Grave’s Disease
Improvement from Graves’ Disease
Oscar traveled from Oslo with a diagnosis of Graves’ disease, an autoimmune hyperthyroidism that can also affect the eyes. He had been living with this condition for 25 years. Following a two-week treatment at our medical center in Cyprus, he was able to reduce his medication by half. With ongoing monitoring and home treatment, he eventually achieved a 75% reduction in his medication dosage, and his thyroid test results returned to normal.
Patient History, Symptoms and Other Treatments
Oscar, a 52-year-old patient, sought treatment for Graves’ disease, an autoimmune form of hyperthyroidism that he had been diagnosed with 25 years ago. His condition primarily affected the eyes. At the time of his visit, he was taking neomercazole 5mg twice a day and levothyroxine 125mg once a day. Ultrasound examination revealed an enlarged thyroid gland with a few small cysts measuring less than 3mm.
“The problems began when I had my amalgam fillings removed. Along with irritability, anxiety and emotional instability, I started experiencing vision problems. I now easily tire and exhaust myself with no worries, especially after participating in sports activities.”
—Oscar
Understanding Graves’ Disease
Similar to Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Graves’ disease is an autoimmune disorder. In this condition, the body produces antibodies that stimulate the thyroid gland, mimicking the action of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). This excessive stimulation leads to hyperthyroidism. While Graves’ disease can affect individuals of any age or gender, it predominantly affects women aged 20-50, particularly those with a family history of thyroid disease.
The symptoms associated with this disease mirror those of hyperthyroidism and include sleep disturbances, fatigue, heat intolerance, excessive sweating, rapid heartbeat and irritability, tremors in the hands, increased appetite accompanied by weight loss, diarrhea, menstrual irregularities, fertility issues, and eye irritation and inflammation.
In some cases, the disease can cause goiter (an enlarged thyroid gland) and may be accompanied by exophthalmos, a condition where the eyes appear bulging due to swelling behind them. However, this complication is relatively uncommon.
Severe cases of Graves’ hyperthyroidism often present noticeable painless enlargement of the thyroid gland. Complications of Graves’ disease can include heart failure or osteoporosis. Pregnant women with Graves’ disease face a higher risk of miscarriage, preterm birth, and low birth weight.
Diagnosis and Test Results
Ultrasound examination revealed an enlarged thyroid gland with slight inhomogeneity in the tissue, a few scattered cysts smaller than 3mm, and a few small nodules smaller than 3mm. The adjacent salivary glands appeared normal, and no enlarged lymph nodes were detected.
Urinary tests revealed increased excretion of toxic heavy metals, including mercury, arsenic, barium, rubidium, and tin, possibly attributed to Oscar’s work environment and the amalgam fillings he had removed. Moderate increases in lead, antimony, cesium, and nickel excretion were also noted.
The heavy-metal sensitivity test indicated mild intolerance (allergy) to aluminum and silver, with no reaction detected for lead, organic mercury, mercury, nickel, or cadmium. It’s worth noting that silver, found in amalgam fillings and other products like jewelry and water filters, can cause allergies in certain individuals. Chronic exposure to silver can lead to a condition called argyria, characterized by a grayish-silver discoloration of the skin.
Aluminum, present in trace amounts in food and drinking water, does not have a direct link to any specific disease, although its role in Alzheimer’s disease remains unclear. To reduce aluminum exposure, it is advised to avoid consuming water containing aluminum salts and minimize consumption of canned goods, processed cheese, and cakes.
In addition, Oscar tested positive for IgG antibodies against measles, Epstein-Barr, and cytomegalovirus (C.M.V.), indicating past infections with these viruses.
Stool tests revealed increased levels of IgA, suggesting an elevated microbial load of potentially pathogenic bacteria and the need for antimicrobial treatment. There was also an increased risk of infection by the protozoan blastocystis spp. Cultivation identified the presence of Klebsiella oxytoca and Citrobacter freundii, potentially pathogenic bacteria. Microscopic examination did not reveal any parasites, but sparse detection of blastocystis spp. was confirmed using P.C.R.
It is important to note that non-pathogenic intestinal microorganisms exist in symbiosis with humans, meaning they coexist harmoniously. However, dysbiosis occurs when potentially pathogenic microorganisms disrupt this balance, leading to problems and diseases.
Dysbiotic bacteria are associated with various conditions, including gastrointestinal disorders (such as irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, gastritis, and ulcers), autoimmune diseases (such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and Graves’ disease), allergies, asthma, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases (such as hypertension and heart disease).
Treatment Plan
The treatment plan included a combination of intravenous therapies, such as DMPS (a chelating agent), magnetic field therapy, intestinal hydrotherapy, plaque injection therapy, phosphatidylcholine infusions, and more.
Outcome
Following the two-week treatment in Cyprus, Oscar reduced his medication dosage by 50%. With continued treatment at home for three months, a further reduction to 75% was achieved.
The TRAb (thyrotropin receptor antibodies) test, which measures the antibodies stimulating thyroxine production, showed significant improvement. While the initial value upon arrival was 11, the test result in July 2022 was 3.7, although still higher than the normal range (<1.8).