Wendy - AussieGal

[Zitt3666]

I was diagnosed with active thyroid GRAVES disease by specialist then diagnosed Underactive 10 years later by GP ?????? Is that normal

[Buddy195 Administrator]

Welcome to the forum Zitt3666,

Can you tell us a little more information please, so we can better advise.

When you were initially diagnosed with Graves, did you have thyroid antibody tests to confirm this? Do you have access to copies of test results from this time? What medication/ course of treatment were you given for Graves?

Yes, you may be now underactive. Again, do you have results to share with ranges please as laboratories vary:

TSH

FT3

FT4

If you don’t have these, can you ask your GP for copies? What medication have you been prescribed an underactive thyroid/ what dosage?

[pennyannie]

Hello Zitt and welcome to the forum :

Depending on the severity of your Graves it could have burnt itself out :

When diagnosed were you put on an Anti Thyroid medication ?

How long was the AT drug prescribed - and what happened next ?

At diagnosis did you have Graves antibodies - a TR ab or a TSI over range and positive ?

We really do need more information to advise further ;

[humanbean]

GPs and endos will sometimes diagnose Graves' Disease or hyperthyroidism on the basis of just a below range TSH. I've never been hyperthyroid, but from reading posts on this forum it seems that doctors will often diagnose hyperthyroidism and Graves' Disease on the flimsiest of evidence.

But hypothyroidism? You practically have to twist their arms behind their backs and threaten them with a baseball bat to get them to diagnose and treat that.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

early stage Hashimoto’s can be misdiagnosed as Graves’ disease if TSI or Trab antibodies aren’t tested to confirm Graves’ disease

Early stage Hashimoto’s frequently starts with transient hyperthyroid results and symptoms before becoming increasingly hypothyroid

Alternatively it’s possible to swing from one to the other

[PurpleNails Administrator]

Graves usually has to be treated by antithyroid medication eg carbimazole or PTU.  Doctors aim for around 18 months before moving to permanent treatments.  

Do you remember roughly what treatment plan you had when diagnosed?

I would see if you have any records from then showing what’s antibodies were tested.  

We read or lots of examples of Graves being diagnosed based on low TSH and apparent hyper levels,  as it’s the most common cause of hyper but many becoming under active later on.   

If it transient it’s may have been early stage Hashimoto’s where the immune system attacks thyroid and the damage causes a release of hormone stores.  As the gradual damage increases the function of the thyroid becomes decreases.  Are your hypothyroid symptoms new or have symptoms slows increased until now? 

The mix of hypothyroid symptoms is long

See this list. 

thyroiduk.org/wp-content/up...