Symptoms of
Graves' Disease
A short intro to understanding the bucket load of possible symptoms...
With Graves' disease the antibodies cause the body to be flooded with thyroid hormones (energy) resulting in hyperthyroidism. How and where those hormones are delivered throughout the body differs from person to person.
There are a few other factors that can play a part in the random symptoms and the severity of those symptoms, such as: lifestyle, daily stress, family support, employment, age, available medical care and how long a person suffers with Graves Disease before diagnosed. Over the years, a person typically will swing from hyper to hypo with symptoms fluctuating from mild to severe.
The thyroid controls or has an effect on just about every single part of your body. It regulates your hormones, metabolism, heart rate, kidney functions, body temperature and much more. Diagnosed early, the symptoms are usually very mild; however, most people are not diagnosed until after suffering for years.
It’s very easy to get scared and overwhelmed when reading the long list of symptoms. The chances of developing additional symptoms are significantly reduced once diagnosed and under a doctor’s care.
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Physical Symptoms
Physical symptoms may include:
• Heart Palpitations
• Shortness of Breath
• Tremors
• Weight Loss/Gain
• Hot flashes
• Increased appetite and thirst
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• Oily thin hair, Hair Loss
• Brittle Nails and Hair
• Irregular menstrual periods
• Gastrointestinal problems
• Oral Health/Dental problems - Enlarged tongue, Burning mouth syndrome
• Fluctuating blood sugar
• Muscle pain/weakness
• Tender and/or enlarged breasts
• Joint Pain
• Osteoporosis
• Tingling in hands and feet
• Urinary incontinence/leakage - Loss of bladder control
• Low/high libido, Erectile dysfunction
• Dry skin, Oily Skin, Unusually smooth skin
• Stiff neck or neck pain for weeks
• Vitiligo – loss of skin pigmentation, white spots
• Edema, Fluid Retention, Swollen hands, feet and ankles
• Headaches, Migraines, Sinus infections/headaches
• Pretibial myxedema - skin condition commonly called "Orange Peel" because of the texture of the skin.
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Neurological Symptoms
Neurological and psychological symptoms may include:
• Fatigue
• Anxiety
• Impaired memory, confusion
• Mood swings, emotional instability
• Easy to cry - extremely sensitive
• Depression
• Diminished concentration, inattentiveness
• Excessive worry
• Graves Rage/Anger
• Insomnia
• Nervousness
• Brain fog/scatter brain
• Overreaction to stimuli
• Impulsive
• Panic Attacks
• Abnormal thinking, impaired judgment
• Can't think of simple words
• Mix up simple phrases
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