i am suffering from graves and is causing my left eye to bulge is there anything that can reduce the bulging

Hi Laura and welcome!

I have the opposite thyroid problem (not enough), but I found this on the web about Grave's:

"In some cases, surgery to remove all or part of the thyroid (thyroidectomy) is needed. Surgery can also relieve some of the symptoms of Grave's disease. Bulging eyes, for example, can be corrected by creating enough extra space in the nearby sinus cavity to allow the eye to settle into a more normal position."

http://www.healthsquare.com/mc/fgmc9032.htm

I know how you are feeling. I have the same problem. currently waiting for surgery.Sometimes your eyes will return to normal on their own. Try not to worry.Stress doesnt help. hope it all goes well for you

[QUOTE=lauraepperly;563628]i am suffering from graves and is causing my left eye to bulge is there anything that can reduce the bulging[/QU

I also have Grave's disease and had my total thyroid removed. My left eye became 1 and a half inch bulged and my right one is 2. I was having blinding moments. I had trembles, I was losing weight one day and gaining it the next. I had palpitations of almost 200. Almost thyroid storm. I was hospitilized 3 times. No medication worked for me. So we made to remove it. But I hemmoriaged after the surgery and almost died. The surgeon said I hemmoraged because of the Grave's disease. It has now been 1 yr. since my surgery and though surgery helped my eyes not to bulge more than prior to surgery, less trembles, and I think it saved me from going blind. Everything else is still the same. The doctors can't seem to get me on the correct dose to get my levels right. I still have palpitations, but they are more like 120. And my parathyroid was touched during surgery, so now I have nerve damage there. I hope this helps someone.

i was diagnosed with graves about 3 years ago had the iodine treatment 2 times at a high dosage was always hungry and was losing weight alont with night sweats not sleeping and the tremors along with the anxiety my endo dr finally got me regulated at 150 mg of levothyroxin and i've had decompression surgery on both eyes,but after the surgery on my left eye it froze up and wouldn't move after several surgeries my dr sent me to a thyroid specialist in san diego who's supposed to be the best after 1 surgery he got my eye to move and said i am at the point where he usually see's thyroid patients,it's been a long journey and if not for a loving wife i wouldn't have got thru this.so please hang in there i feel everyones pain

Not everyone goes through the eye problems I have, but there are many posting here so that I do not think this is a rare occurance. Please make your eyes a priority and follow up with a specialist.

I was diagnosed with Grave's Disease in 2008 and had a total thyroidectomy in April 2010. Radioactive iodine was not indicated due to severe thyroid eye disease. The thyroidectomy did take care of the storms and most of the metabolism complications, but my immune system was not fooled and I continued to have eye problems, as my TSH level shot to 20 and hypothyroidism aggravates thyroid eye disease as well.

Stable levels are the best way to avoid TED, but the eye attacks may still go on for years as the autoimmune process can be unpredictable. In Oct of 2010 I had bilateral eye muscle surgery to help correct the double vision. Jan 2011 I had prisms cut into my glasses to further correct my double vision.

In May 2011, I had orbital decompression done through the nose as my eyes were pushed out to the point that I was now in jeopardy with my optic nerve as well. They could not do the traditional approach through the corner of the eyes. My nose was broken, orbit bones, sinus bones and temple skull plates were removed in order to recess my eyes. 2 top surgeons in a huge medical center, 3 months to coordinate at set up the surgery, 6 hours of surgery, 4 days in the hospital. I am very happy with the results. I actually now have 20/20 vision with glasses and minimal double vision. This was not expected to happen, but it did! My eyes have recessed back about 5 mm. Next month I complete the surgeries with graphs to the lower lids and reconstruction to lift them up as I still have a large area of my conjunctiva exposed.

Was it worth it? Yes. I had severe pain, could not close my eyes without pain and sticking, had to lubricate my eyes every hour, and looked like an alien.