What are the consequences of not treating hyperthyroidism?
What are the consequences of not treating hyperthyroidism?
If you do not treat your hyperthyroidism, you may: Lose weight because your body’s metabolism is faster. Have heart problems such as rapid heart rate, atrial fibrillation, and heart failure. Have trouble replacing calcium and other minerals in your bones, which can lead to osteoporosis.
Can you live with Graves disease without treatment?
Graves’ disease is rarely life-threatening. However, without treatment, it can lead to heart problems and weak and brittle bones. Graves’ disease is known as an autoimmune disorder. That’s because with the disease, your immune system attacks your thyroid — a small, butterfly-shaped gland at the base of your neck.
Does Graves disease require treatment?
Surgery to remove all or part of your thyroid (thyroidectomy or subtotal thyroidectomy) also is an option for the treatment of Graves’ disease. After the surgery, you’ll likely need treatment to supply your body with normal amounts of thyroid hormones.
What happens if you don’t treat thyroid problems?
The condition can be managed with medication. If left untreated, though, hypothyroidism can lead to many complications. These include heart problems, nerve injury, infertility and in severe cases, death.
Can Graves disease go into remission without treatment?
Similar to other autoimmune diseases, Graves’ disease may fluctuate in activity, and patients may occasionally enter remission without any specific therapy being given (1).
Will Graves disease shorten your life?
Patients who develop thyroid storm have a 20 to 50% chance of dying. In general, if your hyperthyroidism is caught early and you control it well with medication or other options, experts say your Graves’ disease life expectancy and prognosis is favorable.
What happens if you have no thyroid and don’t take medicine?
Skipping or stopping your antithyroid medication or thyroid hormone replacement will lead to undesirable and possibly dangerous effects. Not taking your medication also increases your risk of fatal conditions like myxedema coma if you are hypothyroid, and thyroid storm if you are hyperthyroid.
Is low thyroid treatable?
Hypothyroidism — an underactive thyroid — is a common and treatable disorder. It’s especially common in women over age 50. However, it can occur in both men and women at any age, even in babies.
What are the symptoms of Graves’s disease?
Symptoms of Graves’ disease include: Difficulty sleeping. Enlarged thyroid ( goiter ). Eye inflammation that causes eyeballs to protrude from sockets. Fast, irregular heartbeat ( arrhythmia ). Fatigue. Hand tremors. Heat intolerance. Irritability. Muscle weakness. Unexplained weight loss. How is Graves’ disease diagnosed?
How can I Manage my Graves’ disease on a daily basis?
If you have Graves’ disease, make your mental and physical well-being a priority: Eating well and exercising can enhance the improvement in some symptoms while being treated and help you feel better in general. For example, because your thyroid controls your metabolism, you may have a tendency to gain weight when the hyperthyroidism is corrected.
How long does it take for Graves disease to go away?
About one in three people with Graves’ disease develop mild GO, and about 5 percent develop severe GO. 7 This eye condition usually lasts 1 to 2 years and often improves on its own. GO can occur before, at the same time as, or after other symptoms of hyperthyroidism develop.
What are the side effects of radioiodine therapy for Graves’ disease?
Radioiodine therapy may increase your risk of new or worsened symptoms of Graves’ ophthalmopathy. This side effect is usually mild and temporary, but the therapy may not be recommended if you already have moderate to severe eye problems. Other side effects may include tenderness in the neck and a temporary increase in thyroid hormones.
