My daughter called me from college: she's shaking like crazy for no reason, feeling "randomly nervous" and bursting into tears without knowing why. I know these symptoms: it's Graves' disease (autoimmune hyperthyroidism). It runs strongly in my family (I have it, and so does my mother). I'm trying to get her home ASAP to get to a doctor. How good to know what she has! She doesn't have to spend time thinking she's "just a wreck" and crazy, like I did (my doctor thought I was sick because I was a hysterical person. I was actually hysterical because I was sick...).

Anyway, this came on after her flu shot. As far as I know the only autoimmune disease the flu shot is credited with causing is Guillain-Barre. But I bet someday they find out that it sets off other auto-immune diseases in people who (like my daughter) are genetically prone to them.

Abby

Abby, I know people are all pro-vaccines but I am one who is not. There, I said it. The squalene in the vaccines "super-charges" the immune system and has been implicated in damaging the mitochondria (the center energy system of all cells). Well, and then there's the thimerosal and mercury . . .

I'm sorry your daughter had that reaction. I hope you can get her in quickly.

I am glad you are able to help your daughter and so sorry she has to go through this.

I am also against most vaccines, especially the ones with thimerosal, not a very popular thing to say, but it is known that vaccines stress your immune system.

Thanks, guys. It makes sense to me. Such a tricky call for someone with MG, since MG makes the flu shot dangerous, but it also makes the flu dangerous...that's why I decided we'd immunize everyone in the family but me. My kids had H1N1 last year, and three of them ended up with secondary pneumonia.

But I talked to my daughter last night, and we remembered a bunch of stuff (like she told me in August that her hair was falling out). Here's another symptom of Graves disease: dirt trapped under the fingernails! It's because the fingernails grow too quickly and separate early from the nail bed. She has that one, which indicates this has been going on for more than a week or two.

So, at least I feel like this isn't all my fault for insisting she get the shot. My stupid genes, yes; my stupid decision, no!

Abby

Hair falling out and fingernail problems may also point to a zinc deficiency.

There is a condition, that is inherited, that is called pyroluria.
It results in loss of zinc and B6 thru the urine because of a liver metabolite of heme... complexing these nutrients out.

Symptoms are similar to other conditions like hyperthyroidism, and bipolar. Often anxiety is huge and patients think they are "going crazy".

Here is more...it is diagnosed with a special urine test:
http://www.drkaslow.com/html/pyroluria.html

It can lead to self medication with drugs, and alcohol and there are some estimates that some alcoholics are actually pyrolurics.

While it is possible a flu shot triggered her, she could also be triggered by stress and poor diet if she were pyroluric. People with pyroluria can have normal times and then suddenly display symptoms. College is a big stressor and also leads to poor dietary habits at times.

The treatment is supplemental B6 (best taken as P5P active form) and zinc.(best taken as OptiZinc).

Thanks so much, Mrs. D. Since there's so much Graves in our family (me, my mother, my sisters, my niece...) it's my first thought. But if the thyroid tests come back normal, I'll be so glad to have another idea to pursue!

Abby