graves disease

[flacatalaca]

hi! on October from last year i touch my neck and i had a nodule i though it was stress. so i went to get a check up with my doctor and he told me it was hyperthyroidism. and he refer me to the endocrinologist.she gave 100mg of methymazole, after a month i started having this ugly muscle pain and in my blood results show problems with liver and kidneys and nobody listen to me , so i had to change specialist, then he run some test. When i went back to get my results he told me to get the radiation that it's my only option because i have severe hyperthyroidism.I went to get like a scan of my thyroid and a reading on my thyroid.the doctor told then to stop my medicine cause i was getting the radiation. But i did some research and i found that this is the only place (U.S.A.) they do radiation.In other country's they treat it with medicine or alternative medicine.then i bought this products(IMMUNOCAL) and i went to 60mg of methymazole but now my eyes are poping out again and my lips got purple and  more simtoms ... so i don't know what to do, because they're telling me i'll die if i don't do the iodine radiation. so please can you give a advice?  

[Mark Lupo, M.D.]

did they give you the cause of the hyperthyroidism -- ie Graves (most likely) or a toxic nodule?  In the USA there is a tendency to use more I-131, but in many other countries (and in our office) we often use anti-thyroid meds such as methimazole for Graves and consider surgery for treatment as well.  If it is a hot nodule, then would recommend either I-131 or surgery (w/ an expert thyroid surgeon).  If Graves, then we try methimazole first (usually at doses of 5-20mg/day), if that is not working then discuss pros/cons of I-131 vs surgery which is a decision that should be customized to the individual patient.

[flacatalaca]

Hi Mr.LUPO . I'm so happy you reply to me, thank you!! I have graves disease.When i first began my treatment i was taken 10 pills of 10mg each a day, but that's when i start having the muscle pain, the alkaline low and other one i can't remember the name,but i know it had to do with the liver, which showed it was high.When i went to the 2nd specialist he told me i was hypo.And that;s when i stop the methimazole to do the test were they give you a iodine pill and you have to go back 2hr later to get a scan of your neck and a thyroid reading to see how much iodine radiation you are gonna need..I stop my pill for three weeks, but when i went back for the results and to schedule the appointment for the radiation i got scare,He told me i have severe graves disease,. I don't know if it's just to scare me. so that day he put me back on my meds and i got swollen, my eyes were red, my lips got purple, i have palpitations and my eyes start to pop out again, but i don't know if it's the meds or that i was with out my pills for three weeks. He did offer surgery but i don't want to give up yet.I want to try the thyroid meds, and then if i don't have a solution i'll just get either one. But i think they're rushing to do the I-131, instead of try to stabilize  my gland.I want to ask your opinion on a book called GRAVES DISEASE practical guide by Elaine Moore.And were r you located??