I have had a full thyroidectomy 5 years ago, but was undiagnosed for years before. I am 36 and have had a full hysterectomy at the age of 26, which I am now wondering if it was do to the “autoimmune disease”, had my thyroid removed, and gallbladder (due to it stopped functioning all together)

When they removed my thyroid I was told my antibodies would either go dormant or look for something new to “attack”, is this true? I am seriously feeling like the dr's are harvesting my organs already and I'm not even gone yet!!! This sitting and waiting to see what gets removed next and not knowing if it's going to be a good day or week or bad day or week is just sometimes to much to take.

I know I'm not the only one out there but it is the combination of everyting I guess and my family doesn't understand. The eyes, muscle spasms, fatigue, etc. and I'm stabilized. lol! Sorry to complain, just need to know someone else understands

Tpavlu

Well, probably you and your doctor know why you had the hysterectomy. We're just plain patients here. I do know many women have very painful endometriosis, and a hysterectomy is sometimes the answer to a pain free world.

I suggest you review with an informed doctor, your thought that the thyroid antibodies related to Graves' can attack other organs.
I think you can safely assume that your thyroid, uterus and gall bladder went into hazardous waste, and then to the dump.

YOur comment about your eyes makes me wonder if you are having eye symptoms that could be thyroid eye disease (TED.) A visit to a good eye doc who is familiar with TED should help you with this.

How often do you have your thyroid labs done? I suggest, since you are not feeling well, it is worth a call to your endo's office, ask them to order a thyroid panel for you Perhaps you need a change in your thyroid hormone dose. I presume you are taking it every day, on an empty stomach, with a full glass of water first thing in the morning? That is the way to do it, for then symptoms and labs will be reliable.

Of course everyone on this post knows how very difficult Graves' is. It is very very hard to have, with many frustrations along the way.
I had a thyroidectomy, too, and have been very happy with that decision. But I do have labs at least once a year, or when I feel I have symptoms of either hypo or hyper, so that I am on the right dose.
Hope this helps a bit.
Shirley

Hi Tpavlu, first agreeing with Shirley that you really want to get your thyroid TSH and FT4, FT3 all checked again just to make really sure you are as stabilized as possible. About the emotional side, I do get it though I haven't had any “harvesting” done yet. I feel more like a car that's gone out of warranty that keeps having stuff break. So many parts of me just aren't in factory condition anymore, ya know? Part of it is normal aging and part of it isn't, and it is hard to accept at times especially since most of my peers from school are aging amazingly well and not having serious health issues. All we can do is start from where we are at this very moment though, that's all we get and we've got to do the best we can with it. How it should be, how it ought to be….well best to try to avoid that thought road.

What is known about antibodies is that they are tissue specific – or, perhaps, more realistically molecule specific. Just as any old key will not unlock any old lock, but only the lock for which it was designed, antibodies do not roam about looking for random tissues on which to wreck havoc. They attack the molecules for which they were developed. Period. What is also known is that someone who has developed one autoimmune disease is slightly more prone than the average person to developing a second autoimmune problem. But it involves different antibodies, not the ones that caused our thyroid problems.

tnapavlu
When they removed my thyroid I was told my antibodies would either go dormant or look for something new to “attack”, is this true?

Hello - As Bobbi said, antibodies operate on a “lock and key” type of system, but there are other areas that the Graves' antibodies can impact. Eye involvement is fairly common in Graves' patients, and there is a more rare skin condition called pretibial myxedema that can affect the front of the shin. There is also a much, MUCH more rare condition called acropachy that involves clubbing on the fingers and toes.

If you are experiencing other symptoms, though, it's certainly worth checking out whether a different autoimmune condition might be responsible.

Take care!