Pediatric Thyroid Center at Chop - Follow - Up after thyroid surgery or ablation - 7 of 9

>> THE FOLLOW-UP THAT OCCURS AFTER SURGICAL REMOVAL OF THE THYROID GLAND FOR GRAVES' DISEASE IS ACTUALLY A LITTLE LESS COMPLICATED THAN GIVING RADIOACTIVE IODINE. THEY CAN GO ON THYROID HORMONE REPLACEMENT SOONER. THYROID HORMONE, COMPARED TO THE MEDICINES WE USE TO TREAT GRAVES', IS A MUCH SIMPLER PRESCRIBING SCHEDULE. IT'S AT ONCE-A-DAY MEDICINE. IT'S A VERY STABLE MEDICINE, AND WE MAY ONLY NEED TO FOLLOW THYROID FUNCTIONS EVERY THREE TO SIX MONTHS AND EVENTUALLY MAYBE EVEN ONLY ONE OR TWO TIMES A YEAR, DEPENDING ON THE AGE OF THE PATIENT. FOR A GRAVES' DISEASE PATIENT THAT'S UNDERGONE ABLATION, USUALLY IT TAKES ABOUT FOUR TO SIX MONTHS AFTER GIVING RADIOACTIVE IODINE TO SEE THAT YOU'VE GIVEN ENOUGH OF IT TO GET RID OF THE THYROID GLAND. SO THE FOLLOW-UP DURING THAT THREE TO SIX MONTHS AFTER GIVING RADIOACTIVE IODINE TO A GRAVES' DISEASE PATIENT MAY BE MORE FREQUENT THAN EVERY THREE MONTHS. IT MIGHT BE LABS EVERY COUPLE WEEKS OR AT LEAST LABS EVERY MONTH TO TRY TO FOLLOW HOW EFFECTIVE THAT TREATMENT DOSE WAS.