TREATMENT

HYPERTHYROID

This can be treated by any of the following methods:

1.Medication - this stops or reduces the thyroid from making too much thyroid hormone. The length of time medication is required depends on the cause of the illness.

2.Surgery - most of the thyroid is removed and after the operation most people make a full recovery. However, a small amount of people may then go on to develop hypothyroidism.

3.Radioactive iodine - this is simple, safe and painless, you simply take a single drink of tasteless radioactive iodine or a capsule. This treatment is aimed at shrinking the thyroid gland and so reducing the activity. The treatment is safe and metabolism usually returns to normal within months.

HYPOTHYROID

Patient is advised to take thyroxine tablets, a thyroid hormone supplement, which simply replaces the thyroid hormone T4 which is not being made. Occasionally you may be given T3 replacement tablets as an alternative.

This treatment will need to be taken for life even though you should begin to feel better. Your doctor will want to monitor your condition with regular blood tests to check the thyroid hormone levels and how the treatment is working.