Graves is an autoimmune condition where the body has produced antithyroid antibodies that cause the thyroid to over-produce thyroid hormone. Hyperthyroidism is what made you so terribly ill. Once your thyroid is removed, the only way that you can be hyperthyroid ever again, is if you are taking too much replacement hormone. So, to answer your question, from my point of view at least, you still "have" Graves (your body is still producing those antibodies at some level or other), but the likelihood of the antibodies ever making you ill again is almost nil. There is typically "some" thyroid tissue left after thyroidectomy, if only to protect the parathyroid glands which sit at the four corners. So, there is "some" thyroid tissue (but not much) that can be influenced by the antibodies. So, if those thyroid cells become overactive, or underactive, you might need to adjust your replacement hormone levels in the future, to stay at "normal" levels of thyroid hormone. But typically, we get well again, and stay well despite the ongoing presence of those antibodies.
