Thyroid (goiter)
Toxic goiter (Graves' disease), hyperthyroidism and toxic adenoma
Short answer
Toxic goiter (Graves' disease) is an autoimmune disease with excess secretion of thyroid hormones. According to Dr. Shirvan Zekeriyeyev's approach, the first choice in Graves' disease is always drug treatment. There are patients who go into remission with medication. When there is a contraindication to drug treatment, another method is chosen. “Having a toxic goiter does not necessarily mean that surgery is needed.”
Schematic illustration
General information
- Symptoms of hyperthyroidism: palpitations, heavy sweating, irritability, trembling, insomnia, weight loss, a choking sensation.
- Graves' ophthalmopathy (toxic goiter and the eye).
- These are changes that occur in the eye in toxic goiter. It can have an aggressive course and can cause serious vision problems.
- Mechanism: the tissue behind the eyeball grows and pushes the eye forward.
- Diagnosis: made on the basis of bulging of the eyeball, pain in the eyeball, changes in thyroid hormones in the blood (TSH, T3, T4) and laboratory tests.
- It is assessed in two ways: activity and severity.
- Signs of activity: pain behind the eyeball; pain when looking up or down; redness and swelling of the eye or eyelid; increased bulging of the eye; reduced eye movement.
- The treatment method (medication, radiotherapy, surgical decompression) is chosen according to the degree of activity and severity.
- If detected and treated in time, the changes can be reversed; if there is a delay, the effect of treatment decreases.
- Toxic adenoma.
- A single thyroid nodule that releases more hormone into the blood than normal. It causes symptoms of hyperthyroidism such as a choking sensation, palpitations, weight loss and irritability.
- It usually develops as a single nodule, not against the background of a goiter. It occurs most often in “hot” (active) nodules; the diagnosis is confirmed by ultrasound and scintigraphy.
- Treatment in most cases is radioactive iodine or surgical removal.
- If you feel a nodule in your neck and there is weight loss, sweating or tachycardia, see a doctor.
- Iodine. It is not right for a patient with toxic goiter to take iodine — it can make the condition worse. More details: Can a goiter patient take iodine?.
In the doctor's practice
- “In toxic goiter (Graves' disease), our first choice is always drug therapy. If there are contraindications to drug treatment, another treatment method is chosen.”
- The doctor has patients in whom remission was achieved with medication. In the doctor's words: “With the right diagnosis and willpower, it can be treated. You just have to trust your doctor.”
Q&A
Can toxic goiter be cured with medication?
In Graves' disease, drug treatment is the first choice, and there are patients who go into remission with medication. When there is a contraindication to medication, another method is chosen. Toxic goiter does not necessarily mean surgery.
Can Graves' ophthalmopathy be reversed?
If it is detected and treated in time, it can be reversed. If there is a delay, the effect of treatment decreases.