How I can help someone with Graves's disease ca... - Thyroid UK

Thyroid UK

137,139 members160,824 posts

How I can help someone with Graves's disease causing bad anxiety?

amlstevenson profile image
4 Replies

I'm a hypo myself but my boss is a hyper. She was due for radio iodine treatment but when she went for her appt they were concerned about her eyes and they referred her for this to be checked.

Since then her bloods have gone loopy again and her thyroid is enlarged. She seems to be receiving good physical care but emotionally she's a mess. Very bad anxiety (she's been given meds but they're not helping much), depression, and paranoia. I suspect these are being caused by the excess thyroxin. What can I do to help her?

Written by
amlstevenson profile image
amlstevenson
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Read more about...
4 Replies
Claudia_Leonor profile image
Claudia_Leonor

I also had Graves and suffered a lot with most of the symptoms related to the disease... The worse the situation gets, the bigger the goiter will get, at least that happened with me.

Nothing will improve her condition until she takes the radio iodine or have a surgery.

Stress can actually make things worse and she can develop a heart condition... that's what I had during Graves.

Any medication available is a long life treatment that eventually will just delay her taking the radio iodine. The best is to end this Graves madness and start again...

Until she is good to go for the radio iodine she needs rest, to rest as much as possible until she the day the radio iodine will "kill" her hyperthyroidism and she will be able to start life again with hypothyroidism.

It is not as bad as it sounds. It will get better. No medication helps right now. Make her take free from work and rest until the day she can take the radioiodine.

Claudia_Leonor profile image
Claudia_Leonor in reply to Claudia_Leonor

Sorry, I am assuming her hyperthyroidism is due to Graves, since most hyperthyroidism are and you mentioned her eyes, a Graves, thing... any way, my advice is the same. Nothing but REST!

Apparently radio iodine can make eyes worse, so surgical ablation might be preferable

shaws profile image
shawsAdministrator

I feel very sorry for your colleague. No-one excerpt those who've undergone hyper will understand and all of the awful symptoms. Many doctors don't realise how desperate patients feel who are looking to doctors to resolve the issues. It is too long-drawn out.

You may also like...

Graves’ disease - how to support someone

support? What did anyone in that situation find helpful from people? I don’t want to bombard with...

Can Graves be controlled...How can I help my mum?

going to help this other major issue? 4. If she has surgical removal of her thyroid, will she...

Can graves disease cause swollen ankles and lower legs

Can Levaquin antibiotic affect thyroid, and cause Graves disease?

What is the prognosis for someone with Graves’ disease?

over medication with Carbimazole can make patients hypo (I’ve been there). But can Graves’...