Graves’ disease is an autoimmune condition, meaning that the body’s immune system mistakes healthy cells for foreign invaders and attacks them.
A number of conditions can cause hyperthyroidism, but Graves’ disease is the most common, affecting around 1 in 200 people. It most often affects women under the age of 40, but it is also found in men.
The overproduction of thyroid hormones can have a variety of effects on the body, symptoms can include:
- increased sweating
- weight loss (without change in diet)
- nervousness
- hand tremors
- changes in menstrual cycle
- erectile dysfunction and reduced libido
- anxiety and irritability
- an irregular or rapid heartbeat
- Graves’ dermopathy - thick red skin on the shins (rare)
- enlargement of the thyroid gland (goiter)
- heart failure
What symptoms effect you the most. Is there anything else that seems to effect you?