Disclaimer: This is a sponsored collaboration with Health Grades.
I was very exited when Health Grades reached out to ask if I would write a few articles about my experiences with Graves disease and thyroid eye disease. As an autoimmune disease advocate with multiple chronic conditions, I was disappointed in many of the resources I found online at the time of my diagnosis. While I could read up on clinical information, I wish I had been able to find more personal and patient-focused articles. I’m happy to have the opportunity to discuss some of the topics that I wanted to read about earlier in my journey. Thank you to Health Grades for giving me a larger platform to help share my story and spread awareness.
Presenting my first article – “Graves’ Disease: My Search for the Right Doctor” –
Looking back, my experience with Graves’ disease and thyroid eye disease has been a very long and bumpy road. The thing I’m most grateful for is having a team of truly extraordinary doctors. Unfortunately, it didn’t start off that way. Most of my doctors today were the second specialists I saw in their field. Connecting with the right doctors for my needs was a process and a story that I hope will help others.
I was diagnosed with celiac disease over a decade ago. I was well aware of the link between celiac disease and thyroid disorders like Graves’ disease, and when someone has one autoimmune condition, there’s a high probability of being diagnosed with another someday. I was experiencing a fair amount of fatigue. My primary care doctor was reluctant to run a full thyroid panel, but after finally agreeing to my request, I received a sheepish call from their office with a referral for an endocrinologist. I found an endocrinologist with decent reviews in a convenient location. After running a few more tests, she casually looked over the results and said she didn’t think I had a thyroid problem, but perhaps my thyroid was a little sluggish and we’d try a small dose of thyroid replacement medication. Did I love this doctor? No, something didn’t vibe well. But I knew I wasn’t feeling well, and at least she gave me something to try….
tasty meditation 