[klassey]

#1060772

Since TED is an auto immune disease, are there things that should be done to help the immune system fight this disease? Such as diet, rest, less stress, etc. If one is on steroids to suppress the immune system to stop the advancement of the TED, then does it make sense to enhance the immune system with vitamins and other natural supplements to build immune system up while it’s fighting it’s self? I would love to hear your thoughts on this.

Klassey

[Ellen_B]

#1184682

Hello Klassey,
When thinking about adding any supplement to your diet the first thing you must do is check with your doctor. There is an organization NCCIH (National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health) that is engaged in doing solid research to see whether a particular product is effective. One must also be aware of the fact that some supplements can interact with existing medication and others are toxic at high doses.
On the subject of diet, as far as I know there is not good research so far for supporting any one diet for Graves’ eye disease—or even just for Graves’ disease for that matter.
I believe stress and fatigue do play a role in effecting TED because of what I have heard other Graves’ patients with TED tell me. They say under stress their eyes are worse and being tired even just at the end of the day they are worse.

Your question of what is the right thing to do for TED is a difficult one to answer when the aim is to slow or stop the immune response that is causing the eye problems. It does not make sense to boost that part of the immune system with some kind of an “immune booster”. We need an immune booster that speeds up generally the immune system and at the same time blocks antibodies that are attacking the eyes.

[emmtee]

#1184683

I think some vitamins and supplements are good for overall health, and having good overall health will help in battling any disease. It’s important to ask your doctor about any supplements you want to take, and it’s good to be tested to see if you actually need them.

A lot of people take D3 supplements now, and there is even some speculation that low D levels (along with stress) can trigger some autoimmune diseases. (I do feel that it was a trigger for me, because my D had tested low several years before I developed Graves’, and at the time my symptoms first appeared, I wasn’t taking my supplement. I was also under a lot of stress, but not as much as I had been under in some previous situations when I had been taking my D).

Early last year, I asked my endo to test my D because I’d read that low D causes fatigue, and that was the one symptom that I couldn’t get over on methimazole. My D did test low and I increased my supplementation. Later that year, they tested my D again in anticipation of my thyroidectomy, and it wasn’t any better. I increased my supplementation again, and when they tested my D a couple of weeks after my surgery, it was finally in the normal range, but only by a few points. I increased my supplementation a little more to hopefully get my D to a more optimum level.

While I was looking at my old blood test results after my thyroidectomy, another thing I noticed was that my Calcium was consistently near the top of the normal range, even without supplementation. I’ve taken a calcium supplement in the past, but apparently it isn’t needed. I had an ultrasound last winter, and they even found a small kidney stone. I’m almost 52 years old, and one would assume that I should be supplementing my calcium, but I’m evidently getting enough from my diet.

I just saw my GP a couple of weeks ago and brought my usual list of medications and supplements to the appointment. One of the items on the list was iron. My doctor asked me why I was taking it, and I didn’t have a good answer. I’d just been taking it as long as I could remember. She advised me to stop, because I didn’t need it and, more importantly, it can mask other health issues.

[klassey]

#1184684

Thank you Ellen, it all makes sense.

Klassey

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