What are the symptoms and signs of Graves' Disease?

The symptoms and signs of Graves' disease can be divided into two main sections:

1) Symptoms due to thyroid hormone excess (Thyrotoxicosis) and the potentiation of the catecholamines.
2) Symptoms due to the autoantibodies.

Symptoms due to thyroid hormone excess (Thyrotoxicosis)

• Irritability
• Weight loss 90% cases, weight gain 10%
• Heat intolerance
• Sweating
• Fast or irregular heart rate
• Vomiting or diarrhoea
• Irregular periods and infertility
• Reduced libido and erectile dysfunction in the male
• A fine tremor with possible muscle weakness (unable to climb stairs)
• Heart failure in the elderly
• Increased bone turnover,osteoporosis and possible fracture of bones
• Fever
• In children: behavioural disorders.

Symptoms due to the auto-antibodies

• Eye disease: called thyroid associated ophthalmopathy (TAO). This is discussed under Thyroid Eye Disease.
• Skin lesions: thick like orange peel, common over the shins (pretibial myxoedema)