1. How long does it take to treat hyperthyroidism with internal medicine, will the indexes be close to the normal value all the time and how long is it normal to approach the standard value?
A: The regular course of treatment of hyperthyroidism with internal medicine takes 1.5 to 2 years. Generally, the indexes are close to normal about 3 months after taking the medicine, and then the dosage is gradually reduced until the maintenance dosage is taken for about half a year. If less than 1.5 years, it is likely to relapse after stopping the drug.
2.What should I do if there is recurrence during drug treatment? Should I consider switching to another treatment if it recurs several times?
A: If recurrence occurs during drug treatment, first of all, non-drug factors should be ruled out, such as strain, mental stress, iodine-containing diet not under control, etc. If none of these factors are present, or if the duration of drug treatment has exceeded 2 years, it is time to consider switching to I-131 treatment. Because in this case, even further medication by increasing the dose etc. cannot cure hyperthyroidism.
3. If liver damage or white blood cell reduction, skin allergy or other adverse effects occur during drug treatment, should I switch to other drugs or stop taking the drugs and switch to other treatment modalities?
A: Generally, it is recommended to switch to other treatment methods, such as I-131, because there are cross-reactions between different drugs. If you are allergic to one drug, allergy may occur even if you switch to another drug.
4. During the treatment of hyperthyroidism, the index is close to the standard value and the medication is in maintenance, is it possible to get pregnant?
A: It is theoretically possible to get pregnant with propylthiouracil if you are taking maintenance doses. However, the risk is that hyperthyroidism may worsen after pregnancy, and if the dose is increased, the child will not be able to have a baby. You can’t take any chances when it comes to having a baby, and you must make the best preparations.
5.How can I cope with the mental and physical exhaustion during the review and the great psychological torture?
A: A big part of the difficulty in seeing a doctor is that it takes a lot of time not only to go to and from the hospital, but also to wait in line for consultation, examination and medicine, which makes people physically and mentally exhausted. If you don’t want to put up with this kind of torture, I-131 treatment can be a very effective alternative. A course of I-131 treatment only requires two consecutive days of hospital visits, the first day for examination, the second day for diagnosis and medication, and the next 2-3 reviews, which is very convenient.
6. For newly diagnosed hyperthyroidism, besides medication, can Iodine 131 or surgery be used directly?
A: Patients with newly diagnosed hyperthyroidism can be treated with I-131 directly. Unless there are special indications for surgery, such as a particularly large thyroid gland with pressure symptoms, surgery is generally not recommended as the first choice.
7. Is surgical treatment less side effects than Iodine 131 treatment?
A: On the contrary, all the side effects of I-131 treatment will be present in surgery, such as hypothyroidism, while those that are not present in I-131 treatment will also be present in surgery, such as bleeding and nerve damage. Therefore, surgery is no longer the preferred treatment for hyperthyroidism.
8.After receiving I-131 treatment, will there be temporary or permanent hypothyroidism? If hypothyroidism occurs, how long will it take to adjust to the same level as normal people, and will people be tired during the adjustment period and will it affect their work?
A: If hypothyroidism occurs within one year of taking I-131, it is likely to be temporary. If you are mentally fine and your heart rate is greater than 65 beats per minute, you can stop taking Eugenol and let your body adjust on its own. More than half of the patients can return to normal with no medication. It is true that you will be tired during the adjustment period due to hypothyroidism, but you can usually tolerate it. If the symptoms are obvious, you can also take a small amount of Eugenol.
9.After receiving Iodine 131 treatment, if the patient has lifelong hypothyroidism and has to take the medication for life, will the pregnancy be the same as normal, how will the medication affect the child and will it have no effect on the quality of life?
A: You can get pregnant after taking Eugenol until the nail function index is normal and stable, but of course you should continue to take the medication during pregnancy and adjust the dose of medication according to the laboratory index. As long as the nail function index is stable and normal, you can have a healthy baby.
10.How long will it be appropriate to have a baby after receiving Iodine 131 cure?
A: After six months, and the nail function indexes reach normal.
11.If it is lifelong hypothyroidism, will forgetting to take the medication during the period have any effect on the body? Shouldn’t we also review the medication frequently and adjust the dosage according to the result?
A: Forgetting occasionally is not a big problem. Usually, you can fine-tune the dosage according to your heart rate, and generally reduce the dosage in summer and increase it in winter.
12. Can Chinese medicine treat hyperthyroidism or assist in treating hyperthyroidism, or is it better to follow up with some Chinese medicine after curing hyperthyroidism, so that the effect will not be easy to relapse?
A: Chinese medicine is generally not recommended for hyperthyroidism, especially not hot medicine. Hypothyroidism can be treated with herbal medicine.
13.For patients who have been cured of hyperthyroidism, what should be noted in order to avoid recurrence?
A: The main thing is not to strain and stress, and not to eat food and medicine with high iodine content.
14.For the 3 types of treatment and relapse after treatment, what kind of treatment should be adopted respectively to be the most beneficial?
A: If you have regular treatment with internal medicine and the course of treatment reaches 1.5 to 2 years, you can change to I-131 treatment. if you relapse after I-131 treatment, you can use I-131 treatment again, and if you can use internal medicine, you can also use drug-assisted treatment.
15. Is it okay to lose weight when hyperthyroidism is basically stable?
A: Not recommended, especially not for strenuous exercise and diet pills. It is safer to wait for the eradication of hyperthyroidism before considering weight loss. Moreover, weight gain is a normal sign of improvement of hyperthyroidism, while weight loss during hyperthyroidism is pathological.
16. Can hyperthyroidism patients breastfeed?
A: Patients suffering from hyperthyroidism are often aggravated after delivery and need to increase the dose of anti-thyroid medication, which can affect the thyroid function of infants through breast milk. If the mother is treated with radioactive I-131, the drug can also pass through the breast milk and cause hypothyroidism in the baby. Therefore, breastfeeding is not allowed.
17.What should I pay attention to in terms of diet, sleep and emotion during hyperthyroidism?
A: Avoid iodine and stimulating foods such as spicy food and coffee and tea. Emotions should be relaxed, avoid excitement, and ensure sufficient sleep.
18.How to determine which treatment is suitable for you?
A: From the current clinical choice, the first choice should be I-131 treatment, which is preferred by about 70% of hyperthyroidism patients in the United States. Of course, if you have concerns about I-131, or if you are a minor with hyperthyroidism, you can try internal medication first. About 50% of patients can be cured with internal anti-thyroid medication. If the enlarged thyroid gland is particularly obvious, surgery can also be considered.
19.How to effectively prevent hyperthyroidism?
A: The cause of hyperthyroidism is not very clear. Avoiding emotional stress, work stress, moderate intake of iodine-containing food and less stimulating food may have a role in preventing the occurrence of hyperthyroidism.
Is there any effective way to kill hyperthyroidism at its source?
A: The cause of hyperthyroidism is not yet clear, so it is still difficult to treat hyperthyroidism at its source. Comparatively speaking, the efficiency of I-131 treatment is higher, up to 95% or more.