[Jake_George]

#1065830

In a word, no. TED occurs in about 15 to 20% of people with Graves’ disease. Higher TED antibody levels can be brought on by stress or your thyroid levels being high.

With the thyroidectomy, your thyroid levels should not be high unless you are taking too much replacement. The antibody levels should be low or nil since your thyroid is no longer there. Higher antibody levels can raise the TED antibody levels.

So bottom line, no thyroid, no increase in chances of TED. You run the same as anyone else with Graves to be in the above percentages.

[gatorgirly]

#1018585

I’ve been poking around the recent posts lately, and it seems that many of those who mentioned that had a thyroidectomy developed TED several years later… after all symptoms of being hyper had subsided due to the surgery. Is TED something that typically comes years after a diagnosis and successful treatment? I’m still quite hyper after a February 2010 diagnosis, and am seeing my Endo on Friday afternoon who will hopefully deliver good news and send me for more bloodwork, as I haven’t had labs since late February and my levels were very hyper at that time but I am feeling much better. I just started wearing contacts and other than getting used to them, I have had no adverse side effects, and have no symptoms of TED (other than occasional dry eyes in the early days after my diagnosis). I’m just concerned about how to do my best to prevent a TED onset down the road. My Endo is not a proponent for surgery, and I may consider a second opinion if he pushes me toward RAI, but it seems like many on this board had surgery and later ended up with TED. Is there any such correlation?

[carlydm]

#1065831

I have TED and had it before I had surgery. I was told however that if I was to have RAI that the TED could worsen which is why I chose surgery. I just had eye surgery to remove the fatty deposits under my eyes caused by Graves and they look much better but now I have scaring which hopefully goes away after time. My eyes did not get worse after surgery and surgery was the best option for me.

Carla

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