Hi!
I was wondering if people could share their experience/early symptoms before they found out they had Graves’ disease!
I have been googling and it seems I have a lot of the general symptoms for Graves! (I know it’s naughty but I feel like smashing my head against the wall trying to talk to my doctor!!)
I just want to get a look into people’s experiences and how you found out you had Graves’ disease etc etc!
Thank you!!
I’m still trying to find out, what symptoms do you have? Xx
Hello JodieLouise
The defining antibodies unique to Graves Disease are known as TSI ( roughly translated as stimulating ) and or a TR ab ( roughly translated as blocking ) - there are private companies listed on the Thyroid uk website who undertake blood tests and I believe you can order the relevant antibody blood tests through them.
In the first instance your doctor could run a thyroid blood test and depending on those results, further tests would be undertaken at the laboratory to investigate any results not deemed as ' normal ' .
Can see on others posts you have B12 deficiency
Is that pernicious anaemia or “just” low B12?
Have you also had folate, ferritin and vitamin D tested?
Low folate and low B12 frequently go together
For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested. Also EXTREMELY important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12
Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially if you have autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's) or Graves’ disease ......diagnosed by different raised Thyroid antibodies
Ask GP to test vitamin levels and thyroid testing
Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and before eating or drinking anything other than water .
This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)
Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or thyroid antibodies or all relevant vitamins
List of private testing options
thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...
Medichecks Thyroid plus vitamins including folate (private blood draw required)
medichecks.com/products/thy...
Thriva Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins By DIY fingerpick test
Thriva also offer just vitamin testing
Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes antibodies, cortisol and vitamins by DIY fingerprick test
bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...
If you can get GP to test vitamins and antibodies then cheapest option for just TSH, FT4 and FT3
£29 (via NHS private service ) and 10% off if go on thyroid uk for code
thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...
monitormyhealth.org.uk/thyr...
Graves Disease antibodies test
medichecks.com/products/tsh...
If TPO or TG thyroid antibodies are high this is usually due to Hashimoto’s (commonly known in UK as autoimmune thyroid disease).
About 90% of all primary hypothyroidism in Uk is due to Hashimoto’s. Low vitamin levels are particularly common with Hashimoto’s. Gluten intolerance is often a hidden issue to.
Hashimoto’s frequently starts with transient hyperthyroid results and symptoms and can be misdiagnosed as Graves’ disease.....so it’s important to test Graves antibodies to confirm Graves
Link about thyroid blood tests
thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...
Link about Hashimoto’s
thyroiduk.org/hypothyroid-b...
Link about Graves’ disease
thyroiduk.org/hyperthyroid-...
List of hypothyroid symptoms
thyroiduk.org/signs-symptom...
Come back with new post once you get GP to run full testing...or test anything missed out privately
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