Just diagnosed with Graves Disease and want to dive anyway..

[TSandM]

I think the majority of Graves patients elect to ablate the thyroid, either by radiation or surgery, and take Synthroid. It works well and is not terribly difficult to titrate. The suppressant drugs, on the other hand, all have side effects, and do not cure the underlying problem.

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

Francesca, not sure who DAN hooked you up with but Concord Hospital has a hyperbaric facility with physicians who can evaluate divers. If you're further south, Mass. Eye and Ear Infirmary in Boston may be closer.

Re the "mellow shore diving": I'd echo what TSandM said above. It's best to avoid diving until you're cleared by a diving physician.

Best regards,
DDM

 

[Francesca-NH]

DAN is an amazing resource! ! I actually was given five doctors within a 2 Hour Drive of me and even though none specialize in this area of concern I was told by Dan that I could call them back and speak with a doctor over the phone once I began to improve about what to do to get cleared if the local doctors can't help me.. I have absolutely decided against irradiating my thyroid for now because I have a small dog at home and no children of my own but children in my life I don't want to expose to radiation. Quarantining myself would be tough. Thanks everyone for pointing me in a direction!

 

[cutlass]

Radiation or surgery are usually second options, after medical control with antithyroid drugs. Well written in an FAQ style (see Table 2), a complete guideline can be found here . Recommendation 4 is particulary informative in regards to considerations for treatment options.

 

[TSandM]

Just to clarify -- immediate control of symptoms is done with antithyroid drugs; definitive treatment of the condition almost always involves thyroid ablation, either by radioactive iodine or by surgery.

 

[Francesca-NH]

Wow that is a great source of information. Thank you for turning up the link.

---------- Post added March 7th, 2013 at 10:53 PM ----------

My endocrinologist offered me a choice between ablation and medication and it seems from what I have been reading this might not be the norm..

 

[Francesca-NH]

Just updating to say my Graves DX was reversed to Thyroiditis unknown cause. This is the 2nd time this has happened to me. My blood levels are returning to normal and I am off beta blockers. My resting pulse went from 140 to mid 60s in less than 8 weeks and I just started running again. We have a dive trip coming up in Honduras and unless something changes again I should be fine to dive according to my endocrinologist. Its not what my docs expected but I am thrilled to put it mildly. Thanks for the information everyone was able to pass along.