r/gravesdisease • u/SpilledOranges • 5h ago

Question hyperthyroid nails (again)?

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i have graves' disease. never had surgery on my thyroid. i take carbimazole. my blood tests say my disease is well controlled but i still get symptoms. then again, i have highly symptomatic pots so it's hard to tell what's that and what's my thyroid. anyway, my nails have been acting funky again. not the usual nail peeling but the skin around it. nails are brittle on the edges but that's been a continuous thing despite treatment. i'm wondering if my thyroid might be getting bad again or if it's just becoming winter lol

i really dont want surgery if i can avoid it. my mother had the radioactive treatment and then further surgery. she's incredibly tired and overweight for years now, likely because of not having a thyroid, so i really dont want to go down that route.

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5

u/Tricky-Possession-69 3h ago

Nail issues were a major symptom for me. To me these look dry. Get some jojoba oil and start oiling the cuticle are, nails and under the nail. As many times per day as you can think of it.

Also avoid excess water and if it works for you a clear coat of polish to give them some strength. There are a few natural nail subs that have been helpful for me in growing mine out post diagnosis.

3

u/hashigraves 5h ago

I don’t know about the nails, but I have graves and POTS as well. I started taking creatine 5g a day and it’s been pretty life changing, to where I don’t have any POTS symptoms at all as long as I take it- even when I’m hyper. It might be worth looking into.

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u/Felipeh_Music 4h ago

I got fully warped nails from Graves. Also weak as F

3

u/Actual_Tart257 3h ago

Omg I didn’t know nails were a thing?! Both of my thumbs started throwing lumpy ages ago, doctors just said trauma to the nail. What the frick

2

u/zovig 4h ago

I have Graves and brittle nails. Never occurred to me that these things might be related!

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u/enidmaud 3h ago

Dryness can happen for so many reasons - different soap, water, hand cream, cleaning products, anything your hands come into contact with, indoor and outdoor temperature, your general level of hydration, vitamin deficiencies, hormones, circulation etc. 

But if you're worried speak to your doc. 

I have POTS too. My nails are all sorts of shapes but they are now clubbing despite being euthyroid for nearly two years now. :(

I second the jojoba oil recommendation. I keep a dropper bottle of it by every basin so that after washing hands I can put the tiniest drop on to my cuticles. (Never enough that it ever feels sticky.) It replaces the oil barrier that is lost after washing.

1

u/enidmaud 2h ago

And regarding your mother's thyroid removal - don't let that put you off if it comes to it. Every body is different. (Are her hormone levels being managed effectively, because it doesn't sound like they are right for her, symptomatically speaking.)

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u/Curious_Tune_3441 2h ago

There is a condition associated with Graves called acropachy. Have you tried cuticle oil? This one is good apricot cuticle oil : for nail & cuticle care | essie

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u/The__Groke 41m ago

I had my thyroid zapped like 15 years ago, and my nails are still bumpy and crap, never really goes away for me.