Grave's relapse after Covid

[Kexy]

I was diagnosed with Grave's disease in 2018. I took medication for about a year, which was gradually reduced over that period, and then around 6 months after I had stopped taking medication I was declared to be in remission. I remained healthy for the next 3 years, confirmed by regular blood tests, but then I recently caught Covid. I only had very mild symptoms, which included feeling a bit tired and lightheaded. However after a week, by which time I was testing negative for Covid, I actually began to feel worse and continued to deteriorate. After another few days I was feeling terrible and realised that I felt exactly as I had when I was first diagnosed with Graves. Sure enough, a blood test confirmed that I have relapsed and so I am now back on Carbimazole and Propranolol. A little look on Google shows that the connection does seem to be known, or at least some observations have been made suggesting a link, but I had not been aware of these previously and so just thought I would share my experience.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

Thank you for thinking of others.

It is obvious there are inter-relations of Covid with other disorders. What they are and how we should treat and manage them is far less clear. There is lots of research and, hopefully, this will help provide some answers.

[shaws Administrator]

That's good that you have posted about your experience.

I hope your symptoms resolve quickly.

[Kexy in reply to shaws]

Thank you 😊

[duster]

I’ve controlled my graves for 11 years with carbimazole and only took 5mg twice a week and no problems. I also caught covid very mildly, just lost my sense Of taste for 2 weeks and no other symptoms . It also made me relapse after a month later so I have now increased my carbimazole again. My endo says covid has caused a few problems for graves sufferers .

[pennyannie]

Hello again :

Thank you for widening our knowledge base on all things Graves disease.

Yes, I read of a few people who were diagnosed Graves after having had the Covid vaccination.

Hopefully this is ' just a blip ' but we need to know to help in our understanding.

Did you ever dip into the Elaine Moore Foundation website - I found it particularly interesting as to the complimentary and more holistic treatment options and the section on life style and what changes we can make for ourselves - elaine-moore.com

I don't think this research paper was around last year - so you might like a copy ;

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

[Kexy in reply to pennyannie]

Thank you for that, I will have a read. I must admit I never actually looked at Elaine Moore's site as once I felt well again I didn't give it much thought. Obviously now I have been thrown back into it all it has suddenly become much more relevant!

[pennyannie in reply to Kexy]

Oh, I know, it's easy done and I only started my learning curve 10 years after RAI thyroid ablation and thought it was all too late for me -

but we are looking at an AI disease and I found once I had a little knowledge I had a better understanding of myself and what and why this diagnosis might have stemmed from.

[Valarian]

Interesting, and not really surprising as two of the factors often implicated in becomingbill for the first time with Graves and relapsing are stress and viruses.

[Michellear]

I was diagnosed with Graves after contracting covid in Jan 2021. Had covid second time May 2022 and Graves is back with a vengeance

[Kexy in reply to Michellear]

Oh no, I'm sorry to hear that. It does concern me that if Covid is here to stay and we just have to live with it, that our chances of enjoying long term remission may be limited.

[Michellear]

Yes it’s a real worry!! I hope you get better soon

[Kexy in reply to Michellear]

Thank you, and you.