7 Ways Graves' Disease Affects Your Body

People with Graves’ disease produce more thyroid hormone than the body needs. Too much of it can affect everything from the eyes, heart, bones and even the reproductive system.

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  Graves’ Disease Symptoms

  About one in 200 people develop Graves’ disease, and it’s more common in women than men. When you have Graves’ disease, your body produces more thyroid hormone than it needs. Thyroid hormone is powerful. Too much of it can affect everything from eyesight to fertility to heart health to bone strength. Graves’ disease isn’t the only cause of hyperthyroidism, but it’s the most common cause in the United States. Know what can happen when Graves’ disease isn’t well controlled.
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  1. Eye Inflammation

  Graves’ disease can cause inflammation in the eye sockets that makes eyes bulge, leading to irritation and vision problems. This complication is called Graves’ ophthalmopathy, Graves’ eye disease, or thyroid eye disease, and up to half of people with Graves’ disease have it. If you smoke, quitting can help. Depending on how severe your symptoms are, treatment may include eyedrops, medication, special eyeglasses, radiation therapy, or surgery. It’s important to treat thyroid eye disease to avoid nerve damage and vision loss. Ask your doctor about your options.
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  2. Fertility Problems

  When you have Graves’ disease, your thyroid hormone level is higher than normal. This can cause a woman’s periods to become lighter than usual or irregular. Ovulation may not happen each month, which makes it harder to get pregnant. Difficulty conceiving is a problem for about half of women with Graves’ disease. The condition can also damage men’s sperm. Treating Graves’ disease can help regulate a woman’s menstrual cycle and improve fertility for both women and men.
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  3. Pregnancy Complications

  Graves’ disease can cause problems for pregnant women and their babies if it’s not in good control. Pregnancy complications can include: pre-eclampsia (high blood pressure), placental abruption (separation of the placenta from the wall of the uterus), miscarriage, and stillbirth. Effects on the baby can include low birth weight and birth defects. Ask your doctor to add an endocrinologist to your healthcare team for regular thyroid level checks. Medication that’s safe to take during pregnancy can be prescribed if needed.
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  4. Heart Conditions

  Graves’ disease can affect your heart if left unchecked. It can lead to abnormal heart rhythms, including an extremely fast heartbeat (tachycardia) or an irregular, erratic heartbeat (atrial fibrillation). Both make the heart work harder and can lead to chest pain and heart failure. Your doctor may prescribe beta blockers to slow rapid heartbeat while the underlying hyperthyroidism is being addressed. This type of medication can also ease the nervousness and trembling many people with Graves’ disease experience.
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  5. Osteoporosis

  Hyperthyroidism can affect your bones in two ways. First, it can interfere with the absorption of calcium, which your bones need to stay strong. Second, it can cause an imbalance in the natural cycle of bone loss and replacement, where more bone is lost than replaced. Both scenarios can lead to osteoporosis, which makes bones weak, brittle, and easy to break. The wrist, hip, and vertebrae in the spine are common sites for osteoporosis fracture.
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  6. Skin Issues

  Some people with Graves’ disease develop Graves’ dermopathy, also called pretibial myxedema, where the skin on the shins or tops of the feet becomes thick, red, coarse, and lumpy. Most people who have Graves’ dermopathy also have Graves’ eye disease. Graves’ dermopathy usually isn’t painful, but it’s a sign your thyroid levels aren’t well controlled. If you experience it, let your doctor know so you can revisit your treatment plan. Cortisone ointments or injections to reduce swelling may be recommended.
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  7. Thyroid Storm

  Thyroid storm occurs when the amount of thyroid hormone in the body suddenly spikes to a toxic level. The condition is also called accelerated hyperthyroidism or thyrotoxic crisis. Symptoms include fever, vomiting, extremely low blood pressure, seizure, and jaundice (yellowing of the skin). Thyroid storm is rare but life-threatening. Seek immediate medical attention if you have symptoms. Working with your doctor proactively to keep your condition in good control will help reduce your risk of such an extreme event.