"The symptoms that seem to reflect that he may have Hashimoto's disease
are ridges on the fingernails,"

        Many of us who do not have Hashimoto's have ridges on the fingernails.  I
read in a book that fingernail ridges are an indication of poor nutient
absorption, where there's a lack of protein, sulfur and calcium in the diet
 -  however, hormonal imbalances can also contribute to fingernail ridging.
        I have mild ridges on my fingernails, and I'm hyperthyroid... but I've had
ridges all my life, long before coming down with Graves' Disease
Hyperthyroid.   LaVonne