MG, Graves, and other autoimmune diseases
 

So, my 19-year-old daughter came down with what seemed to me to be the symptoms of hyperthyroidism last fall, but her tests came back normal. The poor thing suffered through her whole first year of college, as we got her treated for PMS, panic attacks, depression, etc. Yesterday I asked if they could just test her thyroid one more time, and sure enough: it looks like she does have Graves after all.

Now, the question is, how do we treat this? When I came down with Graves 15 years ago, I opted against killing my thyroid with radioactive iodine. Instead, I've been taking thyroid-suppressant drugs on and off as needed. The spring before I got my first MG symptoms (in the fall), I had a big relapse. Looking back, I bet that was what triggered my MG.

So! Do I recommend to my daughter that she have the radiation treatment? They say MG doesn't run in families, but we have reason to doubt that. And autoimmune diseases certainly do run in families, and they certainly do run in mine. Will the radiation treatment protect her in the future from other autoimmune diseases?

Abby

I'm really sorry your daughter has to deal with this. I have no idea on the best option (or even what the different options might be) - but perhaps consulting with a really good endocrinologist would be a good next step to get her options identified and quantified. Then hopefully, a clear path forward will present itself!

Thanks, I'll definitely be taking her to my endo, who's a great guy. Graves isn't so bad--it's very treatable. We're just so relieved to know what's going on!

Abby