Advice on Killing my hyper-thyroid

I have a hyperactive thyroid and I can't gain weight no matter what I eat or do.  I am sick of taking medication 3 times a day.  I have been thinking about having my thyroid killed so I would only have to take meds once a day and it would be taken care of.  Does anyone have any advice or comments on the matter?  Does anyone know of any side-effects to killing they thyroid?  Will it affect anything else?  Will I be able to go back to normal?
Thanks

[Mark Lupo, M.D.]

It sounds like you have Graves hyperthyroidism.

You could ask your doctor about tapazole - -which is an anti-thyroid drug that can be taken once a day.  PTU is three times a day.  I-131 is a good alternative to anti-thyroid drugs that will ablate the thyroid resulting in hypothyroidism which requires daily replacement of synthroid-like medicaiton.  There is no other significant long-term side effect other than the hypothyroidism.

Surgical removal of the thyroid is another option - or in the case of a toxic nodule, removal of that part of the thyroid.

No matter how the hyper is treated (ie anti-thyroid drugs vs I-131 vs surgery), quality of life seems to be slightly lower compared to people who never had any thyroid problems.

[hashisgirl]

Hi,
My RAI has not affected anything else, I had no side effects, now off beta blocker, on synthroid. I believe the choice is personal, and it was what my doctor suggested to . To speak with ladies who had ir done a long time ago, and to some that's a few days and weeks into it...you can visit http://groups.msn.com/GRAVESDISEASEANDRAI/home.msnw
some post here also, but this site is just ladies with Graves. Great info and support. the support here is wonderful too....can't hurt learning from both that's what I did.

[Outdoorsluver]

I have been on Tapazole for about a month, but I was on something before that for a month before that as well.  I was taking 2 tapazole pills 2 times a day...
  But as I have been researching there seems to be the option of radioactive iodine, surgery, or more pills.  What are the benefits and drawback of both RAI and surgery?  What are the side effects of both?
Thanks