Support Group

[Ljones2]

Hi everyone, my mum is newly diagnosed and prior to this fit and healthy but really struggling with the complete health changes emotionally. Anyone know of any support groups in the West Midlands or phone numbers please? Thank you

[PurpleNails]

Welcome to forum

It’s not my location. I found another local group for my area on Facebook so you could try that.

I find the main thyroid forum offers the most thorough advice & hugely supportive, the charity behind the forum has posted about hoping to start a phone line but this has not been set up yet.

You could post on the thyroid forum as it’s a much busier & bound to have others from your area.

Has your mum had antibody testing to confirm Graves? Has she started carbimazole?

Most important advice is for your mum to start a record new or changing symptoms which medications and supplements she takes. Ensure she obtains copies of actual test results to keep track of treatment. Post them on thyroid forum and members will guide her through & explain anything needed.

[pennyannie]

Can I suggest you repost your question the Thyroid UK forum where you will find forum members throughout the width and breadth of this country and also from much further afield.

I know you and mum will be better helped and Thyroid UK is the charity that supports the forum and where you will find all aspects of all thyroid health detailed and explained.

I'm with Graves post RAI thyroid ablation - a treatment I deeply regret - but I knew nothing back in 2005 and have learnt of my situation back to front.

Graves is an auto immune disease and something has triggered you Mum's immune system to attack her body and with Graves the thyroid becomes the victim of the AI attack.

Graves is driven by stress and anxiety so it is important to try and calm down the immune system response and find ways to relax and " switch off " which I fully appreciate is easier said than done.

Hopefully the anti thyroid medication is at a good enough level and she is feeling a little more comfortable and her symptoms relieved.

There is an alternative AT medication if what ever she is taking doesn't suit her though sometimes not readily syggested.

You might like to dip into the Elaine Moore Graves Disease Foundation website as I believe it the most well rounded of all the research I undertook :

And in the meantime please consider and give some thought to the following link :

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/338...

Hope to see you on the " other side " !!