Graves' disease is named after Robert Graves, the 19th century Irish physician who first discovered the condition. Graves' Disease is caused by a generalized over activity of the thyroid gland, and is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism. In this condition, the thyroid gland is diffusely enlarged and hyperactive, producing excessive thyroid hormones. It has lost the ability to respond to the normal control by the pituitary gland via TSH.

Although Graves' disease is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism, not all patients suffering from hyperthyroidism have Graves' disease and not all patients with Graves' disease suffer from hyperthyroidism.

It is believed that the triggers for this disease include stress, smoking,radiation to the neck, medications, and infectious

organisms such as viruses.

If you are reading this page you are probably wondering if you have Graves' Disease and Hyperthyroidism. Most people have just a few of the symptoms, but they are very representative and evident, for example, heart palpitations when they are not a result of normal physical activity, menstrual period that has been one and the same for years and now you are experiencing changes, losing a lot of weight without any particular reason. In those cases- I would say trust your intuition and if you think that something may be wrong, it's better to check it and find out earlier than later. If you find that you have 3-5 of these symptoms present, you should inform your doctor and insist on further tests.

1. Excessive sweating

2. Heat intolerance

3. Increased bowel movements

4. Tremor (usually fine shaking)

5. Rapid heart rate

6. Weight loss

7. Decreased concentration

8. Pretibial myxedema (lumpy, reddish-colored thickening of the skin, usually on the shins)

9. Weakness

10. Shortness of breath

11. Double vision

12. Muscle wasting

13. Mental impairment, memory lapses, diminished attention span

14. Brittle nails

15. Diminished sex drive

16. Abnormal breast enlargement (men)

17. Goiter (enlarged thyroid gland)

18. Nervousness, agitation

19. Trembling hands

20. Irritability

21. Fatigue

22. Insomnia (inability to get enough sleep)

23. Diarrhea

24. Protruding eyeballs (Graves' disease only)

25. Decrease in menstrual periods (oligomenorrhea), Irregular and scant menstrual flow (Amenorrhea)

26. Eye irritation

27. Change in the sex drive

28. Hair loss

29. Increased sweating

30. Heat intolerance

31. Unexplained weight loss despite increased appetite

32. Itchy skin, hives

33. Heart palpitations

34. Memory loss

35. Restlessness

36. Tachycardia (rapid heart rate: 100-120 beats per minute, or higher)

37. Arrhythmia (irregular heart beat)

38. Elevated blood pressure

39. Erratic behavior

40. Chronic sinus infections

41. Eye pain, irritation, or the feeling of grit or sand in the eyes

42. Swelling or redness of eyes or eyelids/eyelid retraction

43. Sensitivity to light

44. Difficulty conceiving/infertility/recurrent miscarriage

45. Hypertension

46. Lumpy, reddish skin of the lower legs (pretibial myxedema)

47. Smooth, velvety skin

48. Increased appetite

49. Increased energy

50. Muscle weakness (especially in the large muscles of the arms and legs) and degeneration

Many people experience other symptoms, that are not listed here and are not very typical for this disease. In many cases, before discovering the correct diagnose, the patients were treated for panick attacks, different mental problems or for heart problems. When considering Graves' Disease or Hyperthyroidism, a blood test should be performed in order to determine if TSH, FT3 and FT4 are within the normal range.