is this true?

[robin1966]

i heard that if you do radioactive iodine ttreatment for graves that since your body cant attack the thyroid anymore it will attack other things in your body?

[tm514]

RAI treats the hyperthyroidism from Graves disease by rendering the thyroid incapable of producing the thyroid hormones that cause hyperthyroidism.  Since your thyroid will be "dead" in effect, the Graves antibodies will not be able to overstimulate it.  Antibodies are very specific to the thing they attack (think of the antibodies made by your body after a flu shot - every year, the strain of flu expected is different, so every year, the flu shot is made of different viruses so your body will make the right antibodies to fight of the flu if you are exposed).  You will still have the Graves antibodies in your body, but they won't have anything left to attack.  

[AR-10]

The second part is true.
The first part is not.

[robin1966]

i also read that its not a cure for graves just for hyperthyroid..have you heard of such?