Over active thyroid

[nicolekirstie]

Has anyone else on here had Graves' disease? I firstly got diagnosed at 19 I'm now turning 24 and it's flared up again.

The dr said I will be referred to the specialist department at my local hospital but they will more than likely want to give me radioiodine treatment.... has anyone else had this?

[timeistight]

Radio Iodine is usually a no-no for women under 40 or anyone whose eyes are involved.

You can take the drugs long term at a low dosage if you need to.

They'll try to push you into RAI because it's cheap. You have the right to think about what will work best for you.

Good luck.

[WhyDidIEatThat]

RAI didn’t work for me a couple of years ago, something suppressed the uptake, so more carbimazole for a longer time then almost 99% decided to go for surgery next year if it’s calmed down sufficiently.

They told me at the very beginning that unless I was lucky enough to go into long remission the only ‘cure’ was surgery or RAI but I’m scared of hypothyroidism although it’s starting to look more appealing as time goes by.

[ivykaty44]

I refused RAI and eventually

[suepowell]

Have you tried alternative treatment like Ayurveda etc.? Which part of UK you live in? There are some Ayurveda hospitals in London I think.

[Cracklesfire]

I was diagnosed at 7/8 but I was on big doses of carbimazole so options were RAI or thyroidectomy. My mum wouldn't consent to RAI and I understand why. I had a partial thyroidectomy when I was 10.

In pregnancy a few years ago what's left of my thyroid went into overdrive and I was able to drop my dose of thyroxine significantly. Unfortunately this pregnancy my TSH is climbing and I've had to double my thyroxine in the last 3 months. It's the only time it bothers me now.

My cousin was diagnosed at 6 but on a tiny dose of carbimazole for last 20+ years. He's recently had RAI.