warning: contains graphic images of surgery

I have several options open to me in the treatment of my Graves disease.

1.  Medication.  I use a beta-blocker (propranolol) that controls my rapid heart rate and an antithyroid (propylthioracil) which controls my T4 count.  The major danger is an increased susceptibility to autoimmune diseases.  This treatment works for about 1/3 of all patients.

2.  Iodine Treatment.    A radioactive iodine is taken orally.  Iodine only attaches to active thyroid cells so the radioactive seek and destroy is highly effective.  This treatment works for 1/3 of all patients.  I am not eligible for this treatment because my hyperthyroidism affects my eye, causing protuberance and strain.  The iodine treatment exacerbates the ocular symptoms.


3.  Surgery.  A portion of the thyroid is removed in order to regulate the metabolism more effectively.  This option scares the living daylights out of me.  I recently had surgery to afix a plate to my collarbone after snapping it in half.  This was a freak accident.  I was not drunk.  I swear.  That probably makes it worse.  Anyway, in post op recovery I discovered that surgery is just not for me.  Not as glamorous as in the tv shows, and far more filled with nausea and excruciating pain.  I'm just not that into it.  In case you think this surgery might be for you, I am including a video so you can decide for yourself.  I was not able to watch the whole thing through so if you can please let me know how it ends.

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information in this post provided by my endocrinologist and fact checked with http://www.medicinenet.com/hyperthyroidism/page5.htm#toc7attarget=blank">http://hyperinwinnipeg.blogspot.com/</a>