# Wife just diagnosed. What are here treatment options?



## GoldenGirlinBR (Nov 30, 2009)

My wife was just diagnosed with Graves today.

She's been losing a lot of weight over the past few months and has some heart palps. Now it's time to get on top of this.

What are her treatment options? So far it seems radioactive iodine or removal are the only two options. Are there any others? Seems like there would be some advanced or newer treatments available.

Right now she's making an appointment to see a cardiologist to make sure we're on top of the heart issue until we can decide on the best course of treatment.

Thanks for any advice you can offer. She may or may not be logging in here to participate but I'll be here.


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## GoldenGirlinBR (Nov 30, 2009)

Also, what hospitals/clinics in the United States are considered to be the best?

Thanks.
Brett


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

GoldenGirlinBR said:


> My wife was just diagnosed with Graves today.
> 
> She's been losing a lot of weight over the past few months and has some heart palps. Now it's time to get on top of this.
> 
> ...


Hi and welcome to you and your wife. Oh, dear...........I am sorry to hear that. However, it is something that can be treated. That is the good news. I have a very very good quality of life now so take heart on that.

There is one other treatment option which would be taking anti-thyroid medication. That is long-term and there are no promises. Plus, the med is hard on the liver and in my humble opinion, the patient is never completely well. If I could make my choices over again, I would go straight on to RAI or ablation.

Does your wife have a goiter? How are her eyes? Did doc put her on a beta-blocker to slow that heart down a bit?

Please let us know what the cardiologist has to say.


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## Nova (Nov 12, 2009)

I agree with Andros, Brett, the two options your wife has been presented with - ablation or RAI are the way to go, my personal opinion and that of my interpretation of posts by others who chose medications over the treatment options and then ultimately went with treatment anyway. I also agree, RAI was the way to go for me. I also enjoy an improved quality of life. It's hard to reach out and talk about something so personal and so scary, but this message board is a great source of support that we can all supply to each other. Best wishes to your wife, sounds like she has a very supportive and pro-active husband, that's so very important for her to have!!


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## critterz (Oct 15, 2009)

RAI would be my recommendation also. It has gotten me feeling more normal quicker. The terrible symptoms started disappearing very quickly! I loved the PTU, though, while I waited for the RAI. It settled everything down and I felt better than I had in a very long time. Cudos to you for your concern for your wife. I went through all of this alone and noone around me knew anything about this and I felt that they thought I was whining. It would have been so wonderful to have someone be there with me through all of that.


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

I had surgery after 4 years on anti thyroid drugs and have no regrets other than wishing I had done it sooner.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Lovlkn said:


> I had surgery after 4 years on anti thyroid drugs and have no regrets other than wishing I had done it sooner.


I sure could not agree more. Life began anew again at that point!arty0006:


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