Hello. I was just diagnosed with Graves & Hyperactive Thyroid yesterday. I have gone the last several months, being sick, losing weight, stressed, anxiety, insomnia, sensitive to heat, moody..and wow, the list can go on. I am not sure if I am happy to finally know the underlying cause of all of this, or scared to now know that I have Graves & Hyperactive Thyroid. My doctor put me on an anti thyroid pill yesterday, and he said I should see my symptoms go away within a few weeks, but it can take 1-2 years for the medicine to work against my thyroid. Im just looking to talk to people that have this disease, and can understand what it is like day to day. Thanks for the support :)
I wanted to welcome you to the site, I am not in this particular group, but I saw that you had not been responded to and wanted to let you know that sometimes it can take awhile to get an answer in the smaller groups. You can try messaging people directly or commenting on other's posts.
I came across this article on ezinearticles.com and thought you might find it useful:
Before I discuss some Graves' Disease diet tips that can help restore your health back to normal, let me first tell you that not only am I a licensed healthcare professional, but I was personally diagnosed with Graves' Disease. And nutrition definitely played a huge role in restoring my health back to normal. I will warn you that being a holistic doctor I am biased towards natural treatment methods, so while most endocrinologists label Graves'' Disease as "incurable", based on my own personal experience I believe that Graves'' Disease can be cured, and one's diet is important in restoring their health.
So if you are looking for Graves' Disease diet tips that will help restore your health back to normal, then you are going to enjoy reading the following information. As I just mentioned, diet can play a big role in treating Graves'' Disease naturally. However, I will tell you that while eating healthy and incorporating nutritional supplements can be beneficial, there are other factors that will also play a role in your recovery, which I will briefly mention in this article.
I also will warn you that different doctors will have varying opinions as to what is considered to be "healthy" with regards to one's diet. And let's be honest for a moment...nobody eats the "perfect" diet, as in my opinion it's okay to be "bad" every now and then. For example, I consulted with a patient once who loved milkshakes, which as you might guess isn't too healthy. And while it would be ideal for this person to completely eliminate milkshakes from her diet, having one every so often usually isn't a big deal. And the same goes with other foods.
Of course there are exceptions. For example, someone with celiac disease probably won't be able to eat a gluten-based food "every now and then" without having a bad reaction. Another example involves someone who can't "settle" for a milkshake every now and then, or an occasional slice of pizza, etc. In other words, some are better off staying away completely from the "bad" foods, or else they begin consuming too much of it.
Testing For Food Allergies Is A Good Idea
Anyway, one of the first things I will recommend before anyone changes their eating habits is to get tested for food allergies. Going to a regular allergy doctor might not be the best option, as usually they will test for only IgE antibodies. You might want to visit a holistic doctor and receive an ELISA/EIA panel, which also measures the IgG antibodies, and is usually more accurate (although this does depend on the lab that performs the test).
Another alternative is to consider a GI Health Panel. The company Diagnos-Techs offers this type of test, which measures the health of the gastrointestinal tract and includes over one dozen tests that utilize saliva and stool specimens. They also offer a FIP-Food Intolerance Panel, that will determine whether you are allergic to four of the most common foods (gluten, soy, milk, and egg proteins).
A less costly method is to conduct an elimination diet, where you eliminate all of the common food allergens (wheat, soy, dairy, etc.), and then slowly introduce a potential allergen, one at a time. There are different ways of doing this, but here is an example. You can go on a purification program (described shortly), and then once the purification program is completed, introduce wheat for 3 days, and see how your body reacts. Just make sure you don't add more than one potential allergen, as if you were to add both wheat and dairy for example, and had a bad reaction, you wouldn't know which allergen was responsible.
A Purification Program Can Be Beneficial
As I just mentioned, many people can benefit from a purification program. There are different types of these programs, and when doing one it is wise to be under the guidance of a competent healthcare professional. When I put one of my patients on a purification program, I prefer having them avoid gluten, dairy, soy, and other common allergens for at least twenty one days. Once again, the reason for this is because they are common allergens.
On the other hand, I encourage them to eat plenty of vegetables, some fruits, as well as chicken, turkey, and certain types of fish. I do recommend that they purchase organic food, at least with regards to the meats. While it would be great if they can buy everything organic, I realize some people can't afford this, and so if you must pick and choose, I'd recommend to eat organic meat, and try to stay away from non-organic vegetables and fruits that are high in pesticides. These aren't necessarily the only foods I recommend, as most people can consume a small quantity of raw nuts (sunflower seeds, almonds, etc.), as well as some other foods.
An Actual Example Of A Graves'' Disease Diet:
Here is an example of a daily protocol when I first went on my Graves' Disease diet. Keep in mind that this is just an example, and is not a diet that I stayed on permanently (although it did train me to eat better, and I still eat healthy to this day):
Breakfast:
• Protein drink which contained 2 cups of purified water, I cup of mixed berries (raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries), a healthy form of protein powder, and 1 teaspoon of flax seed oil (after one month I added one raw organic egg to this).
Mid-morning snack:
• Organic apples and raw sunflower seeds
Lunch:
• Grilled chicken salad: organic mixed greens and spinach, organic grilled chicken
Mid-afternoon snack:
• Another protein drink (very filling, and actually tastes pretty good)
Dinner:
• Organic roasted turkey
• Some type of vegetable (i.e. squash)
After-Dinner Snack:
• 1 cup of raw nuts (almonds, Brazil nuts, walnuts, cashews)
Although this diet is relatively healthy, you'll notice that it isn't perfect. I probably should have incorporated more vegetables, but overall it was a healthy diet. Today I still eat healthy, but I do incorporate some whole grains occasionally (for example, I will have a turkey wrap or sandwich with whole wheat bread), and every now and then I'll even go out and get some pizza, eat some chocolate, etc.
If you currently eat a lot of junk food and/or have strong sweet and carbohydrate cravings, I wouldn't expect you to change overnight. Under such circumstances it is best to take it slow, and when I first consult with a patient that has strong sweet and carb cravings, I put them on a protocol to help them get rid of these cravings, and thus make the transition to a healthier diet much easier. I personally was brought up eating foods like Fruit Loops, Burger King Whoppers and fries, and drank plenty of Hawaiian Punch. And while I was already eating much healthier when I was diagnosed with Graves'' Disease, when I first began trying to eat healthy it did take some time.
Drink Plenty Of Purified Water
You also want to drink plenty of purified water during this time, and avoid any soft drinks, and even most juices, which can be high in sugar. As for what type of water you should drink, different doctors have different opinions, but I recommend either water that has gone through a reverse osmosis process or distillation, and then is enhanced with minerals. Some will disagree with me, preferring water without minerals added. Either way, stay away from the tap water, and I'd also be cautious about drinking spring water unless if you know the source is a good quality.
What Are Goitrogens?
There are also certain goitrogens you should try your best to avoid. Goitrogens interfere with the function of the thyroid gland, which admittedly isn't as big of a factor in someone with a hyperthyroid condition like Graves'' Disease as it would be with someone with a hypothyroid condition. But still, you want to at least minimize the following foods, and some of them you will want to avoid completely. I personally ate some of the following goitrogens in moderation (i.e. spinach and broccoli), while completely avoiding others (i.e. soy). Anyway, here are some of the goitrogens to be aware of:
• Soy
• Broccoli
• Brussel sprouts
• Cauliflower
• Kale
• Spinach
• Turnips
• Peaches
• Strawberries
Where Should You Shop?
As for where should you shop, although you can shop at your local health food store, I personally like Trader Joes, which is a national chain that has plenty of natural and organic food at affordable prices. Some "regular" grocery stores, and even places like Wal-Mart sell some natural and organic food as well. While my wife and I love shopping at Trader Joes for most of our items, we do buy some of our foods at a local health food store, and a few items in a "regular" supermarket.
Other Factors Besides Diet Can Impact Your Health
Besides eating healthy, there are some other factors that can affect your health. Since it's difficult to get all of the vitamins and minerals you need through your diet, taking some quality nutritional supplements can be beneficial (i.e. B vitamins, Vitamin D, iodine, essential fatty acids, a multi-mineral supplement, etc.). As I'm sure you know, it's also beneficial to be on a regular exercise program. Another big factor for people with Graves'' Disease is to manage the stress in their lives, as while just about everyone has to deal with stress, we all have different coping mechanisms. And those people that don't do a good job of managing the stress in their lives are more likely to have stressed out adrenal glands, which can both lead to and exacerbate an autoimmune condition.
Should You Consult With A Natural Endocrine Doctor?
While many endocrinologists label Graves'' Disease as being incurable, the truth is that many people like myself are turning to natural treatment methods to help restore the function of the thyroid gland, and thus avoid anti-thyroid drugs and radioactive iodine. A competent natural doctor that focuses on endocrine disorders can help you with your diet, recommend quality supplements, and put you on a complete program that can potentially restore your health back to normal. While not everyone is a candidate for natural treatment methods, most people can benefit from following a natural treatment protocol.
So for those looking for an ideal Graves' Disease diet, hopefully you have a better idea as to what foods you should eat when diagnosed with this condition. Truth to be told, most people should eat a healthy diet consisting of whole foods, regardless of whether or not they have an autoimmune thyroid disorder or not. Doing so can actually help prevent the development of such conditions, along with incorporating other lifestyle factors, such as exercising regularly, obtaining quality sleep, and doing a good job of managing stress. But for someone with Graves'' Disease, eating healthy can definitely help to improve their health, and is thus extremely important.
http://EzineArticles.com/4254611
Blessings-
CK
I was told I had Graves Disease June 2005. So of course I went home and went on the internet. The images are horrible. I did get every symptom there is. Now six years later you learn to live with it. There are good days and bad days. I loved the part about losing weight. I have had surgeries on me eyes, plus radation. My doctor told me I was a rare case. I like my doctors and you will have a few. Make sure you feel comfortable with them because they will become yout family for the rest of your life.
God bless. Stress causes Graves Disease.
Amy.
I here......
Are you guys talking about Graves' disease, meaning with the thyroid? I was diagnosed back in 95, I just started not feeling well, my heart was racing, could not sleep, whole body shaking, saw my dr. He said my thyroid was crashing, did blood work, since it was so high, nothing would bring it down, so I went in to take the radioactive pill that kills my thyroid, after I did that, and was put on Synthroid and found the right dose, I have had no problems. As I read everyone's messages, I'm thinking do I not know what graves disease is? I just thought it was the thyroid crashing, then I just need to be on Synthroid forever.... Am I missing something? I also do suffer from many!! Medical problems, and I was diagnosed with degenerative eye disease Macular in both eyes. Can someone tell me is Graves' disease more then just getting it, treating it and then I'm fine????? Or is there more to this disease that I was not told about. Thanks. Denise
Kittencuddler, when you kill your thyroid you are doing nothing about the cause of the problem. Your thyroid is a victim of your immune system having problems. killing the thyroid did not cure your immune system, it is still making antibodies against you. They attack the eyes, skin etc… You need to speak with a natural dr to help you fix your real problem, your immune system. there is so much more to this disease. There is hope in the area of natural medicine.
Thanks Linda, I am now having horrible skin problems, on my face, chest, scalp, it's peeling, itching and buying, been putting on steroid cream, but it's not helping. :( then on top of that dealing with ALL my many health problems!! I feel so old!!! God Bless
Denise, you should seriously consider giving up gluten, dairy and soy. Some people just giving up dairy clear up their skin problems like you describe. Takes about a month from what i understand. I would not use steroid cream w/out a dermatologist. Diet plays such an important role i can not emphasize this enough. Removing refined sugar is also a necessity. i would highly recommend you do a detox program with a natural dr or even buy one at a health food store although natural dr's can get better programs. i know giving up gluten and dairy sound hard but there are some fantastic alternatives out there Udi Breads, Daiya cheeses etc... but what you want to ultimately do is change your diet completely to include MANY green leafy vegs, complex carbs, protein. There is hope.
Hi
I too have Graves Disease,
and would like to find others with
similar experience. I noticed CKarma,
and have been to his site many times.
This is my first experience with posting,
so I am just going to give it a try.
As for myself, I did find a natural doctor and
have been tested, fortunately there is nothing
really serious, so therefore all I have to do now
is find the cause of my illness, or rather what is
causing my thyroid to be ill.
Avalon
My daughter has Grave's. She went for years without a diagnosis, because she was sure that she was only going through early menopause. Finally, when her eyes began to protrude, she went to her doc, and then was sent to an endocrinologist. She was extremely sick by then, and didn't even look or act like herself. Now, two years later, she is better, but will never be well.
During the years before she was diagnosed, her whole personality changed for the worse, and she became mean and short tempered, and EXTREMELY hyper. Her husband left her, and she had serious issues with her adult children, that have never been resolved. No one understood, or bothered to find out what was wrong. No one in the family helped her or stood by her. Now she is alone, except for her youngest child, and me, her mother. Grave's is a devastating illness, and can ruin your life, if it is not recognized in the early stages. If you are of menopause age, and are having flashes, sweats, shakes and skin problems - go to a doc and ask for a thyroid test, just to be sure it is not Grave's.
Pat34 When I read your post I had to read it to my kids/husband. You truly understand what Graves does to people. I lost all my friends except one when I told them I have this miserable disease, but I realize now I am better off without people who will not be there when you really need them. My children/husband are a blessing and very supportive, the kids are still young 15/6. I got this disease when I was pregnant with my last child, went undiagnosed for over 3 years, nearly died from the meds and the dr. wants to kill my thyroid. I am now working with a nat. dr. to see if he can help. So far he has helped some but it will take time. I think your daughter needs friends who understand this disease. I’ve made several who have this disease and it has been nice to talk to people who understand and care. BTW My extended family are extremely miserable people and I had to cut ties as honestly helping them was truly killing me-i’m not kidding. So if her family/ friends are not supportive she is better off without them even though I know only too well the pain of letting go of people you love and thought loved you. Pat you are an incredible and truly loving mother.
Hi Lynda - Thank you for responding to my post. So few people know about or are interested in knowing about this debilitating disease. I don't know, but I think it must be fairly rare, compared to the other auto-immune diseases? I've lived a long time, but in my lifetime, I've only known of one other person who had Grave's. It seems like there's so much publicity around MS and Lupus and RA, but never a word about Grave's. What little information is on-line is inadequate, and doesn't tell it like it really is! I think maybe that's why people are disinterested, and consider it to be minor, when it is seriously major! I truly wish that more people understood what a devastating disease it is.
Lynda, I'm happy to hear that your husband is supportive, and that your children are young enough to still be at home, and probably offer you lots of love and comfort. My daughter still has her thyroid, and has resisted the option to get it killed. She has had reasonable results from the meds she is prescribed. Her eyes look normal now, but she has other health problems that were brought on by Grave's. She has extreme hypertension, and takes two different BP meds. It still soars when she has any stress. She has also developed type2 diabetes, and arthritis. Lots of headaches and body aches and digestive problems. Needless to say, she is constantly depressed, what with the loss of the good and normal life she once enjoyed. I could go on and on, but I'm sure I've written enough for now.
I still have my thyroid too. I am allergic to methimazole and to PTU(which i took for 16 months and ended up in the Mayo clinic) so then my endo wanted to kill my thyroid and i said no and am currently working with a natural dr. i have similar problems as your daughter and am hoping/praying the natural path i am taking now will help me get this in remission. I am having some success already so it is looking promising. A lot has to do with seriously overhauling your diet, this is an ongoing process but i am definitely eating healthier. Graves is a lot rarer than most other autoimmune diseases which is why it gets so little attention. They think kill the thyroid your all better but this is soooo not true as the thyroid is NOT the problem the immune system making antibodies against your body is, and if you kill the thyroid you are still going to have problems from the antibodies as that problem is NEVER addressed by “western medicine endocrinologists.” While she is taking the meds she should really concentrate on overhauling her diet, getting rid of gluten, dairy and soy. I started with getting rid of gluten and do have dairy occasionally but no soy. It definitely helps. There is just too much to say in this space. But she is not alone and neither are you! If nothing else, i’m here 
I do worry about my kids getting this and am working very hard on making sure they eat a healthy diet and am working on reducing/removing gluten/dairy/soy from their diets as well. One thing to realize is all autoimmune disease are related an once a cure is found for one there will be cures for all of them.
Hi, I seem to have been a little vague in my introduction.
Not sure of this putting info on line. I have commented on
another poster, made it sound like I went to his website, actually it was the website he quoted from and gave the link at the end. The link which CK gave was http://EzineArticles.com/4254611
It is the same as http://www.naturalendocrinesolutions.com/
These two sites I have frequented often and gave me invaluable
information on what I have.
The most important thing is to have a proper evaluation, with me there is something, still unknown, which is causing my thyroid to malfunction, overproduce.
The first thing I did was research and starting taking natural
remedies to keep my thyroid at bay. The herbs I am taking do
work the same as the prescription drugs but there are no side
affects nor conflicts with any other meds.
I knew I had hyperthyroidism, and I refused to do the uptake test the endo doc wanted. So I was left alone being hyper and
all the same problems which it brings like finding out who your
friends are and aren't. The doctor on the website which I linked to said that one should definitely see a professional health care
provider. I eventually found one, who was able to diagnose me
without the uptake test, he told me it was Graves. Now I have
learned so much about food, diet, nutrition, and this is what will
cure what I have which is causing the problem, the thyroid is not the problem, it is only reacting to some condition with my
body.
I'm trying to keep this short, and not sure what to say. Thank you.
I am now 1 month away from being on the anti thyroid pill for 1 year. It has been up and down, some months are good, some not so good. I can say, my anxiety has gone down a lot since being on the medication, as well as the hot flashes, and insomnia. I still have these symptoms as well as others, but just not on a daily basis. My medication has been up and down too. We started at 5mg once a day, then to twice a day, then just 10 mg once day, and now down to 5mg once a day. And of course every time my meds get adjusted, my body needs to readjust all over again.
After hearing everyone's experience on here, I am really against allowing my doctor to remove or use radiation to kill my throid. And I am extremlly interested in finding a holistic doctor.
As far as natural supstiances that you take instead of the anti thyroid, may I ask what you are taking that is working? I do take suppliments such as; b12 injections, prescription vitamin D, a multi vitamin and mineral, live probiotics, and fish oil and omega 3.
Thank you guys for such an overwhelming response, I really appreciate sharing my experience with others who understand :)
I’m only about six months into my graves, and the meds have been alright, except that I’ve gained over forty pounds- I used to be 130! Did you go through this too, or am I the only one who’s gained so much from the medications?
If you have nodules or cancer or anything else it is a matter for a doctor to find this out. In my case, having been evaluated
and these serious matters do not exist for me, then I'm free to
dabble with natural remedies. And even with this, one should do so under the care of a qualified practitioner. I myself am only a patient and from all the websites I have read they talk about bugleweed and L-carnitine. One is an herb and the other an amino acid. I have been taking this for myself, as for others, consult your doctor before taking anything. I'm only relating my experience.
My doctor knows I am taking this and he knows
my blood work and my condition so it is safe for me to do so. I'm only saying I'm taking this, not saying anyone
else should unless they speak to their doctor or health care expert. Experimenting on your own can be dangerous. For example, every website on hyperthyroidism agrees that taking a zinc supplement is good. But that is only half the truth. Zinc
depletes copper, so copper has to be taken along with zinc.
Therefore, one can not just go and take a vitamin on their own.
Calcium too should not be taken by itself.
So I'm just saying some of the stuff I am safely taking, but I am not saying go out and buy these supplements unless you first check with your doctor.
Lynda and Avalon: It's very enlightening to hear about your success with alternative medicine, holistic doctors, and eliminating most gluten, soy and dairy from your diets. I agree that whatever works for you, and makes you feel close to normal, is a good thing!
I doubt that my daughter would stick with a program like that. Since the meds are working reasonably well for her, it's probably best that she stay with it for now. I'm afraid she might lose more weight, which she cannot afford to do. She is already way too thin, at about 100 lbs. She is very careful about sugar, because of the diabetes, and doesn't like dairy, except for yogurt. Other than that, she eats everything else. She also takes two different BP meds, and is supposed to take something for high cholesterol. I'm glad that that she said NO to that one! She has a prescription vitamin D that is very strong, but I can't remember how many mg?
Lynda, she does take methimazole, and has not had any trouble with it so far. I don't know if she was ever prescribed PTU? It sounds terrible, and I'm so sorry that you had such a bad reaction to it, and that you can't take methimazole.
ctambor - It sounds like the thyroid med you're taking is working for you. It took my daughter a year before she started to settle down and begin to feel better. They also adjusted her dose back and forth like that too.
My heart goes out to all three of you. I know how hard it is to cope with this terrible disease, and it makes me sad to know that it is a lifelong ordeal. someone mentioned "remission"?? Is it true that a person can go into remission, and be symptom free for periods of time? That would be something wonderful to look forward to!
Yes it is possible for some to go in remission. There are quite a few people who have been able via natural methods become symptom free. It does take a lot of perseverance and willing to change your lifestyle and remove stress from your life. I had 2 years where i was symptom free then due to chronic stress from my extended miserable family set me way back so i am trying very hard to get back into remission!
I've lost weight too, it is important to make sure one has proper food and supplements to maintain oneself. Hyperthyroidism
(Graves) puts one in an accelerated pace, I have to eat a lot of
high quality food just to maintain myself. Vitamin D is essential for everyone, so the doctor is doing the right thing,
I take Vit D-3, it is the good Vit D. There are other Vit D's, such as D-2 which is not so good. Also I take cod liver oil which is rich in Vit A and D, but I play safe and take extra D-3, because it helps with Vit A.
As far as prescription meds, well all I can say is just do as your
doctor prescribes, but the doctors may underestimate the importance that nutrition also has.
In researching I have come upon different forms of eating, some say raw food. They may be right, but having an endocrine disorder where the thyroid is reacting to something else such as the digestion of food. So for me, it better to cook my vegetables to aid in a weak digestive system. A whole new paradigm of diet has come to my attention. One that is shunned
by the mainstream, it has to do with how ancient humans lived.
This depends on your belief system, I believe that people have been here for hundreds of thousands of years, and we have adjusted to eating a certain way. This is called the Paleo Diet and the Gaps Diet. I have been losing weight and I don't want to just fad away, so I am open to trying different modalities of thought. I do need to take a food allergies test, maybe I am allergic to certain things. Anyway I found these videos to be helpful to me. I put part 2 first, because it goes right into it.
Wise Traditions London 2010 - Sally Fallon Morell, Part 2
http://vimeo.com/10502171
Wise Traditions London 2010 - Sally Fallon Morell, Part 1
http://vimeo.com/10489302
cfh- Stop thinking about it as something wrong with you. That just gives the disease the upper hand. I’ve been living with depression for five years, and I’ve accepted it as a part of me. Once I did it got alot better and easier to deal with. Graves is just another part of me now. Accept it, and embracing it will make the pain easier to bear. At least for me, it did. Its just one more mountain we are given to climb, and we wouldn’t be given a mountain if we didn’t have the strenth. I didn’t believe that when I first got it, but now that I’m climbing, I can see that it will make me all the stronger for it.
I hope this maybe helped you feel better. Remember to smile, smiling is an infection too.
Rosemary