Overactive Thyroid

Treatment

An overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) isusually treatable.

You'llnormally be referred to an endocrinologist (specialist in hormone conditions) to plan your treatment.

The main treatments are:

These are outlined below. You can also read a summary of the pros and cons of the treatments for an overactive thyroid , allowing you to compare the options.

Medication

Medicines called thionamides are a common treatment for an overactive thyroid. These stop your thyroid producing excess hormones.

The main types used arecarbimazole and propylthiouracil.

You'll usually need to take the medicine for amonth or two before you notice any benefit. Youmay be given anothermedication called a Beta-blockers to quickly relieve your symptoms in the meantime.

Once your thyroid hormone level is under control, your dose may be gradually reduced andthen stopped. But some people need to continue takingmedication for several years or possibly for life.

Side effects

During the first couple of months, some people experience the following side effects:

feeling sick
headaches
aching joints
an upset stomach
an itchy rash

These should pass as your body gets used to the medication.

A less common but more serious side effect is a sudden drop in your white blood cell level (agranulocytosis) , which canmean you're very vulnerable to infections.

Contact your doctor immediately if youget symptoms of agranulocytosis , such as a fever, sore throat orpersistent cough so a blood test can be carried out to check your white blood cell level.

Radioiodine treatment

Radioiodine treatment is where radiation is used to damage your thyroid, reducing the amount of hormones it can produce. It's a highly effective treatment that can cure an overactive thyroid.

You're given a drink or capsule that contains a low dose of radiation, which is then absorbed by your thyroid. Most people only require a single treatment.

Itcan take a few weeks or months for the full benefits to be felt, so you may need to take one of the medications mentioned abovefor a short time.

The dose of radiation you're givenis very low, but there are some precautions you'll need to take after treatment:

avoid prolonged close contact with children and pregnant women for a few days or weeks
women should avoid getting pregnant for at least six months
men shouldn't father a child for at least four months

Radioiodine treatment isn't suitableif you're pregnant or breastfeeding. It's alsonot suitable if your overactive thyroid is causing severe eye problems .

Surgery

Occasionally, surgery to removeall or part ofyour thyroid may be recommended.

This may be the best option if:

your thyroid gland is severely swollen (a large goitre )
you have severe eye problems resulting from an overactive thyroid
you can't have the other treatments mentioned above
your symptoms come back after trying the treatments mentioned above

Removing the entire thyroid gland is normally recommended, as this cures an overactive thyroid andmeansthere's no chance of the symptoms coming back.

Butas a result, you'll need to take medication for the rest of your life to make upfor not having a thyroid these are the same medications used to treat an underactive thyroid .