Looking for info on Toxic Multinodular Goitre's !!

[Newcastle2013]

HI All, I googled the condition after recently being diagnosed, but found the info was a little on the light-touch side, can anyone direct me to a useful site, or is there anyone willing to share their experience. The Consultant has told me it could take years to become an issue, but could be an issue much sooner (being a worrier this didn't give me any relief lol) :S

[shaws Administrator]

This is the only thing I can find at present. It is from a Pulse Online article by Dr Toft who was President of the British Thyroid Association. It looks as if eventually you would have hyperthyroidism.

5 Patients with hyperthyroidism often ask for advice on drug treatment versus radioiodine therapy. Can you summarise the pros and cons of each?

The three treatments for hyperthyroidism of Graves’ disease – antithyroid drugs, iodine-131 and surgery – are effective but none is perfect.4

Iodine-131 will almost certainly cause hypothyroidism, usually within the first year of treatment, as will surgery, given the move towards total rather than subtotal thyroidectomy.

There is no consensus among endocrinologists about the correct dose of thyroid hormone replacement so patients may prefer to opt for long-term treatment with carbimazole. Standard practice is that carbimazole is given for 18 months in those destined to have just one episode of hyperthyroidism lasting a few months.

But there’s no reason why carbimazole shouldn’t be used for many years in those who do relapse. Any adverse effects such as urticarial rash or agranulocytosis will have occurred within a few weeks of starting the first course.

Iodine-131 treatment for toxic multinodular goitre is the most appropriate choice as hypothyroidism is uncommon. Surgery would be reserved for those with very large goitres and mediastinal compression.

Once hyperthyroidism has developed in a patient with a multinodular goitre, it will not remit and any antithyroid therapy would have to be lifelong.

[Newcastle2013 in reply to shaws]

Thanks

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

Perhaps this will be helpful:

thyroidmanager.org/chapter/...

Not, I suggest, light-touch.

Rod