I do, I do! I mean seriously though no one actually wants one and they come with some serious complications if not managed. In basic terms the body starts to recognise parts of the body as foreign and attacks the healthy cells causing havoc.
I’ve got Graves Disease (not the greatest name and a little alarming when you’re first diagnosed, but historically named after the doctor who first recognised the disorder, thank you Robert Graves!) Graves is hyperthyroidism which is where your thyroid starts to makes more thyroid hormones than your body needs. As we all know hormones are challenging at the best of times (thanks hormones!) never mind when over produced.
I was pretty severe by the time I was diagnosed one and a half years ago. I’d started losing weight, woohoo! Let’s face it as women this is nearly always a bonus and definitely not something I would run to the doctors about.
I’ve always run on high energy and because the disease crept in slowly it was only when extreme anxiety and panic attacks started to control my life I started thinking something was wrong with me.
Even then I felt shame and was scared to talk to anyone apart from my husband. I pride myself on being strong and together but the wheels were coming off and I thought I was having a breakdown.
One night I snuggled up sat watching tv and I couldn’t see out of my right eye. I sat back up and it returned but every time I moved my head my sight changed. At the opticians the next day after a thorough examination he made me an emergency appointment with a specialist and within a week I found out I had Graves’ disease both in my thyroid and in my eyes. Undetected and untreated Graves can cause serious complications with your heart, my BPM was ridiculously high which adds to the shaking and anxiety.
When Graves enters the eyes they swell and bulge and the lids retract (nice!) nothing can be done until the thyroid storm has passed and your thyroid levels are stable for 6 months.
Because my body was over working and I’d lost so much weight, even though I ate double what my husband was putting away, when the drugs started to kick in the weight started to pile on quickly and no matter what I did diet or exercise would not combat this. So my body, face and personality all changed in a short space of time.
For an actress and presenter whose job depends on feeling confident and looking good this was not ideal and it hit me pretty hard. I was filming national adverts for Omaze and giving away life changing prizes whilst my face changed and I shook uncontrollably. I found it really hard some days to hold it together and spent much of the time when I wasn’t filming on set in floods of tears. The team were amazing and so understanding, kind and patient. The specialist team at York Endocrine department were total stars and after a few months of balancing my drugs dose I was on the road to recovery.
It’s challenging to deal with my eyes changing but I was one of the lucky ones and they saved them quickly with little damage and no need for an operation something I’m eternally grateful for.
After nearly one and a half years I’m about to be discharged. My storm has ended, I’m feeling happy, balanced and loving life.
Graves stays with you for life and can return at any time but I’m confident now that I’d recognise the symptoms and go straight to the doctor if there are any signs.
Recently, I saw a private hormone specialist to see if there was anything I could do to help my hormones and body moving into my menopause. She advised for anyone with an autoimmune disease to go 90% gluten free. I’m six weeks in and can report huge benefits, I can eventually lose weight (a million thank yous) I’m sleeping so much better and wake up on a morning actually wanting to get out of bed. This is huge. I no longer need to snack which is a real revelation and my bloating has subsided.
My parting words: All-in-all autoimmune diseases suck, but watching out for small changes in your health and getting them checked straight away can change your life.
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