[Kay674]

#1059002

I have yet to be in the good range since diagnosis in my early 20’s… I’m now almost 38. I went from hyper to hypo after RAI and have never felt “good”. I have extreme stress in my life (father is dying and court battle with ex) and I have never felt worse. I don’t know what to do at this point.
Where can I get information about how stress affects those with Graves’?

[Kimberly]

#1171495

Hello – Wow, I’m so sorry to hear you have had so many stressful issues hit at the same time. Unfortunately, I don’t have any *specific* information on stress and Graves’, other than anecdotal evidence that many of us find that our symptoms flare during periods of stress.

This presentation from Dr. Herbert Benson was from the Foundation’s 2011 Patient & Family Conference in Boston, MA. Dr. Benson looks at the effect of stress on health in general, so you might find this to be of interest.

(Note on links: if you click directly on the following links, you will need to use your browser’s “back” button to return to the boards after viewing. As an alternative, you can right-click the link and open it in a new tab or new window).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mea202U9wgQ&feature=g-upl

By the way, more footage will be released over the coming weeks from the 2011 Conference. There are a handful of videos posted on YouTube under our user name “GravesAndThyroid”.

http://www.youtube.com/user/GravesAndThyroid?feature=mhee

Take care!

[Darcy43]

#1171496

I am so sorry to hear about what you are going through. Extreme stress indeed. Listed below are some helpful links that connects stress with Graves and also some how to counteract stress the best way. Everyone is different and I hope you can find some way to push through these stressful times. You are handling several deaths (a loved one, a marriage) and it can be brutal. I have been there. You are in my prayers.

http://www.thyroid.org/patients/brochures/Graves_brochure.pdf

http://www.medscape.org/viewarticle/584094_2

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9560867

And this book is truly helpful.

http://books.google.com/books?id=WlzrXFvbOSgC&pg=PA48&dq=stress+and+graves+disease&hl=en&sa=X&ei=5_WaT9j1M8KuiALq8JmtDg&ved=0CFAQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=stress%20and%20graves%20disease&f=false

[Harpy]

#1171497

As per above, thinking of you, really tough trot. Relationship breakdown brings all kinds of complications without even considering the issues your father is going through and having to come to terms with these things at the same time.

Just speaking in a generalised way, trying to remain sensitive to your situation.
GD can be like a magnifying glass when it comes to stress, so what may well happen is your perceptions of the event may be heightened and because your body is also sensitized then the physiological response is even more exagerated.

Is there any possibility that you can either resolve your legal issues quicker or defer them on compassionate grounds based on the situation with your father, primarily so that you can dedicate appropriate quality time with your father.

Dealing with stress is always difficult because most people find themselves in the same type of situation as you, and don’t feel they can allocate any time to learning how to deal with stress better.

Try to prioritise the issues in your life, outside of the two major issues you have mentioned, is there any lesser issues that you can resolve and get off your plate, look at the smaller issues, can you tick them off, cross them off, push them way back, in this way you will be able to pay more attention to the really important things and you will feel a little less overwhelmed.
The thoughts going through your head at this time will be wearing you down, may sound bad, but dedicate some small moments not thinking about anything else but the present moment (not your situation), basically do not think, just observe what is around you, the sights, sounds, smells, sensations, my partner does a lot of walking and it is great for just this reason, as well as moving the blood around and dissipating a little tension.

I won’t post any links, others have done that & specific GD Stress links don’t come to mind right now.

You didn’t mention anything about your Thyroid hormone levels are they all in a good range?

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