Graves Disease and Symptoms

[BigFoot1963]

After being diagnosed with Graves Disease, I opted to have my Thyroid obliterated using the Radioactive Iodine Therapy procedure. During the transition of losing the Thyroid, I lost a good portion of my vision in my right eye. Was told that the vision loss is due to AION (Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropothy). Once I lost my vision, I began to feel "unbalanced" or "light headed" at all times. Sometimes this feeling diminishes but it never really disappears. I was checked for MS; results were negative. Can Graves disease cause the feeling I'm having? Also, during my MS diagnosis the physician noted C5 & C6 as being protruding. Wonder if that can cause the feeling of light headedness or unbalanced?

[kwarendorf]

Hi BF-

Demyelination is not an early indicator of MS. it is MS :-) In MS the immune system attacks the myelin that coats nerves in the central nervous system. The resulting damage is demyelination. There are other causes demyelination, but MS is the most common.

Kyle

[BigFoot1963]

Thanks for your thoughts on this. To answer your last question briefly, I spent three days at the Mayo Clinic (Neurology Dept.) undergoing exams, scans and whatever else. The Neurologists noted that there is no signs of demyelination. I would assume that this is an early indication (and other symptoms) of possible MS.

I'll scoot on over to the Thyroid forum and introduce myself.

Cheers

[essdipity]

Welcome, BigFoot. MS and thyroid symptoms can be similar, but people here generally know only about MS. Did you know MedHelp has a thyroid forum as well?

http://www.medhelp.org/forums/Thyroid-Disorders/show/7t

I suggest you post your question there. (At the top the screen, under the Forums header you can find all the other topics too.)

I'm thinking, though, that if you had your thyroid destroyed, you technically no longer have Grave's disease, since you have no thyroid function at all. I'm also assuming you're taking a medication to compensate for that. So if I'm right, Grave's would not be causing your current symptoms. I don't know anything about your vision loss, but judging by the name of the condition you give, it sounds as if it's a blood vessel problem and not neurological. A neuro-ophthalmologist could give you better information on this, or a vascular specialist.

Protruding discs in your neck would not likely cause an unbalanced feeling, because this comes from brain issues.

Could you explain what you mean by being checked for MS? What tests were done? Have you seen a neurologist?

ess