Graves disease and myxedema
Common Questions and Answers about Graves disease and myxedema
graves-disease
Pretibial myxedema is usually associated with Graves Disease, which you don't have and as has been discussed in your other thread, your labs are far from hyper. You're taking Cytomel, so TSH is irrelevant.
There are many things that can cause the type of rash you describe, including simply being hypo because dry skin is a common symptom of hypothyroidism. I used to get patches like that when I was hypo.
It should be pointed out that, especially in the US literature, the term ‘hashitoxicosis’ is sometimes used to describe an autoimmune thyroid disease overlap syndrome of Graves’ and Hashimoto’s disease.2 In this article the term is strictly limited to the ‘leakage’ symptoms of active Hashimoto’s disease." - Touch Endocrinology - Hashitoxicosis – Three Cases and a Review of the Literature
There are many comments on this link which you might be interested in reading.
https://www.medhelp.
It should be pointed out that, especially in the US literature, the term ‘hashitoxicosis’ is sometimes used to describe an autoimmune thyroid disease overlap syndrome of Graves’ and Hashimoto’s disease.2 In this article the term is strictly limited to the ‘leakage’ symptoms of active Hashimoto’s disease."
***
I've had both Hashi's and Graves antibodies simultaneously but I had been diagnosed with Hashimoto's thyroiditis previously.
140)
Basically, the Endocrinologist told me my results mean I have both Graves Disease and Hashimotos. She is sending me for a uptake/scan and ultrasound of my Thyroid in a month and then I follow up with her in a month and a half. In the meantime I am trying to research these autoimmune disorders and feel overwhelmed. I am confused that I have BOTH, and that I feel lethargic and am experiencing weight gain with a TSH level of 0.00.
Does anyone else have lingering myxedema after getting their FREE levels up in the range ? This isn't just swollen hands and feet though I have that too, it's that "subcutaneious jelly-like material" deposited under the skin that is supposed to go into the cells but can't when thyroid T3 is too low. It looks like full-body cellulite. I mean, most people don't get cellulite on their CALVES, right ?
Hello everyone. I was diagnosed last week with hyperthyroidism and am waiting for my appointment with an endo. I was misdiagnosed for quite a while before this diagnosis.
Hello I was diagnosed with Graves disease thyroid(hyperthyroidism) last year I bearly made it through it at some point but after the doctor told me the problem I tried to be as consistent as possible when taking my meds luckily now I dont have panic attacks anymore (rearly) anxiety has decreased lost alot of my hair my skin has not been back to normal although the doctor said it would and the last Ecg I took my heartbeat was at 142 bpm andi was told twice am on death road!!
This caused very hyperthyroid symptoms and also pretibal myxedema on my shin (this took a year to go away after Graves antibodies settled back down). My labs however showed I was hypothyroid with a TSH of 6 (0.4 - 4.0) and free T4 at 13 (10 - 20) when I was VERY hyperthyroid. My thyroglobulin serum however was very high (due to being hyperthyroid). The labs can get quite confused with Hashitoxicosis it seems.
Excerpt from Thyroid Disease Awareness - Hashitoxicosis...
Our 11-year-old son was recently diagnosed with Graves disease and we are still in shock and trying to process this sharp turn in our lives. Three weeks before he was diagnosed he passed his annual physical exam (where his goiter was checked as well) and he was 'labeled' a healthy boy. He also got a tdap shot required for school and we think this played a role with his immune system.
From what I can find, thyroid dermopathy (skin changes) occur most often in those with Graves Disease/hyperthyroidism. Myxedema associated with hypothyroidism is usually a life threatening situation and requires hospitalization to stabilize thyroid hormone levels.
It's extremely unlikely that you would need corticosteroids. In the unlikely event that you have myxedema (thyroid dermopathy), it should resolve, or at least stabilize, once thyroid hormone levels are adequate.
In another post you mentioned dark circles under your eyes, dry skin, palpitations, memory and attention problems. All of these can be seen in Hashimoto's thyroiditis. In Graves disease, you get exophthalmos, where your eyes look like they are bulging out. But Hashimoto's, you get myxedema, which is really dark circles under your eyes. Go look at pictures on the web of periorbital myxedema and see if that looks like you.
What's the reference range for the Free T4 (FT4) and the TGab and TPOab? Ranges vary lab to lab and have to come from your own report.
Do you, by any chance, have a Free T3 result? I'm guessing not, since you didn't post it, but I'm hoping so.
Your symptoms certainly match those of hypothyroidism and we do know that many people get passed over, because their doctor only goes by reference ranges.
Don't mean to beat around the bush, so I'll cut to the chase....
I have Hashimotos disease and have bouts of blurred vision, eye pressure/aching and irritation. Been over medicated for the 10 months but had this at times when under-medicated. Just lowered my dose 2 weeks ago because my ft4 was at the very top of the range, my ft3 is in the upper 2/3. Was told to go from 112 Tirosint to 100 and stay the same on the Cytomel. My rt3 was too high previously and agreed to the dose change.
Your hormone levels indicate hyperthyroidism, not hypothyroidism, but you could have Hashimoto's; you could also have Graves Disease, although you can't know that from these results. Hashimoto's and Graves are autoimmune conditions and in order to find out if you have either (or both), you have to have the right antibody tests.
You need a second opinion.
Based on what you describe, you have autoimmune thyroid disease with markers for Graves' (TSI) and the other common antibodies (TPO and Tg) that are usually associated with hashimoto's. Graves' and Hashi should be considered as entities on two ends of a spectrum, not two completely different diseases.
This may cause fluctuating thyroid function to hypo and hyper and back but this is not common.
My mother was diagnosed in her early 40s with graves disease and her thyroid was removed, around the same time she was diagnosed with stage 3-4 colon cancer. I'm aware there are connections between autoimmune diseases and thyroid and intestinal diseases/conditions. As I'm getting older I'm noticing I'm following in the same physiological footsteps my mother did before she was diagnosed.
I have graves disease, but was in remission. Then I had cancer and chemotherapy. My TSH level is hyper again and my other tests normal. The doctors won't say if chemo can activate your graves disease. They do say that a physical or emotional change to my body can trigger it. My thoughts, Cancer and chemotherapy are big time physical and emotional changes.
19 year old son was getting hives mainly at night. Diagnosed with Graves disease a couple weeks ago and on meds now. is this normal with graves?
They have removed me off of my medicine one time to see if my Graves disease had went into remission and within two months it came back with TSH levels of 0.003...basically non-existant TSH levels. They put me back on my 10mg Methmazole and within 3 weeks my levels were normal. That is pretty much a health summary of my graves disease for the past five-six years lol.
Recommended
