Graves’ Disease – A Man’s Perspective

source: Graves' Disease & Thyroid Foundation

authors: Jake George

The doctor said, “I think you have Graves’ disease, and I think you have had it for a while.” My mind thought back. Where had I heard of that disease before? I remembered an aunt of mine who had Graves’ disease. Her eyes bugged out like she was being choked and she had the disposition of a rattlesnake! I also remembered I had other female relatives who have had Graves’. I knew it affected men, as well as women, because President Bush was diagnosed with Graves’ about the same time.

Let me back up a little, prior to the point where the doctor told me I had a thyroid disease. Looking back on the years before I was diagnosed with Graves’, a lot of things started to fall into place. The doctor told me I had the disease coming on for around three years before it was diagnosed. They say stress or a virus can start the chain of events in motion that can bring on Graves’ disease. Three years prior to my diagnosis, I had moved to Melbourne, Florida from Milwaukee, Wisconsin.