and women. Your healthcare provider’s goal is to return your thyroid
hormone levels to normal. This can be done in a variety of ways and each
specific treatment will depend on the cause of your thyroid condition.
If you have high levels of thyroid hormones (hyperthyroidism), treatment
options can include:
Anti-thyroid drugs (methimazole and propylthioracil): These are medications
that stop your thyroid from making hormones.
Radioactive iodine: This treatment damages the cells of your thyroid,
preventing it from making high levels of thyroid hormones.
Beta blockers: These medications don’t change the amount of hormones in
your body, but they help manage your symptoms.
Surgery: A more permanent form of treatment, your healthcare provider may
surgically remove your thyroid (thyroidectomy). This will stop it from
creating hormones. However, you will need to take thyroid replacement
hormones for the rest of your life.
If you have low levels of thyroid hormones (hypothyroidism), the main
treatment option is:
Thyroid replacement medication: This drug is a synthetic (man-made) way to
add thyroid hormones back into your body. One drug that’s commonly used is
called levothyroxine. By using a medication, you can manage thyroid disease
and live a normal life.
