Autoimmune Thyroiditis

[chigirl29]

When I did a lot of research on my thyroid gland, I found that scientists are looking into viewing Hashimoto's and Grave's disease as one disease--Autoimmune Thyroid Disease or Autoimmune Thyroiditis.

Why?  The immune system attacks both sufferers.  In fact, I was given a Grave's diagnosis the first year and Hashimoto's the second year--after my gland finally died.

Scientists see them as polar ends of a disease spectrum.

If you all want to learn about the autoimmune nature of your conditions, you would do well to post on the Autoimmune Forum as well--it includes Graves and Hashimoto's discussions.

[AR-10]

Well, it's nice to find someone that knows what my disease is.

You, my PCP, and My new Endo, I think, after seven months.
I had to educate her, at my own expense.

I'll post my anti-body counts some time so we'll both know what we're talking about. :)

[chigirl29]

But don't get me wrong--you can still have both antibody types--the count is what matters for the diagnosis as it stands today.  I think autoimmune thyroid disease will stand as one diagnosis in the future--with only sub-diagnoses as showing which end of the spectrum the illness lies on.

If any of that makes sense--I'm getting sleepy--been starting new forums and groups, writing articles, flickr-ing, and responding on MedHelp....think my Ativan is starting to relax my brain--way too much.

Have a good night, AR-10.

[chigirl29]

Actually--it is kind of more complicated.  You have the downs of Hash and the Ups of Graves, but the antibody types and counts are what is different.  I know what you mean--I was up and down and up and down---and gosh was I moooooooody.

I really hope you get leveled out--you will feel so much better.

I just hope my levels stay good--I don't want to go through anymore ups and downs-ever.

[AR-10]

Interestingly enough, I do have Hashimoto's and Graves at the same time.

[chigirl29]

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This is an un-mediated Patient-to-Patient Forum only. This forum is for questions and support regarding Autoimmune topics such as: Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM), Addison's disease, Ankylosing spondylitis, Antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS), Aplastic anemia, Autoimmune hepatitis, Autoimmune Oophoritis, Celiac disease, Crohn's disease, Diabetes mellitus type 1, Gestational pemphigoid, Goodpasture's syndrome, Graves' disease, Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), Hashimoto's disease, Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, Kawasaki's Disease, Lupus erythematosus, Multiple sclerosis, Myasthenia gravis, Opsoclonus myoclonus syndrome (OMS), Optic neuritis, Ord's Pemphigus, Pernicious anemia, Polyarthritis, Primary biliary cirrhosis, Rheumatoid arthritis, Reiter's syndrome, Sjögren's syndrome, Takayasu's arteritis, Temporal arteritis, Warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia, Wegener's granulomatosis

[chigirl29]

Yeah, I know--I had exactly what you said.  I was diagnosed first with Grave's Disease.  That was horrifying to me. It is a polar end diagnosis--Graves--the other end of the spectrum is Hashimoto's--so the two are not together at one time.

It is at the top--the forum covers it but a lot of people don't think of Hash and Graves as particularly autoimmune--they focus on the gland itself.

[chigirl29]

Yeah, I know--I had exactly what you said.  I was diagnosed first with Grave's Disease.  That was horrifying to me. It is a polar end diagnosis--Graves--the other end of the spectrum is Hashimoto's--so the two are not together at one time.

It is at the top--the forum covers it but a lot of people don't think of Hash and Graves as particularly autoimmune--they focus on the gland itself.

[GravesLady]

Yes, I have been aware for some years of the two being possibly the same disease but at other ends of the spectrum.  However both antibodies need to be present in the system. And from what I have read, one will be dominate over the other for a period of time, then the other will dominate for a while.  They both, or I should say symptoms/side effects, do not appear at the same time nor simultaneously.

Far as I know, they  do not know the why or what causes the auto/immune system to attack, however they are getting close for autoimmune diabetes. I have not read up on this in a long time nor know if there is any new info.

I checked the Autoimmune Forum and did't seen anything regarding Graves' or Hashi, but I only looked on page one.

GL

January is Thyroid Awareness Month, a month when various organizations put together informational efforts to help us all learn more about thyroid disease here in the U.S.

January is National Graves Disease Awareness Month
National Graves' Disease Awareness Week 1/7 thr 1/13