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Suggest An Alternative Treatment For Hashimoto’s Disease And Goiter Instead Of Thyroidectomy
I was told by my Primary Care Dr. I had a goiter with nodules and Hashimotos disease. I was told to see an Endocrine Dr for further evaluation. After at 45 minute visit with an Endocrine Dr. I was told I needed to have my thyroid removed. My thyroid is enlarged and pressing against my Thrachea causing it to be a bit crooked. Shocked and Scared! No other alternative was given...Looking for a second opinion and/or Alternative treatment....I m also overweight and other issues. Question: Can the thyroid gland and nodules be shrunk? Alternative treatment for the thyroid such as special diet? What about finding out the root cause FIRST rather than 1st option being surgery? please help me! I m hoping surgery is a last resort....I don t want to suffer the consequences of not having a thyroid...and a life of medication. 55yr old female Black/Native American (Seminole) culture.
Thu, 28 Jun 2018
Hello and Welcome to ‘Ask A Doctor’ service.
I have reviewed your query and here is my advice.
Your thyroid diagnosis are multinoduar goiter and Hashimoto's thyroiditis. You are in specific circumstances ,because your enlarged nodular thyroid press the trachea and this will gradually progress in difficulty in breathing or swallowing.
In these circumstances it is recommended to do a total thyroidectomy and to eliminate the nodular goiter before you have definitive consequences in trachea. Others possible alternative of treatment is radioactive Iodine therapy. The radioactive iodine therapy can be helpful to ablate the thyroid gland but the results are not immediate and it is not the first choice therapy, if there is a trachea compression. Sometimes,especial in large goiters, is necessary to repeat the RAI therapy 2-3 time for the right results. In both cases, thyroidectomy or RAI therapy it is necessary to take life long thyroid hormone replacement therapy,after the procedure.
Hope I have answered your query.
Let me know if I can assist you further.
I have reviewed your query and here is my advice.
Your thyroid diagnosis are multinoduar goiter and Hashimoto's thyroiditis. You are in specific circumstances ,because your enlarged nodular thyroid press the trachea and this will gradually progress in difficulty in breathing or swallowing.
In these circumstances it is recommended to do a total thyroidectomy and to eliminate the nodular goiter before you have definitive consequences in trachea. Others possible alternative of treatment is radioactive Iodine therapy. The radioactive iodine therapy can be helpful to ablate the thyroid gland but the results are not immediate and it is not the first choice therapy, if there is a trachea compression. Sometimes,especial in large goiters, is necessary to repeat the RAI therapy 2-3 time for the right results. In both cases, thyroidectomy or RAI therapy it is necessary to take life long thyroid hormone replacement therapy,after the procedure.
Hope I have answered your query.
Let me know if I can assist you further.
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