Hyperthyroidism can lead to more serious problems. So even if your symptoms are not bothering you, you still need treatment. The kind of treatment you have depends on your age, what is causing your hyperthyroidism, how much thyroid hormone your body is making, and other medical conditions you may have. Each kind of treatment has benefits and risks. Discuss the benefits and risks of each kind of treatment with your doctor. For some people, more than one kind of treatment may be needed.
Antithyroid medicines
Antithyroid medicines work best if you have mild hyperthyroidism, if this is the first time you are being treated for Graves’ disease, if you are younger than 50, or if your thyroid gland is only swollen a little bit (small goiter).
Radioactive iodine
Radioactive iodine is often recommended if you have Graves’ disease and are older than 50, or if you have thyroid nodules (toxic multinodular goiter) that are releasing too much thyroid hormone. Radioactive iodine is not used if:
• You are pregnant or you want to become pregnant within 6 months of treatment.
• You are breastfeeding.
• You have thyroiditis or another kind of hyperthyroidism that is often temporary.
Surgery
If your symptoms do not go away after your initial treatment, you may need to repeat the treatment or try a different treatment.
Surgery to remove all or part of your thyroid gland (thyroidectomy) may be needed if:
• A large goiter blocks the airways, making it difficult to breathe
• You cannot tolerate antithyroid drugs and you do not want to use radioiodine
• There is a nodule in the thyroid gland that could be cancer
• You have active Graves’ eye disease
• You can’t have the other treatments mentioned above
• Your symptoms come back after trying the treatments mentioned above
References:
http://www.webmd.com/women/tc/hyperthyroidism-treatment-overview
https://www.uptodate.com/contents/hyperthyroidism-overactive-thyroid-beyond-the-basics
