# Hasimotos and Graves disease



## JodiH1221 (Nov 16, 2009)

I recently was diagnosed with Hashimotos and Graves Disease. I have had ultrasounds done and no nodules were found but my thyroid is enlarged and has the appearece of Hasimotos. My TSH level at that point was less than .01 and I do not know the other numbers. I had the autoimmune test done and that is when it was discovered I have Hasimotos and graves disease. I was expeirencing Hyperthyroid symptoms. 
Now my symptoms have slightly changed and I am more fatigued than before, I am begining to gain some weight instead of losing weight, My nails are brittle, I am having digestion issues, My menstural cycle is more frequent instead of non existant and my vision has been blurry. My current blood test is a TSH of 0.72 and a Free T4 of 0.81
I am still hyperthyroid or have I begun to go Hypothyroid or are my levels returning to normal? This is all so confusing to me still.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

JodiH1221 said:


> I recently was diagnosed with Hashimotos and Graves Disease. I have had ultrasounds done and no nodules were found but my thyroid is enlarged and has the appearece of Hasimotos. My TSH level at that point was less than .01 and I do not know the other numbers. I had the autoimmune test done and that is when it was discovered I have Hasimotos and graves disease. I was expeirencing Hyperthyroid symptoms.
> Now my symptoms have slightly changed and I am more fatigued than before, I am begining to gain some weight instead of losing weight, My nails are brittle, I am having digestion issues, My menstural cycle is more frequent instead of non existant and my vision has been blurry. My current blood test is a TSH of 0.72 and a Free T4 of 0.81
> I am still hyperthyroid or have I begun to go Hypothyroid or are my levels returning to normal? This is all so confusing to me still.


Hi and welcome to the board. Well; it sure sounds like you are hyperthyroid and TSH reflects that. In the future, ranges would be appreciated because different labs use different ranges. I can't tell much by the FT4 w/o the range.

Okay, to my knowledge Hashimoto's has hyper phases and also TED (thyroid eye disease) with a goiter. Hashimoto's is usually diagnosed by FNA (fine needle aspiration) whereupon if certain Hurthle cells are evident at pathology, the patient is deemed to have Hashimoto's.

The criteria as per Dr. Robert Graves for Graves' is clinical evaluation. The patient must have at least 3 of the following; Goiter, Exophthalmos (GED, Graves' Eye Disease), pre-tibial myxedema and thyrotoxicosis.

Many of us w/Graves' lost weight and then gained. I am one of those.

Ultra-sounds have their place but I really would recommend a radioactive uptake scan. Ultra-sounds are notorious for not picking up smaller nodules.

It is also not unusual for a person with Hashimoto's to end up with Graves' but I suspect the reason is that the patient was only clinically evaluated based on high titers of TPO (antimicrosomal antibodies) which I believe is taking too much for granted to diagnose that way. Just my personal opinion. Cancer is also notorious for causing hyperthyroid and a radioactive uptake scan could rule that in or rule it out.

What autoimmune test did you have done?


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## JodiH1221 (Nov 16, 2009)

I am not sure what autoimmune test I have had done. I go back to the endo in Febuary and will have to ask more questions. My endo is trying to observe my levels and see if the medication is working. I am making an eye doctor appointment next week for blurry vision that comes and goes and sensitivity to light. I lost 50 pound than gained a few pounds but have stayed at the same weight since I began the medication. I know I have bad tremors and I have been getting itchy skin and a rash at the creases of my elbows which I think may be eczema but maybe it has something to go with my thyroid. My eyes are not bulging and I dont have skin issues on my shins. My endo thinks my thyroid will destroy itself and I will eventually need hormone replacment therapy. We decided not to do the radioactive pill treatment becuase I would have to be away from my infant son for at least four days and I have no one to watch him anyway. I know the symptom that I struggle with the most is being exhuasted all the time! I feel like I am not doing enough for my baby and I am lacking on taking care of myself becuase the little bit of energy I do have goes to taking care of the baby. This is definitly stressful and hopefully I can figure out what is going on with me. Thank you for your input.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

JodiH1221 said:


> I am not sure what autoimmune test I have had done. I go back to the endo in Febuary and will have to ask more questions. My endo is trying to observe my levels and see if the medication is working. I am making an eye doctor appointment next week for blurry vision that comes and goes and sensitivity to light. I lost 50 pound than gained a few pounds but have stayed at the same weight since I began the medication. I know I have bad tremors and I have been getting itchy skin and a rash at the creases of my elbows which I think may be eczema but maybe it has something to go with my thyroid. My eyes are not bulging and I dont have skin issues on my shins. My endo thinks my thyroid will destroy itself and I will eventually need hormone replacment therapy. We decided not to do the radioactive pill treatment becuase I would have to be away from my infant son for at least four days and I have no one to watch him anyway. I know the symptom that I struggle with the most is being exhuasted all the time! I feel like I am not doing enough for my baby and I am lacking on taking care of myself becuase the little bit of energy I do have goes to taking care of the baby. This is definitly stressful and hopefully I can figure out what is going on with me. Thank you for your input.


Glad you are seeing about your eyes and I hope you are seeing an ophthalmologist who would be trained to diagnose and treat TED/GED (thyroid eye disease/Graves' eye disease?)

Are you on an anti-thyroid medication? If so, what is it and how much. Sometimes the rash and itching means an allergy to the med; at other times it means that the patient is not on enough to quell the itching and skin irritation that goes with hyperthyroid.

How old is your baby? It is true; if you have RAI, you have to stay away from children, pregnant women and animals for anywhere's from 3 days to a whole week; depending. Actually, no hugging or close contact with anybody for a minimum of 72 hours.


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## JodiH1221 (Nov 16, 2009)

I have had the itching and occasional rash since right before I had my baby in May of 09. I though it was just from pregnancy but it continued after I had my baby. My endo believes I have had the thyroid issue since before I even got pregnant and the pregnancy just helped even my levels out. I have struggled with my weight being up and down most of my life and have been diagnosed with Bipolar since I was 12. My will be 8 months old on Monday. I will see a specialist for my eyes when i find one on Monday. My medications are Methimazole 5 MG once a day. (this was decreased two months ago because I was having symptoms of becoming Hypo) That is why I do not understand if i still having symptoms and I am hyper why is the endo decreasing my medicine and just monitering me? I am also on Propranolol 10 MG four times a day. I am also taking Cymbalta to help with my depression symptoms.


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## JodiH1221 (Nov 16, 2009)

Also it doesn't happen all the time but about once a week or so I can actually feel my thyroid swell up and the front of my throat hurts. If I touch where my thyroid is it can be quite painful. Is this a normal symptom? For the past two days my thyroid has been swelled up and it hurts. You can not visibally see it but you can feel it. It will probably decrease swelling and go back to normal for a couple days and then do it again. This is how it has been and I haven't mentioned it to the doctor yet. I plan on calling him Monday. Thanks


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

JodiH1221 said:


> I have had the itching and occasional rash since right before I had my baby in May of 09. I though it was just from pregnancy but it continued after I had my baby. My endo believes I have had the thyroid issue since before I even got pregnant and the pregnancy just helped even my levels out. I have struggled with my weight being up and down most of my life and have been diagnosed with Bipolar since I was 12. My will be 8 months old on Monday. I will see a specialist for my eyes when i find one on Monday. My medications are Methimazole 5 MG once a day. (this was decreased two months ago because I was having symptoms of becoming Hypo) That is why I do not understand if i still having symptoms and I am hyper why is the endo decreasing my medicine and just monitering me? I am also on Propranolol 10 MG four times a day. I am also taking Cymbalta to help with my depression symptoms.


Boy; so many have been misdiagnosed as bipolar instead of hyperthyroid. Geez; I hate this.

Did you call your doctor? You should not have to suffer that way.

Bet your little one is adorable! Boy or girl?

Hugs,


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## JodiH1221 (Nov 16, 2009)

I plan on calling the doctor Monday when they get in. I have an active little boy. Thank You so much for your help!


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

JodiH1221 said:


> I plan on calling the doctor Monday when they get in. I have an active little boy. Thank You so much for your help!


Oh, my gosh!! YOu will be running when he starts walking for sure.

This may interest you.........
http://www.psycheducation.org/thyroid/introduction.htm

Please let us know what the doc has to say Monday.


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