Endocrine Surgeon, Thyroid Surgeon

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Endocrine Conditions

Diagnostic Tests

Recommended Reading

What are the symptoms and signs of Graves' Disease?

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)