With the right treatment, the Graves Disease prognosis is very good. Without treatment, Graves Disease can lead to more serious conditions and potentially life-threatening complications. It is very important to get the proper medical care, and follow through with recommended treatments. Although Graves Disease has no known cure, many people can eliminate symptoms and enjoy a good quality of life.
Living with Graves Disease
Graves' Disease is a chronic form of hyperthyroidism, or over-activity of the thyroid. The thyroid gland controls metabolism, fertility and other systems in the body by producing and regulating a number of hormones.
In patients with Graves Disease, the immune system attacks the thyroid, causing it to produce too much thyroxine. The excess thyroxine overstimulates the metabolism, causing anxiety, weight loss, rapid heartbeat, nervousness and insomnia. If the thyroid starts to enlarge, it can cause goiter or constrict the esophagus and windpipe. Other symptoms include depression, elevated cholesterol, or protruding eyeballs caused by swelling of muscles and tissues in the eye sockets.
Medical intervention with drug therapy can reduce the hormone output of the thyroid, managing or eliminating most symptoms. If the thyroid is enlarged, your doctor may suggest taking radioactive iodine to shrink it. In some cases, surgery is needed to remove the thyroid. Surgery is usually recommended only if the enlarged thyroid is interfering with breathing or swallowing.
Without Treatment, Graves Disease Can Be Serious
Symptoms of untreated Graves Disease include double vision from eye swelling, development of a goiter and worsening of symptoms related to metabolism. If you're pregnant with untreated Graves Disease, you are at risk for birth complications and could pass the disease to your baby. Untreated Graves' Disease can also cause a sudden surge in thyroxine, leading to a toxic reaction called thyrotoxicosis that may end in psychosis or coma.
The prognosis for someone with Graves Disease is good as long as the condition is properly diagnosed and treatments are followed. Be aware that finding the right dosage of medication can take a few months, and that you'll need to meet with your doctor every six months to one year to ensure that you're getting the right amount of medicine.
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