How is graves' disease typically treated?

3 choices: The most common treatment is swallowing a pill with radioactive iodine to kill the thyroid. The least common treatment is surgery to remove the thyroid. After either of these, a person must take daily thyroid hormone forever. A third option involves taking pills to slow the thyroid down for 12-24 months and hoping that the thyroid works properly on its own afterwards.

Treating Graves: The status of the thyroid must be evaluated and treated first. When this is stable frequently the graves will get better or even go into remission whatever that means.If the graves is threatening vision then it is an emergency and medical and /or surgery may be indicated. There is no "cookbook" and each person is unique.

Treating graves: There are 3 treatments for Graves' disease, medication, radioactive iodine ablation, and surgery. Medications block the effects of the overproduction of thyroid hormone. They are generally used for life. Radioactive iodine kills the thyroid tissue but may need to be repeated. Those that are radiation averse shy away from this option. Surgery has historically been held as the 3rd option.