being able to go off meds for a year or more) because antibody levels can rise and fall for no well-understood reason. And, medical knowledge to date does not include being able to target specific antibodies. Remissions are, by definition, temporary.

So, what that means is that we all have to expect to be on medication to control our thyroid levels for the rest of our lives.

That’s the rotten news. The good news side of the issue though — and from the autoimmune standpoint, it is really good news — is that with Graves we do have treatment options that work to give us our health back. There aren’t a whole lot of other autoimmune issues as debilitating as Graves that offer their sufferers the possibility of a healthy future.

What is really important for you, though, is to make sure that your thyroid levels STAY in the normal zone. Even fluctuating in and out of hyper is horrible for your body. So, making sure that your levels are being checked regularly, adjusting the medication you are taking (whatever that might be) is something you will have to pay attention to from here on out.

[marza]

#1017816

hi from a newbie,

I was diagnosed with Graves 18 months ago when my only symptom was an affected right eye. My TSH was then found to be non existent and T4 was very high. I had Carbimazole (neo mercazole) treatment for a year with good success and gradually had dose tapered down to vertually nothing for the last 6 months.
Over the past month or so I have had recurrence with lots of symptoms, tiredness, anxiety, insomnia, sweating and worsening of the eye problem. I have restarted Carbimazole on alternate days and dizzyness has become really bad. Blood pressure was very high this week and I am now on a short (hopefully) course of beta blockers twice a day too.
I am feeling very dispirited by all this and would really like to hear how some of you have managed.

[marza]

#1061093

Thank you for your prompt and encouraging response. I think I was lulled into a sense of false security with being initially diagnosed when reasonably symptom free. As you say, it is a permanent condition and I have just been lucky to have gotten on with it so easily up until now. Hopefully I soon will again. ” title=”Smile” />

[Author]

Posts