From the President

When I was first diagnosed with an overactive thyroid, I told my work colleagues that I now knew why I had become so thin and gaunt over the course of the previous few years. Some of my colleagues became quite excited. They said to me: “You have a disease where you stop taking tablets and you lose weight!! Can we please catch it from you.” I told them there was a bit more to it than that and that they wouldn’t want it.

A Funny Little Story

By A Graves’ Patient

Well, as you all know being diagnosed with a disease that is ‘for life’, can get pretty damn depressing. So here’s a funny little story to cheer you up.

Recently I called in to see a friend of mine. She owns a little cat called Crystal. I must confess that the last time I saw Crystal, I thought she was on her last legs. She looked terrible, her fur felt rough and dry to my touch, and she was so skinny and bony when I patted her, I thought I’d probably never see her again.

However, on my next visit, to my surprise she was still alive. My friend explained they had taken her to the vet, who diagnosed her with an overactive thyroid gland. Yes, she had Graves’ disease, which helped explain why she was always so hungry, but never put on any weight.

“Oh, you poor little thing, I know just how you feel,” I said. Her owner told me that she was taking Neomercazole or Carbimazole, the very same tablets I had been taking too!

I was talking about the cat with another person who also has Graves’ disease, and he said, “Oh, and did she have shaky paws too?” With that, we both roared with laughter.

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