What are the symptoms of Graves' disease?

Graves' disease is an autoimmune disease that causes hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid), the symptoms of hyerthyroidism are

• palpitations
• tremor
• sweatings
• irregular menstural periods
• weight loss
• irritability
• frequent loose stool
• protruding eyeballs

 

People with Graves' disease may have some of the common symptoms of hyperthyroidism such as:

• Nervousness or irritability
• Fatigue or muscle weakness
• Heat intolerance
• Trouble sleeping
• Hand tremors
• Rapid and irregular heartbeat
• Frequent bowel movements or diarrhea
• Weight loss
• Goiter, which is an enlarged thyroid that may cause the neck to look swollen

In addition, the eyes of people with Graves' disease may appear enlarged because their eyelids are retracted and their eyes bulge out from the eye sockets. This condition is called Graves' ophthalmopathy (GO).

A small number of people with Graves' disease also experience thickening and reddening of the skin on their shins. This problem is usually painless and is called pretibial myxedema or Graves' dermopathy.

This answer is based on source information from the National Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Information Service.