| If you have been diagnosed with Graves' Disease, | | | | alone can restore someone's health back to normal. |
| want to avoid taking medication if at all possible, and | | | | Echinacea and Selenium can help strengthen the |
| don't even want to consider treating your condition | | | | immune system. When I began my natural treatment |
| with radioactive iodine, then the information you're | | | | protocol I also took a product called Rehmannia |
| about to read can be life changing. I am a licensed | | | | Complex, which is a product from the nutritional |
| healthcare professional and was personally diagnosed | | | | company Standard Process. |
| with Graves' Disease. Knowing that this is a serious | | | | The adrenal glands are usually affected too, and |
| autoimmune thyroid condition, I honestly wasn't sure if I | | | | therefore should also be evaluated. Since most |
| would rely on natural treatment methods, even though I | | | | medical doctors don't properly evaluate the adrenals |
| without question have a natural mindset. | | | | (and most won't attempt to evaluate this area at all), I |
| The problem is that Graves' Disease can be life | | | | ordered an Adrenal Stress Index test for myself, |
| threatening if the symptoms are not controlled, and as | | | | which is a saliva-based test that measures the cortisol |
| a result, I didn't take my high pulse rate and palpitations | | | | levels at different times of the day. Initially when I was |
| lightly. I did consider receiving a combination of the | | | | diagnosed with Graves' Disease, I had low cortisol |
| conventional medical treatments and the natural | | | | levels in the morning and early afternoon. But the |
| treatment protocol, which I do recommend for some | | | | natural treatment protocol helped bring my cortisol |
| patients. But although my pulse rate was much higher | | | | levels back to normal. Some supplements I took to help |
| than normal (in the mid 90's, when it was usually in the | | | | with the adrenals included an adrenal support formula |
| mid 60's), I didn't consider it to be too extreme, and thus | | | | (also manufactured by Standard Process), as well as |
| decided to go strictly with a natural treatment protocol | | | | Eleuthero. |
| and not take any prescription medication (the | | | | Of course the quality of the supplements used are |
| endocrinologist I consulted with recommended | | | | important. You need to be careful, as while there are |
| Methimazole and a beta blocker). | | | | some great nutritional supplement companies out there, |
| As for radioactive iodine, this is something I planned to | | | | many companies produce low quality products. Even |
| avoid at all costs. In my opinion, this harsh treatment | | | | some of those sold in health food stores aren't of the |
| method should be used only as a last resort, as most | | | | highest quality. I have tried products from many |
| people who "choose" this treatment method will | | | | different companies, and some of the best products I |
| become hypothyroid. Even when someone with | | | | have used on myself and on patients are produced by |
| Graves' Disease has an extremely high pulse rate (for | | | | a company called Standard Process, as they have |
| example, greater than 120 beats per minute), | | | | been producing quality supplements for many years. |
| radioactive iodine usually isn't needed to control the | | | | The only bad news is that you can't purchase these |
| symptoms, as taking a beta blocker will usually | | | | supplements from a health food store, as they are |
| accomplish this. Of course there are exceptions to this | | | | only distributed by healthcare professionals. |
| rule, and there are some circumstances where taking | | | | I don't want to give you the impression that taking |
| radioactive iodine is necessary. | | | | nutritional supplements and herbal remedies alone will |
| Warning: Don't Treat Graves' Disease On Your Own: | | | | be enough to restore your health back to normal. |
| It's truly amazing how many different conditions people | | | | There are actually five main factors to help aid the |
| try to treat naturally on their own. They simply do | | | | recovery process for someone that has an |
| some research on the internet, find out what nutritional | | | | autoimmune thyroid disorder. These include 1) having a |
| supplements and/or herbs might be able to help, and | | | | good attitude, 2) proper nutrition, 3) getting ample sleep, |
| visit their local health food store and purchase these | | | | 4) regular exercise, and 5) doing a good job of |
| supplements. For some conditions this isn't a problem, | | | | managing stress. All of these are important if you want |
| but for a serious autoimmune condition such as | | | | to use natural treatment methods to restore the |
| Graves' Disease, this is definitely not recommended. | | | | function of your thyroid gland back to normal, assuming |
| You should either be under the care of an | | | | this is possible. |
| endocrinologist, a competent natural doctor, or in some | | | | Other Symptoms Associated With Graves' Disease |
| cases, both types of healthcare professionals. | | | | That Can Be Helped Through Natural Treatment |
| As for whether you should take the prescribed | | | | Methods: |
| medication, which usually consists of a drug like | | | | While I have spoken about symptoms such as having |
| Methimazole, and/or a beta blocker, such as | | | | a high pulse rate and palpitations, there are of course |
| Propranolol, this obviously is something that only you | | | | other symptoms that are common with Graves' |
| can decide. Obviously an endocrinologist or general | | | | Disease. In addition to the high pulse rate and |
| practitioner that prescribes these drugs will think that a | | | | palpitations, I personally experienced weight loss, |
| conventional protocol is the best option, which in some | | | | increased appetite, and shakiness. Upon beginning the |
| cases it might be. On the other hand, a holistic doctor | | | | natural treatment protocol it wasn't too long before I |
| will often think that a natural treatment protocol will be | | | | noticed my pulse rate and the palpitations decreasing, |
| the best option for treating this condition. Your best bet | | | | as well as the shakiness. In fact, I remember clearly |
| is to speak with both types of healthcare | | | | that when it was first suspected that I had a thyroid |
| professionals, gather as much information as you can, | | | | disorder and a had blood drawn, when I held my arm |
| and then make an informed decision on your own. | | | | out for the nurse my arm was noticeably shaking. But |
| While I'm not at all opposed to a patient taking the | | | | once again, this was one of the first symptoms to go |
| prescription drugs, what they do need to keep in mind | | | | away when I began the natural treatment protocol. |
| is that these medications are not getting to the | | | | The last symptom to disappear was the increased |
| underlying cause of the disorder. So while taking them | | | | appetite, as after a few months I had a regular pulse |
| in the short term to manage the symptoms might not | | | | rate, no palpitations or shakiness, and was gaining |
| be a bad idea, you also need to consider the potential | | | | weight. But I still had a voracious appetite. But |
| consequences of taking these drugs for a long period | | | | eventually this symptom disappeared too, and along |
| of time. I personally can't tell a patient to stop taking the | | | | with not having any more symptoms, it was of course |
| drugs, but if I was in a situation where I had extreme | | | | great to see the blood tests confirm that I no longer |
| symptoms, I would have probably taken the beta | | | | was hyperthyroid. |
| blocker to control the symptoms for a month or two | | | | As for whether natural treatment methods can help |
| (mainly the high pulse rate and palpitations), along with | | | | with your autoimmune thyroid disorder, just keep in |
| following the natural treatment protocol, and then would | | | | mind that everyone is different, which of course |
| have weaned myself off the medication and evaluate | | | | means that not everyone will be an ideal candidate to |
| my symptoms. | | | | receive these treatment methods. Some people will |
| Because the fact remains that there are natural | | | | need to take medicine, while others will benefit from a |
| remedies that will help control the symptoms while you | | | | combination of both conventional and natural treatment |
| are trying to restore your overall health. For example, | | | | protocols. I will conclude this article by suggesting that |
| one of the herbal remedies I took that helped with my | | | | anyone that has been diagnosed with Graves' Disease |
| symptoms was Bugleweed, which is for people with | | | | at least consider speaking with a competent natural |
| hyperthyroidism. Motherwort is another herbal remedy | | | | doctor, especially before you consider getting treated |
| that can help with the symptoms of Graves' Disease. | | | | with radioactive iodine. |
| Now once again, I'm not suggesting that anyone with a | | | | But even if your endocrinologist or general practitioner |
| high pulse rate and palpitations replace their medication | | | | is conservative like mine was and recommends |
| with these herbal remedies. Although these herbal | | | | Methimazole and a beta blocker, keep in mind that |
| remedies are powerful, everybody's condition is | | | | these prescription drugs won't do anything to restore |
| different, which is why you really should consult with a | | | | your health back to normal. So while they might do a |
| competent healthcare professional. | | | | great job of controlling the symptoms, they will usually |
| Let's Not Forget To Address The Immune System | | | | leave the immune system in a weakened state, |
| While Graves' Disease is often labeled as being a | | | | leaving you more susceptible to other autoimmune |
| "thyroid disorder", one can't forget that the immune | | | | conditions in the future. And just remember that |
| system is affected, and it is therefore important to | | | | consulting with a natural doctor doesn't mean you will |
| address the immune system component. In fact, one | | | | be forced to choose a natural treatment protocol, but |
| can argue that the immune system component should | | | | will simply give you more valuable information to help |
| be addressed before focusing on the thyroid gland. | | | | you make an informed decision, so you won't have |
| And in some cases, strengthening the immune system | | | | any regrets in the future. |