Grave’s disease (GD) generally has a positive outlook. Most people with GD can keep their signs and symptoms under control and maintain a reasonably good quality of life. However, a major portion of patients with GD also develop hypothyroidism and require thyroid gland replacement or thyroidectomy. This is brought on by high levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor antibody (TRAb) and left-over thyroid tissue post-ablation (FACP, n.d.).
In a recent study, GD patients who have received antithyroid drug treatment were found to have increased risks of developing diabetes. Moreover, the risks appear to increase as the treatment prolongs (Song et al., 2021)
GD patients may also develop a dermopathy form of the disease known as Pretibal Myxedema (a.k.a. Graves' dermopathy) (Cleveland Clinic, n.d.).
Common symptoms of Pretibal Myxedema:
Plaque and swelling in the skin of the lower legs
Carbohydrates build up in the skin tissue
Edema
Sore and itchy skin
Thick and scaly lumps
Skin color changes from yellow to red to purple
Waxy skin similar to orange peels
Therefore, patients must cooperate closely with healthcare specialists because each person may have different therapy and continued management and monitoring are required to help preserve an optimistic prognosis (Ginsberg, 2003).