Hello and welcome to Graves’ Land.
I completely understand your struggles with trying to prove you have Graves’ and that you are sick.
I went for 15 years with symptoms and saw a few endos. where I live there are only a handful and all they came up with at best was clinical depression, hashimotos, and more or less said I was “stressed out.”
I am 5’4′ and weigh about 95 and that is on Fat days. I have been as low as 89 pounds and told I had anorexia, which I always resented because I was burning up with heat, my heart was racing, my hair was thinning and I was so depressed, I tried to end it all 3x.
I compare the whole thing always to the film “rosemary’s Baby.” She was so sick with pain but no one believed her and she was carrying the demon child. That’s what we feel like. Why won’t they listen? Are they that stupid? they are supposed to be doctors. or maybe they haven’t heard “Graves’ Disease?” Tell them to take a look at the late, great Marty Feldman. that’s what a lot of us look like. He died at 48 of a heart attack. I wonder why. Hmmm? He had Graves’ so bad, his eyes were bulging and back then, they were almost as stupid as they are now.
Now for the good points: you don’t have to worry about how sick you feel because you know what’s wrong with you and begin to get help because now somebody is on YOUR side.
It took me 15 years and then 2 doctors found Graves’ in a week with the right testing.
Take care
Karen
Welcome! Sounds like you know a lot about what’s going on with you, and what your options are, but if you have any questions for us, we’re here!
