Scots gran with bulging eyes left riddled with anxiety after crippling thyroid disease diagnosis

01.04.2022 - 15:33 / dailyrecord.co.uk

A Scots gran left with bulging eyes and a neck scar from an autoimmune condition says people staring at her in the street has left her riddled with anxiety.

Clare-Louise Farrell, from Head of Muir, Falkirk, was diagnosed with thyroid condition Graves' Disease in May 2017.

As a symptom of her illness, her immune system mistakenly attacks the muscles and fatty tissues around and behind her eyes, causing them to swell.

It also attacks the thyroid, making it overactive. As a result, Clare-Louise had life-saving surgery to remove her thyroid in January 2019, to avoid the risk of a heart attack, which left a scar across her neck.

Untreated Graves' Disease can lead to blindness or even a thyroid storm, where organs can shut down, sometimes resulting in stroke or death.

Clare-Louise, 41, said her bulging right eye and neck scar has left her anxiety-ridden when she's out in public.

The telecommunications worker told the Record: "Walking down the street with Graves' Disease can knock your self-confidence. I'm on anxiety medication because of it.

"People stare at you because they think you're staring at them, because my eyes can be so swollen.

"People make fun of others online too. You see comments under photos and I often point out that they might have Graves' Disease. It's a common condition, yet not many people know about it and it can leave you feeling really down.

"With my scar, I used to wonder, do people think I've been slashed with a knife? I'd often wear scarves to work as I was so self-conscious of it.

"Now I see it as my warrior wound as it represents all what I've been through over the past few years."

The gran-of-three added: "Brain fog is another symptom I've experienced and I often forget things or repeat myself.

"Initially

Tags: Symptoms patient Immunic Scotland

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