What is Grave’s disease?
You may have heard of Grave’s disease or hyperthyroidism, but you may be wondering what exactly they are and how they are related, especially if your doctor thinks you may have them.
In fact, Grave’s disease and hyperthyroidism are closely related. Grave’s disease is an autoimmune disorder that causes an overactive thyroid gland, a condition called hyperthyroidism.
Your thyroid gland is more important than you might think: located just below your larynx, this organ releases the two hormones that control your body’s metabolism. When you think of metabolism, you may think of how fast you burn calories, but the situation is more complex. In addition to regulating your weight, your metabolism also regulates your mood, mental energy, and physical energy levels.
Grave’s disease causes your thyroid to make too many hormones, thyroxine (also called T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), which control your metabolism and therefore cause hyperthyroidism. The disease is the leading cause of hyperthyroidism and is more common in women over the age of 20.
Symptoms
There is a wide range of symptoms that accompany Grave’s disease, including
-Fatigue, muscle weakness and double vision
-Weight loss, despite increased appetite.
-Heat intolerance
– Fast or irregular heartbeat.
-Irregular periods in women, increased breast tissue in men.
– Nervousness and / or anxiety
A possible side effect of hyperthyroidism can be an enlarged thyroid gland, called a goiter. The goiter may simply feel like an enlarged nodule or it may be a larger lump on the neck.
If you have the symptoms of Grave’s disease above, you should make an appointment with your doctor, who may recommend an endocrinologist. Endocrinologists work with conditions that specifically affect the endocrine system, including hyperthyroidism. They can evaluate your symptoms, run the appropriate tests, and help you come up with a management plan for your condition.
Your endocrinologist will check the following:
Your blood pressure
Your levels of T4 and TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone)
Radioactive iodine uptake
If you happen to have Grave’s disease, effective treatments are available. Your management plan for Grave’s disease will depend on the severity of your symptoms. Your doctor may recommend:
Antithyroid hormones
Surgery to remove the thyroid.
Radiocative iodine
If you have surgery to remove your thyroid or radiation, your body will no longer be able to make any thyroid hormones. To prevent hypothyroidism, you will need to take a particular type of medicine, called a beta blocker, for the rest of your life to prevent hypothyroidism.
Sometimes it may take your endocrinologist a while to help you find the correct amount of antithyroid medicine or, in the case of surgery, the correct amount of beta-blocker. Make sure your endocrinologist is well certified and a good listener to make sure your transition time is as short as possible.
Finding out that you have Grave’s disease can be overwhelming and unsettling, but understanding your symptoms and seeking treatment can ensure a better health outlook. Take the time to find the best endocrinologist to treat your hyperthyroidism so that it can get better as soon as possible.