Graves Disease (Overactive Thyroid)

It was 21 months ago now that I was diagnosed with 'Graves Disease', which is an overactive thyroid caused by a growth on the thyroid called a 'goiter'.

Bailey was only 6 months old and I first put the symptons down to a young breastfeeding baby and a 3 year old. The symptons were excessive exhaustion, I would have to rest half way through making the bed and I would need a couple of nana naps throughout the day; I would always be hungry and continually eating but continue to lose weight. I remember eating 5 iced donuts for morning tea one day because I couldn't satisfy my hunger and I still lost weight. I ended up being 4 kilos underweight (this sympton I do miss); I was suffering heart palpatations even when resting; and I wouldn't feel the cold. I was walking around the house in a singlet in the middle of winter and I am someone who wears woolly jumpers and would sit on top of the heater. The sympton that alarmed me to my problem that had me book in to see the doctor was when I started getting uncontrollable shakes. It was then that I knew what I had, because this disease is considered heriditary and a number of my family members had been through the same thing. These were the symptons that were noticable to me, I was suffering a lot more symptons that I was not aware were caused by the thyroid, and it wasn't until I read through the list of symptons I truly realised what was happening. If left untreated you can end up going into what is called "Thyroid Storm", which can then put you into a coma that you may not come out of.

By the time Bailey was 8 months old I was put on medication called Propylthiouracil (PTU) for 18 months and was forced to give up breastfeeding. This devastated me because I was not ready to give up feeding but I couldn't risk making my baby sick. I started off on 5 tablets a day, which sent my thyroid underactive, it was eventually lowered to 1 per day but it went over active again. After 6 months we finally managed to stabilise it with 2 tablets a day and for the next 12 months I took my medication religously at the same times everyday (just through habit with my meals). I found out towards the end of my treatment that taking PTU at the same time daily gave a better chance for the medication to work efficiently. I was given a 40% chance of going into remission and now I have finally been off the medication for 3 months and I am pleased to say I am in remission. Thanks to the help of my trusted family doctor, Dr Sandhu of Southern Cross Medical Centre and Dr Nik Chossick, Thyroid Specialist. I always stayed positive that I was going to be in the 40%.