[Healingcc]

#1058826

Has anyone who has a diagnosis of Graves in the Central Texas area had a doctor reference Cedar Allergy and onset of Grave’s?

I am a “winter Texan” who for the first time last year had trouble with what was thought to be cedar allergy. In the following months I had the onset of Grave’s disease. I have been treated with RAI late fall 2011, and starting to do better, then had a set back. I’m in Tx again, cedar is in the air, and it has me wondering.
I read an article last year, that the number one cause of Grave’s in Japan is felt to be cedar allergy. It stimulates the immune system which then goes funky and attacks with autoimmune disease and Graves being a result in many. Study even looked at those who went into remission on ATD, then got worse again the following cedar season.

Wondering if anyone in TX has had this mentioned, or addressed by their doctors treating their Grave’s disease? If so, what was the method to overcome??

Thanks,
CC

[Ski]

#1170233

Hi CC,

I’ve been dealing with this, hanging out on this BB since 1998, going to conferences when I could since 2004, and I’ve never heard a whisper about the allergy you mention being a common one among GD patients.

Autoimmune diseases are complex conditions, they involve a lot of different chemical reactions in the body, but one thing we DO know is that there is a root, genetic defect in all patients of autoimmune disease (some people have the defect without having autoimmune disease, but EVERY autoimmune patient has the defect), and that must exist before anything else can bring on the symptoms. That’s the one constant.

The connection, the trigger that brings an onset of symptoms, is the “holy grail” of autoimmune conditions, and research has been going on for many, many years. The bottom line is that no clear frontrunner has emerged as a culprit for initiating that “leap.” Stress seems capable of playing a part, life’s hormonal shifts seem capable of playing a part (puberty, pregnancy, hormone changes after childbirth, menopause), and there may be nearly as many triggers as Graves’ patients, but no one has ever mentioned this particular cause in all my experience of Graves’, so I can’t speak to it specifically.

The particular information about your trigger may or may not be helpful as you navigate your healing process — once you have Graves’, you can’t “un-have it,” so the trigger becomes somewhat academic. The first action, the one that begins all the chemical processes resulting in Graves’ symptoms, is rather a different animal than things that might activate the antibodies once they exist in your system.

The antibodies can be activated by many things — by other illness (boosting the immune system to fight a cold or the flu also boosts your autoantibodies), by stress (the fear response triggers an adrenaline rush and activates the immune system) — but the thing that changes you from a person without autoimmune disease symptoms into a person with autoimmune disease symptoms involves creating the antibodies in the first place, so it would require a different type of action in the body.

It’s possible that if you find a way to avoid irritation, you may be able to avoid beginning a stress response that could trigger a boost in antibody action, so I’m not sure what can be done about this allergy specifically while the “season” is in, but anything you can do to feel more comfortable would probably be helpful.

[Healingcc]

#1170234

Hi Ski,

Thanks for your response. I thought I would give you the link to the basic article that I found this information in

Guess it is a copy and paste in web browser kind of link set up here. Anyway, this references what I said, and there are many articles in Endo journals looking at IgE Stimulation (allergic responses) and the start or recurrence of Graves Disease.

Yes, we who get this have a genetic predisposition. I have family members with other, one much more life threatening, autoimmune disorders. Everything in the world of our health is a combination of Heredity + Environment. We can only partially control one of the two.

My question is whether there is any insight here in Tx, where there is a very severe allergy season to Cedar. Anti-Histimines block the Histamine response, but I wonder if anyone has looked at whether there is a corresponding decrease in the IgE response?? Heck, wonder if it is a similar “kind of cedar” or if that makes any difference….yup, lots of curiosities from me :0)

I don’t believe the trigger ever becomes “academic’. Sorry to disagree. Avoidance of triggers is a clear and essential part of treatment/prevention of new symptoms. That is, of course, if in fact there is exacerbation of symptoms when the trigger is again encountered. That may be a trial and error situation for each individual.

Triggers can be other than allergic also. You, of course mention Stress which is HUGE in Autoimmune Diseases…but then, Sugar is a “trigger” for a potentially lethal response in a diabetic who does not have access to insulin, for example.

Also, we know that in many allergic responses, the antibodies created can multiply with number of exposures. Some people are allergic to Penicillin the second time they take it, the antibodies having been created on their first exposure. Some people take a medication for years, then the next exposure sends them into an allergic reaction. We don’t know who will respond which way. And of course, as you point out, there are likely other factors that contribute to the exaggerated response.

Sorry, getting a bit academic here, but I had a Medical Career for 17 years before another allergy “built up” and interfered. Took years for my Latex Allergy to build to a level that stopped me in my tracks.

I am very analytical in how I get on with this. May not seem this way, but I have a very relaxed and enjoyable life right now. Very few stressors. I find the research and analysis “fun”. Even my husband thinks that is nuts….lol

And that said, my symptoms have again decreased…funny, the cedar allergy count in the area is back to very low. Not proof, but something I must think about if planning to winter in Texas “forever”

Hope this wasn’t too boring. I appreciate your input. Just hope that each of us brings new questions….possibly then a “new answer”….someday.

My best, CC

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