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Graves Disease --SURGERY or RAI?
I am 35 years old and was recently diagnosed with Graves Disease by my endo. I am trying to decide whether I should have RAI or surgery to stop my overactive thyroid? I know that with either option I will become hypothyroid and need to be on medication after treatment. It has been difficult to get a straight answer from anyone (including my endo) as to whether I should choose surgery or RAI. If I have RAI instead or surgery can I have future issues, disease, problems, etc with my thyroid gland? I feel like this is huge life changing decision either way and I am really struggling with what to do. In the dr. office I really felt like he was pushing RAI and best treatment option so I made a quick decision but am now second guessing myself. Everything my endo told me I can read online myself. I would love some first hand advice and opinions from those of you who have had either treatment done. Pro, cons, complications after, what you know now that you wish you knew then. Any help is greatly appreciated.
Read the comment at the bottom by Puppyluvnj in the following thread:
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Thyroid-Disorders/Diagnosed-with-Hashimotos-AND-Graves-disease/show/944756
She went into remission for 20 years...that's a long time. Most often meds are tried first and a "permanent" solution is only recommended when/if meds fail. Before considering surgery or RAI, I, personally, would want to see what my reaction was to ATMs (anti-thyroid meds).
It's true that thyroid replacement hormones are not drugs, but substances our bodies make naturally, so there are very few side effects to the meds themselves. Be aware, however, that it's not always quite as simple as your doctor is making it sound...read some other threads on this forum and decide for yourself whether there's "not a chance of reaction". A low incidence of side effects, yes...but there are challenges.
I'd get a second opinion before doing anything permanent.
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Thyroid-Disorders/Diagnosed-with-Hashimotos-AND-Graves-disease/show/944756
She went into remission for 20 years...that's a long time. Most often meds are tried first and a "permanent" solution is only recommended when/if meds fail. Before considering surgery or RAI, I, personally, would want to see what my reaction was to ATMs (anti-thyroid meds).
It's true that thyroid replacement hormones are not drugs, but substances our bodies make naturally, so there are very few side effects to the meds themselves. Be aware, however, that it's not always quite as simple as your doctor is making it sound...read some other threads on this forum and decide for yourself whether there's "not a chance of reaction". A low incidence of side effects, yes...but there are challenges.
I'd get a second opinion before doing anything permanent.
No thyroid eye disease at this point. Dr. did not seem to support medication option as it can have side effects, reactions to medication. He said with RAI I would have to take the thyroid replacement meds and that there is not a chance of reaction to medication as we current have thyroid hormones in our bodies.
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