Hyperthyroidism Treatment in Sharjah
Medically reviewed by Dar Al Kamal Team
What is hyperthyroidism treatment?
Hyperthyroidism treatment is the set of options used to bring an overactive thyroid back to normal hormone levels and to ease the symptoms it causes. Excess thyroid hormone speeds up the body, causing a racing heart, weight loss despite a good appetite, tremor, anxiety, heat intolerance, loose bowels and poor sleep.
The key to treatment is the cause, because each cause behaves differently:
| Cause | What happens in the gland |
|---|---|
| Graves' disease | An antibody switches the whole gland on; the most common cause |
| Toxic nodule or multinodular goitre | One or more lumps produce hormone independently |
| Thyroiditis | Inflammation releases stored hormone for a limited period, often after a viral illness or pregnancy |
Hyperthyroidism treatment at Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah is led by the endocrinology team, who confirm the cause first and then plan treatment with you.
Who needs it
Hyperthyroidism treatment is for people whose thyroid function tests show a low TSH with raised thyroid hormone, usually alongside symptoms. It also covers people with a known overactive thyroid whose treatment needs review, women with an overactive thyroid who are planning a pregnancy, and people with Graves' disease affecting the eyes.
A milder pattern, called subclinical hyperthyroidism, shows a low TSH with normal hormone levels; the team decides whether it needs treatment according to your age, heart rhythm and bone health. In the summer, heat intolerance is easy to put down to the Sharjah climate, so a racing pulse or unexplained weight loss is worth checking.
What happens
The first step is identifying the cause. Blood tests measure thyroid hormones and thyroid antibodies, and a thyroid ultrasound or an uptake scan through nuclear medicine shows whether the gland is uniformly overactive or has hot nodules. If nodules are found, thyroid nodule assessment runs alongside.
While the cause is confirmed, a heart-rate-calming medicine is often used to ease palpitations and tremor quickly. The main treatment is then chosen from three options:
- Antithyroid tablets reduce the amount of hormone the gland makes. In Graves' disease they are often given as a course, after which some people stay in remission. Blood tests are repeated regularly to adjust the dose.
- Radioactive iodine is swallowed as a capsule or drink. The thyroid takes it up and the gland's overactive tissue is gradually switched off. It is planned with nuclear medicine.
- Thyroid surgery removes part or all of the gland, suited to large goitres, pressure symptoms, some cases of eye disease, or when other options are unsuitable.
Thyroiditis usually settles by itself, and treatment then focuses on symptom relief while hormone levels are watched.
The endocrinology team explains the practical trade-offs of each option, including pregnancy plans, eye involvement and the likelihood of needing thyroid hormone replacement later, and the choice is made together.
Preparing for it
Bring all previous thyroid results and scan reports, a list of your medicines and supplements, and your Emirates ID and insurance card. Tell the team about any recent CT scan with contrast dye, iodine supplements or kelp tablets, because iodine affects both uptake scans and radioactive iodine treatment.
If you might be pregnant, are breastfeeding, or plan a pregnancy soon, say so at the first visit, because it shapes the choice of treatment. If you smoke, stopping is especially valuable in Graves' disease, as smoking worsens thyroid eye disease.
Afterwards
Symptoms usually ease over the weeks after treatment starts, as hormone levels come down. Regular blood tests are part of the plan, more often at first, so the dose can be adjusted and an overshoot into an underactive thyroid can be caught and treated early.
After radioactive iodine, you receive written advice about limiting close contact with children and pregnant women for a period and about avoiding pregnancy for a set time. Many people later need thyroid hormone replacement, managed through thyroid disorder management.
Contact the hospital straight away if you develop a sore throat, mouth ulcers or fever while taking antithyroid tablets, and stop the tablets until a blood count is checked. **Go to the emergency department straight away for a very fast or irregular heartbeat with chest pain or breathlessness, high fever with confusion or agitation, or sudden eye pain or loss of vision.**
Cost and insurance
Most UAE insurance plans cover consultations, thyroid blood tests and antithyroid tablets. Uptake scans, radioactive iodine and thyroid surgery commonly need pre-approval, supported by the blood results and scan reports. Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah can help you confirm cover on 06 599 7777.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the risks of hyperthyroidism treatment?
Each hyperthyroidism treatment carries its own risks. Antithyroid tablets can cause rash and liver effects and, rarely, a sharp fall in white blood cells, which is why a sore throat with fever needs an urgent blood test. Radioactive iodine often leads to an underactive thyroid and can worsen thyroid eye disease in some people, and surgery carries risks to the voice and calcium levels. Hyperthyroidism can also return after a course of tablets.
Is hyperthyroidism curable?
Hyperthyroidism can often be brought under lasting control. Some people with Graves' disease go into remission after a course of antithyroid tablets, while radioactive iodine and surgery usually end the overactivity permanently, often at the cost of needing lifelong thyroid hormone replacement.
Will radioactive iodine make me radioactive?
Radioactive iodine leaves a small amount of radiation in the body for a short time after treatment. You are given written precautions, such as limiting close contact with young children and pregnant women and sleeping apart for a period, and these are temporary.
Can I get pregnant with an overactive thyroid?
Many women with an overactive thyroid have healthy pregnancies, but treatment needs planning before conception, because some antithyroid tablets are preferred at different stages of pregnancy and radioactive iodine requires waiting before trying to conceive. Tell your doctor early if pregnancy is possible.
Why are my eyes affected by my thyroid?
Graves' disease can inflame the muscles and tissue behind the eyes, causing grittiness, redness, bulging or double vision. This thyroid eye disease is linked to the same antibody, is made worse by smoking, and may need assessment by an eye specialist alongside thyroid treatment.
Can I fast in Ramadan with an overactive thyroid?
Many people with a controlled overactive thyroid can fast, with tablet timing moved to the pre-dawn and evening meals as agreed with their doctor. If the condition is newly diagnosed or poorly controlled, fasting may be unwise until levels settle, so discuss it before Ramadan.
Will I gain weight after treatment?
Some weight gain is common after hyperthyroidism treatment, because the body's metabolism slows back to normal and appetite may stay high for a while. Regular blood tests help avoid overshooting into an underactive thyroid, and early attention to diet helps.
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