Hyperactive: Anyone avoided surgery through diet?

[JudyP13]

I've got an overactive thyroid due to Graves disease and because I reacted badly to the carbiomosel drug I'm down to have surgery to remove my thyroid on the 11th March.

I know I will still have graves disease/autoimmune problem so removing the thyroid doesn't change that.

I am wondering if there is a way to save my thyroid using diet and I wondered if anyone has done this, got any thoughts or an I just overthinking?

I know getting the operation is the easy option and I will be able to move forward but it does seem extreme way of doing it

thank you for any thoughts

[TiggerMe Ambassador]

Have they not tried you on propylthiouracil (PTU)?

[JudyP13 in reply to TiggerMe]

No apparently not sadly for the same reason I can't have the carbimozel because it rapidly reduced my white blood count

[TiggerMe Ambassador in reply to JudyP13]

How do they know it will do that unless you trial it? I wonder if it might be the price difference Carbimazole a couple of £'s a box PTU £20-£40 🫤🤷‍♀️

[JudyP13 in reply to TiggerMe]

thank you TiggerMe I will ask and push for it.

[PurpleNails Administrator]

A few members have tried natural / diet / holistic approaches but none have reported long term control, especially when levels are dangerously high as can occur with Graves.

Chemically carbimazole & PTU are quite different & work slightly different but doctors become very concerned when Carbimazole induces neutropenia (lowers white blood cells) drs tend to not want to risk trying any antithyroid as they would be responsible if it worsened your WBC count.

What are your current TSH, FT4 & FT3 levels?

[JudyP13 in reply to PurpleNails]

hi PurpleNails i only have T3 which was 21.5 - blood test was last week

[PurpleNails Administrator in reply to JudyP13]

Well dr really needs to be testing with TSH & FT4, you also need lab range. Level still high. Dr prefer it under control when possible, usually lugols iodine is given before surgery. Has this been discussed with you?

[JudyP13 in reply to PurpleNails]

Yes I have to start taking it on the 1st March. Its just me wondering what else is possible other than surgery but its also pretty late in the day now as well

[pennyannie]

Hey there again :

You might like to read of the alternative and more holistic treatment options as detailed in Elaine Moore's books and website which we now need to access through the archives :-

web.archive.org/web/2024122...

There is also naturalendocrinesolutions.c...

but I've no experience as there was little around back in 2004 when I found myself in a similar position :

I still don't understand why you can't try Propylthiouracil - PTU :

[JudyP13]

Thank you for the links Pennyannie. I've started following the natural endocrine solutions hence why my question came up. Will check out Elaine Moore. The reason I was told for not being able to have PTU was because of the sudden drop in white blood count. Even the ENT surgeon who is taking my thyroid out asked the same question and was told that it was contraindicated 🤷‍♀️

[humanbean]

I have never heard of someone being denied a trial of PTU after they had problems with Carbimazole.

...

These two links from the BNF - British National Formulary - might have some useful info.

bnf.nice.org.uk/drugs/carbi...

bnf.nice.org.uk/drugs/propy...

...

The Clinical Knowledge Summary for Hyperthyroidism :

cks.nice.org.uk/topics/hype...

[JudyP13 in reply to humanbean]

Thank you Humanbean am checking these links out now