Graves Disease/Hyperthyroidism/C... Disease?!


Question: Graves Disease/Hyperthyroidism/Celiac Disease.?
Help my nephew (13) was diagnosed with these 3 diseases. My sister-in-law hates modern medicine and refuses to seek treatment. She took him to a Naturopathic MD that recommend she take him to a specialist (MD). She chose to do a liver/kidney cleanse, adjust his foods and see what happens a month from now by taking another blood test. She took him to some homeopathic lady that did a test by pressing herbs against his chest and pressing on his arm to see if he reacted to the pills. She pumps him full of like7-10 pills/herbs 3-4x daily on a daily basis vs feeding him healthy foods. She does routine colon cleanses and colloidal silver as a cure all. HELP I feel like my SIL is going to kill her son! I don't know enough about the diseases or treatments to know if I am just overreacting.Health Question & Answer


Answers:
I'm not a medical doctor, but from what little I do know about hyperthyroidism I wouldn't say you're over-reacting at all. Untreated graves disease can rarely follow a relatively benign course, but if it gets out of control the potential effects are heart disease, muscle wasting, osteoporosis, blindness and a whole host of other things - including death. I'm particularly worried about the effects of him being so young - it is a rare disease in children (so you have to consider misdiagnosis) but thyroid hormone is very important in growth and Development. I direct you to this article

http://www.emedicine.com/PED/topic899.ht...
particularly where it says:
Graves disease is potentially life threatening. The most severe manifestation of Graves disease is thyroid storm, which carries a mortality risk approaching 100% in untreated adults. Recent series with newer treatments, including the use of beta-adrenergic blocking agents, show a reduced risk of death near 20%. This is such a rare disorder in children that no comparable figures are available. Even children and adolescents with less severe manifestations of Graves disease can display long-term consequences of this disorder, including problems with schooling and chronic loss of bone mineral.

I don't want to alarm you! That 'thyroid storm' thing only occurs in about 1-2% of people with long standing hyperthyroidism. (http://www.emedicine.com/EMERG/topic269.... My mother had graves disease for a long, long time before she sought help and she turned out just fine. But i think a doctor *absolutely* needs to be involved - they are all potentially serious illnesses. Is it possible that your brother could be persuaded to take him to a specialist.? I don't know how easy it is for you to get involved.Health Question & Answer

Good for you. It sounds like your nephew certainly needs proper medical attention. Not some quack pressing herbs against his chest, and feeding him raw drugs of unknown active ingredient! Perhaps you could research these sites, and even pass this info along to your SIL:

http://www.ratbags.com/rsoles/comment/ho...
http://www.herbalwatch.com
http://www.quackwatch.org
http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/Health Question & Answer

She needs to take him to a physician and realize that she is doing more harm than good.Health Question & Answer

He may need to be on medication.You should speak with her and if you are that worried than call CPS.Health Question & Answer

Hi: I was diagnosed with mild Graves disease and after about 6 months it spontaneously went away. I had the disease during a period when I was very busy and stressed, although I don't know definitely if that had anything to do with the disease. Graves disease is a form of hyperthyroidism, so this may be just one illness, not two separate illnesses.

Celiac disease is a disorder of the small intestines. The primary treatment, even among traditional MDs, is nutritional---avoid foods with gluten. These are wheat, barley, rye and, to a lesser extent, oats. There is wheat in so many foods that one must be very careful.

I don't know if a liver/kidney cleanse will do any good, but if your SIL plans to get her son another blood test in a month, then she is on the right track.

From my personal experience, I don't recommend the woman who uses herbs and pushes on your nephew's arm. This is a controversial technique called applied kinesiology, or muscle testing. I have never had good results by seeing people who do this testing.

If the naturopath suggested a specialist MD, then this is probably the best approach. Nothing your SIL is doing sounds dangerous, in my opinion, but it may delay your nephew from receiving the most effective treatment.

Modern medicine has lots of good points and lots of weaknesses. However, ask your SIL if she got hit by a truck or had a heart attack, would she go to an herbalist or head to a hospital.

Check out the links below. I wish you the best.Health Question & Answer



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