| Avoiding Common Thyroid Pitfalls: Rushing into RAI |
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by Mary Shomon In Europe, radioactive iodine/radioiodine (RAI) is the last choice for treatment of Graves' disease and hyperthyroidism, after antithyroid drugs and surgery -- while in the U.S., it's often the first choice. But for some patients, Graves' and hyperthyroidism can go into remission with antithyroid drugs, making RAI unnecessary. And RAI is a permanent solution, exposes you to radioactivity, and can aggravate thyroid eye disease, among other side effects. So, before you rush to RAI, you should do your homework. That involves reading the following articles.
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