Treatment
Treatment for Graves disease aims to stop the thyroid from making hormones, Treatment also blocks the effect of the hormones on the body.
Radioactive iodine therapy
With this therapy, you take radioactive iodine, called radioiodine, by mouth. The radioiodine goes into the thyroid cells. Over time, it destroys the cells that make thyroid hormone. This causes your thyroid gland to shrink. Symptoms ease little by little, most often over several weeks to several months.
Anti-thyroid medicines
Anti-thyroid medicines block the thyroid from using iodine to make hormones. These prescription medicines include propylthiouracil and methimazole.
Because the risk of liver failure is more common with propylthiouracil, methimazole is most often the first choice.
Beta blockers
These medicines don’t stop the body from making thyroid hormones. But they block the effect of hormones on the body. They may work quickly to ease irregular heartbeats, tremors, anxiety, irritability, heat intolerance, sweating, diarrhea and muscle weakness.
Surgery
Surgery to remove the thyroid, called thyroidectomy, can treat Graves disease. You need to take thyroid medicine for the rest of your life after this surgery.
Treating thyroid eye disease
For mild symptoms of thyroid eye disease, using artificial tears during the day may be helpful. You can buy artificial tears without a prescription. Use lubricating gels at night.
In conclusion, If you have Graves disease, it’s important to take care of your mental and physical health.
Work with your healthcare team to design a plan that makes eating well, exercising and relaxing part of each day.
