Section one
Goiter and Hyperthyroid - my personal experience story
Ultrasound
Comparison - results
before and after thyroid treatment
Misc. bits of thyroid information
Frequently Asked Thyroid Questions
Section two
Miscellaneous information about this website
Section three
Email
Copyright ©1998 -
2006
molly b. All Rights Reserved
Molly b.'s Thyroid FAQ Page 2
6. Q. What are the general treatment options for hyperthyroid patients?
A. If a hyperthyroid condition is caused by thyroiditis, it will probably be a temporary condition and may require either no treatment, beta-blocking drugs such as Propranolol or Lopressor to help control the symptoms, or a corticosteroid to treat inflammation. One type of thyroiditis, Hashimoto's, often leads to hypothyroidism. This would require the usual thyroid hormone replacement prescription.
If hyperthyroidism is caused by a condition called Graves' Disease, the treatment choices will probably be: 1. medication 2. RAI (radio iodine therapy - may require a second treatment no sooner than 6 months later) 3. surgery
Sometimes the active symptoms in Graves' Disease will 'go away' for awhile ( into remission ) but it will return months or years later. RAI or surgery is sometimes required to treat it permanently.
Some medications used to treat hyperthyroidism are Propylthiouracil, Methimazole or Tapazole. If taking these medications, there is a small risk that a person may develop flu-like symptoms, which can mean the white blood cell count is being affected. This requires a blood test right away. Beta-blocking drugs such as Propranolol or Lopressor are also sometimes prescribed. These medications are also often used before a patient has surgery, to help decrease a hyperthyroid condition and its symptoms.
In hyperthyroidism with a multinodular goiter, choices may be limited to 2. and 3. above. I had a multinodular goiter and a thyroid cyst along with hyperthyroidism. The specialist did not recommend medication as an effective treatment, although I was prescribed Tapazole for a short while, until I had radioactive iodine treatment. She suggested RAI and surgery only if the RAI wasn't effective.
Once hyperthyroidism has been treated with RAI or surgery, a person may become hypothyroid. This may happen almost immediately, or years later. Your doctor will order blood tests occasionally, and hypothyroidism will be treated with thyroid hormone replacement, if it does occur. This treatment is to supplement the poorly functioning thyroid, to give your body normal or 'euthyroid' thyroid hormone levels.
My mother had a thyroidectomy in 1971 for a goiter, and also for what was, I believe, Grave's disease. Her symptoms indicate she was hyperthyroid. Her eyes were prominent and bulging somewhat. Her specialist told her that our family had a high risk for developing thyroid problems. She had no ill effects, and is troubled now only with severe scoliosis, at the age of 84. ( Scoliosis is not thyroid related. ) A heart condition has been diagnosed - it could be that her heart is 'wearing out' as a natural process of aging, or it may be due to long term effects of untreated thyroid problems. The eye problem gradually subsided, and her eyes returned to normal within 2 to 3 years after surgery.
Update, April 26, 2003 -- Research at the University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada --
"New hope in treating hyperthyroidism"
"...a new treatment alternative has been developed that gives sufferers of Graves' disease, or hyperthyroidism a fourth treatment option. Dr. Norman Wong, a medical scientist at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, and Dr. Haipeng Xiao of the Sun Yat-Sen University in Guangzhou formed a team to develop this new procedure..."
"This is the first alternative for treatment that has been developed for thyroid disease in approximately 60 years," says Dr. Wong. "Until now, an individual diagnosed with Graves' disease, or hyperthyroidism had only three choices for treatment -- oral medication, radioactive iodine, or surgery -- each with its on apparent risks and drawbacks.
The new treatment, arterial embolization, is less invasive than the standard thyroid surgical procedure, and works by cutting off the blood flow in the arteries that feed the thyroid gland. This procedure enables the function of the thyroid gland to return to normal."
7. Q. Why would the doctor prescribe a mild tranquilizer, when I'm hyperthyroid and waiting for treatment?
A. If you're having trouble getting a good night's rest, if you are feeling panicked, with a racing heart, your doctor may feel a prescription is in your best interests. I think my hyperthyroid symptoms 'crept up' on me, and now that I'm my old self again, I notice how much calmer I feel. Once your hyperthyroid condition has been treated, you may want to ask your doctor or your specialist whether a tranquilizer is still required.
8. Q. I had fainting spells and my heart started racing when I took over the counter cold medicine. Is this because I'm hyperthyroid? What foods can I eat, and what foods should I avoid if I'm hyperthyroid or hypothyroid? Are there foods that cause a goiter to develop? Will taking supplements or avoiding iodized salt help or prevent a thyroid condition?
A. Some medicines, even those sold over the counter without a prescription, can worsen the symptoms of hyperthyroidism. If you're hyperthyroid it's very important that you check with your doctor before taking any medication. And always read the warning labels. While I was hyperthyroid, the doctor told me to avoid acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) and to take acetaminophen instead, since aspirin can affect T4 readings if a person is hyperthyroid. Once you're normal/hypothyroid, providing your general health is good, these non-prescription medications are probably okay to take occasionally.
Bread, seaweed ( kelp ), seafood and ordinary table salt all contain iodine. Iodine from salt and other foods is used by the thyroid gland to make thyroid hormone.
Kelp contains very high quantities of iodine. Autoimmune thyroid disorders, such as Graves' Disease and Hashimoto's thyroiditis are aggravated by too much iodine. If you're hyperthyroid, kelp is best avoided. Too much iodine can set off hypothyroid, hyperthyroid, or thyroid enlargement (goiter) conditions if you have a poorly functioning thyroid gland.
Iodine helps to prevent some types of goiter and that is why iodine is added to our salt in North America. In normal quantities this won't affect the thyroid. Salt is also needed by the body for many processes to function correctly, so drastically reducing iodized salt intake would not be a good choice for most people.Some prescription medications are known to cause goiter, hypothyroid or hyperthyroid problems. These include Lithium and Cardorone (amiodarone).
Foods that may interfere with thyroid hormone, and should be eaten in moderation are: broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, mustard greens, peanuts, radishes, rutabaga, and soybeans. From the pamphlet, "Thyroid Hormones" available in PDF format from Health Central.
There are no herbal supplements that will alleviate, 'cure' or prevent a thyroid condition. There is ongoing international research into thyroid disorders, but at present there are no reliable, proven and safe do's and don'ts for prevention other than avoiding excess iodine.
If you have concerns about your diet in relation to a thyroid problem, ask your doctor, especially if you are considering taking 'health' foods, 'natural' remedies, or even vitamins ( some of these may contain iodine ).
Always tell the doctor or dentist if you're on thyroid medication or if you have a thyroid condition.
I asked the specialist, after hyperthyroid treatment, what she would suggest, for 'dieting' - so I could gain some weight again and because I felt so run-down. She said the best thing to do was to eat a well-balanced nutritious diet. She mentioned no restrictions of any foods. It doesn't make sense to restrict yourself from good food for no reason.
There are foods/medications that must sometimes be avoided before a thyroid scan is done, so that an accurate test result can be obtained. This should be discussed at the time your scan is scheduled. Restrictions will not always be necessary. When I had a Tc-99 scan, and when I had I131 radio iodine therapy, there were no restrictions other than discontinuing Tapazole 4 days before until 4 days after the I131.
9. Q. I was just diagnosed as hyperthyroid and had trouble getting the proper diagnosis.
A. I believe this may be more common than we would like to think. Hyperthyroidism can be easily diagnosed with a couple of simple blood tests, but if these tests aren't done, the symptoms could be mistaken for panic attacks, anxiety, depression, psychosis, diabetes, cancer, ulcers and so on, resulting in some unnecessary tests and treatments. Since women more commonly have thyroid conditions, we must beware of any chauvinism on the part of the doctors who treat us. Even in our enlightened age, there are doctors who may tend to treat symptoms as neurosis etc. instead of looking for a physical cause.
