[shmuelc August 26, 2012 at 2:37 pm Post count: 1]

#1059309

I need to find a Doctor who supports the practice of treat Grave’s Disease through medication- rather than the invasive surgery or radiation. Could someone please guide me to a clinic or practice or physician that supports treating graves disease through medication.

[Bobbi August 26, 2012 at 6:08 pm Post count: 1324]

#1174011

Most endocrinologists that I know of, support using the antithyroid drugs, barring situations in which 1) the patient’s liver functions change drastically; or 2) the patient’s white cell count plummets; or 3) the patient has serious allergic reactions to the drugs. Not everyone is a candidate for the drug therapy. If you fall into any of those categories (or other categories in which the drugs are showing, or have the potential to show dangerous effects on the body), then you will have a hard time finding a doctor to go along with continued treatment. If you are, however, just starting out, and want to try the drugs, most endos do not have a problem with it.

[KimberlyOnline Facilitator August 27, 2012 at 9:49 am Post count: 4291]

#1174012

Hello – You can find some good resources for finding a doc in the “Looking for a Doctor?” thread in the announcements section of the forum.

You might select a few offices near you and call to see if you can get info on the doctor’s preferred treatment options.

With the guidance released last year from the American Thyroid Association and the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, there seems to be more of an emphasis on taking patient values and preferences into account when selecting a treatment option. (Unless, of course, there are medical considerations that rule out one or more options). You can read the guidance in the “Treatment Options” section at the beginning of this thread.

Take care!

[VanIsleGal August 27, 2012 at 11:04 am Post count: 66]

#1174013

I have had 3 endocrinologists, all of them not supportive of drug therapy. They all preferred a more permanent fix to Graves’ with surgery or RAI, since I was told hypothyroidism is easier and safer to control.

Now I have had Graves’ 3 times and agree with the permanent fix idea. The problem was I never tried the long-term drug therapy, more than 2 years, since I didn’t know about it. I was at high risk to come out of remission which I have done 3 times. Everyone is different but I know of 2 others patients who were also pressured to chose a permanent fix and not try drug therapy. I guess it depends on where you live.

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