Grave’s Disease

At the end of June, I found out that I have an auto-immune disorder called Graves’ Disease. Don’t worry–the name does not imply anything! I believe the first person to diagnose Graves’ Disease was a man named Robert Graves. So, Graves’ Disease is an auto-immune disorder in which your body attacks your thyroid gland for some unknown reason, causing your thyroid gland to overproduce hormones (hyperthyroidism). The vast majority of women with Graves’ Disease discover they have the disease after they get pregnant or after they have a baby. Thyroid disorders are genetic and tend to affect the women in families more than men. I have an aunt who had Graves’ Disease and my mom also just discovered that she has hypothyroidism. 

Now that you have all the background information, let’s talk about how Graves’ Disease affected me. Some of the symptoms of Graves’ Disease are extremely unpleasant. I was hot all the time and would lose my breath just carrying Samuel from the car to our front door (like 10 feet). I lost 20 lbs. in less than a month (scary) and was hungry all the time! For a few months after I was diagnosed, I was not allowed to do any physical activity other than day-to-day things. So, I found myself parking far away from stores just so I could take a walk. Ha-HA! In addition to losing weight, I lost muscle. Some people experience hair loss, and I’m thankful that I did not.

I am doing much better now! I have to take medicine once a day, but my body has returned to normal. I can now do physical activity, I gained back the weight I lost (and more…oops!), and I gained back the muscle I lost. Samuel and I went on lots of walks during the fall. All good news. However, the bad news is that I am not supposed to get pregnant while I take the medication. I have to be on the medication for about another 12 months (18 months total). Brian and I were hoping we could have children close together in age, but we’ll have to wait. God’s plans are good, pleasing, and perfect, so we are enjoying our wonderful Samuel and time with each other. I’m thankful for modern medicine and how God uses wise doctors and nurses to care for us. Hurray!