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Drug induced graves disease?
My mother is 57 and just diagnosed with graves disease. The scary thing is that she has been taking a large amount of thyroid drugs for over 3 or 4 years because another doctor told her she had hypothyroidism. I was wondering if anyone has heard of this disease being drug induced. Also if the side effects like the goiter and bulging of the eyes diminsh after treatment.
Mom developed Grave's Disease secondary to Hashimoto's Thyroiditis several years ago. Her TSH issues kept going between Hyper- and Hypothyroidism. When she was diagnosed with Grave's Disease, she had to start wearing a patch over her eye because of double vision. With the patch, she didn't have the double vision. We teasingly called it her "pirate patch". She ended up getting eye surgery to correct the Grave's Disease, but still has some issues with her TSH due to the Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. Her eyes do bulge a bit, but I don't ever notice it unless she says something about it and have told her that the few times she's mentioned being self-conscious about it. I've had Hypothyroidism secondary to Hashimoto's Thyroiditis for about the past 34 years. Symptoms associated with that do go away with treatment, but the treatment must be done permanently. Mom's eyesight issues associated with Grave's Disease did improve after surgery. In fact, she didn't even have to wear her contacts anymore (she'd worn glasses since she was 13). She just has to wear reading glasses sometimes. A couple of my sisters also developed Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, but I don't know anything beyond that.
Hope this helps!
Hope this helps!
Graves' is not med. induced, however, the hyperthyroid side can be med. induced.
All three treatment for hyperthyroidism equally have their good and bad sides. I personally don't believe one is better over the others, its just a matter of preference. None of the treatments are a 100% cure-all for symptoms, TED, or nodule. Its the TSH level that is being treated with the goal of controlling or subsiding symptoms.
Stress is considered the primary trigger of Graves’ disease, including TED. In both Graves’ hyperthyroidism and the Thyroid Eye Disease, stress can induce disease development and worsen symptoms.
Some people develop TED when they take animal-based extracts such as Armour, because the immune system react to foreign proteins found in glandular extracts. Synthetic meds. doesn't cause this problem.
Your mother needs to go to a thyroid specialist and find out for sure which she is, hypo or hyper, so that she can be treated properly. The stress issue from your fathers health is not going to help her, so she need a doctor to help her get through it with proper treatment for herself. I know the stress factor from my husbsand cancer brought out my Graves' , although years later it finally caught up with me.
With you being out of state this will be a difficult situation. Good luck!
All three treatment for hyperthyroidism equally have their good and bad sides. I personally don't believe one is better over the others, its just a matter of preference. None of the treatments are a 100% cure-all for symptoms, TED, or nodule. Its the TSH level that is being treated with the goal of controlling or subsiding symptoms.
Stress is considered the primary trigger of Graves’ disease, including TED. In both Graves’ hyperthyroidism and the Thyroid Eye Disease, stress can induce disease development and worsen symptoms.
Some people develop TED when they take animal-based extracts such as Armour, because the immune system react to foreign proteins found in glandular extracts. Synthetic meds. doesn't cause this problem.
Your mother needs to go to a thyroid specialist and find out for sure which she is, hypo or hyper, so that she can be treated properly. The stress issue from your fathers health is not going to help her, so she need a doctor to help her get through it with proper treatment for herself. I know the stress factor from my husbsand cancer brought out my Graves' , although years later it finally caught up with me.
With you being out of state this will be a difficult situation. Good luck!
If she was on too high a dose of meds for hypothyroidism, she would become medically induced hyperthyroid. It is hyperthyroid, but not Graves. The symptoms would be the same, just not the cause.
Has she stopped the Arnour and Cytomel? Has she had her thyroid levels retested? Run away from that doctor and find a new one who has an unbiased opinion on her condition.
He diagnosed 3 other members of your family w/ hypo? Do you have test results to back up his diagnosis. Always get copies of your bloodwork- teel your family this. Unfortunately, patients have to be their own advocates many times. It helps to educate ourselves on health conditions so we know all the options.
Hope she is doing better.
Kitty
Has she stopped the Arnour and Cytomel? Has she had her thyroid levels retested? Run away from that doctor and find a new one who has an unbiased opinion on her condition.
He diagnosed 3 other members of your family w/ hypo? Do you have test results to back up his diagnosis. Always get copies of your bloodwork- teel your family this. Unfortunately, patients have to be their own advocates many times. It helps to educate ourselves on health conditions so we know all the options.
Hope she is doing better.
Kitty
Thank you answering my mail. I appreciate all the information that I can get.
My mother was taking Amour and Cyotmel for 3 or 4 years and she has been having all the symptoms of graves (unknown to us until now of course) for at least 2 of those years. I was wondering if hypothryoid drugs could have induced her condition because her last doctor ended up diagnosing and medicating her, my younger brother/sister and my father..none of whom had any outward symptoms of hypothyroidism. I have always distrusted him.
The doctor is also a thyroid and sports medicine dr and missed diagnosed my sister who ended up having a benign tumor in her femur which fractured her hip and required a titanium rod. And most recently my father's terminal cancer. Having this happen on top of everything is just frustrating and I am looking for answers. Sorry, probably way too much information for the forum.
I have read about all of the possible treatments and but can you tell me how dibilating each of them are. I had a friend who had her thyroid removed (thyroid cancer) and was pretty helpless for a few weeks until they stabilized her levels. My mother is caring for my father who is very tired haveing just begun his first round chemo and since I am out of state with children I may need to make arrangements if extra care is necessary for either parent.
Thank you for sharing anything you know.
My mother was taking Amour and Cyotmel for 3 or 4 years and she has been having all the symptoms of graves (unknown to us until now of course) for at least 2 of those years. I was wondering if hypothryoid drugs could have induced her condition because her last doctor ended up diagnosing and medicating her, my younger brother/sister and my father..none of whom had any outward symptoms of hypothyroidism. I have always distrusted him.
The doctor is also a thyroid and sports medicine dr and missed diagnosed my sister who ended up having a benign tumor in her femur which fractured her hip and required a titanium rod. And most recently my father's terminal cancer. Having this happen on top of everything is just frustrating and I am looking for answers. Sorry, probably way too much information for the forum.
I have read about all of the possible treatments and but can you tell me how dibilating each of them are. I had a friend who had her thyroid removed (thyroid cancer) and was pretty helpless for a few weeks until they stabilized her levels. My mother is caring for my father who is very tired haveing just begun his first round chemo and since I am out of state with children I may need to make arrangements if extra care is necessary for either parent.
Thank you for sharing anything you know.
Graves' Disease is autoimmune brought to the surface by risk factors of hyperthyroidism, such as family history of hyperthyroidism or various other autoimmune disorders, high iodine intake, stress, use of sex steroids, and smoking. Iodine-induced hyperthyroidism occurs after administration of either supplemental iodine to those with prior iodine deficiency or pharmacologic doses of iodine (contrast media, medications) in those with underlying nodular goiter
Amiodarone - Its high iodine content is primarily responsible for producing a hyperthyroid state, though the medication may itself bring forth and to the surface, the autoimmune factor of thyroid disease.
Goiter is swelling of the thyroid in hypothyroidism and usually disappears once on thyroid medication and levels stable. However, if a nodule and it hasn't done damage to the thyroid, it should also disappear after RAI. Radioactive iodine will often result in resolution of the hyperthyroidism, but may not always result in a significant decrease in size or disappearance of the nodule. However, All lumps or nodules in the thyroid gland should be investigated one way or another.
Some people claim that their eye issue got better after RAI. Eyes can get better without any treatment for many while others are left with some type of permanent changes.
However mine has been the same for 8 years with no worsening or getting better.
Eye problems will usually occur and frequently change in type or severity for between 6 months and 2 years. A great deal can be done to improve these problems, but this may require surgery.
Happy New Year - Good Luck and Best Wishes for 2008.
Amiodarone - Its high iodine content is primarily responsible for producing a hyperthyroid state, though the medication may itself bring forth and to the surface, the autoimmune factor of thyroid disease.
Goiter is swelling of the thyroid in hypothyroidism and usually disappears once on thyroid medication and levels stable. However, if a nodule and it hasn't done damage to the thyroid, it should also disappear after RAI. Radioactive iodine will often result in resolution of the hyperthyroidism, but may not always result in a significant decrease in size or disappearance of the nodule. However, All lumps or nodules in the thyroid gland should be investigated one way or another.
Some people claim that their eye issue got better after RAI. Eyes can get better without any treatment for many while others are left with some type of permanent changes.
However mine has been the same for 8 years with no worsening or getting better.
Eye problems will usually occur and frequently change in type or severity for between 6 months and 2 years. A great deal can be done to improve these problems, but this may require surgery.
Happy New Year - Good Luck and Best Wishes for 2008.
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