Hello and welcome – Not a silly question at all…this is actually an area of some controversy, even in the medical community. Some doctors will use the word “cured” in response to patients who have been through RAI for Graves’. But it’s really more accurate to say that one’s *hyperthyroidism* is cured following this procedure. Thyroid Eye Disease can still occur following treatment, even years later. In rare cases, thyroid tissue can grow back and eventually cause another cycle of hypERthyroidism. In addition, the latest medical guidance on pregnancy recommends antibody testing for all pregnant women with a past history of Graves’, due to the risk of passing antibodies on to the fetus.
I’m a fellow patient, not a doctor, but to me, these issues indicate that hyperthyroidism can be treated, but Graves’ doesn’t disappear completely. If you have to give a medical history to a new doctor, I would suggest saying something like, “I received RAI for Graves’ disease 26 years ago and I am now taking replacement hormone.” Hope this helps!
