Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCausesSymptomsDiagnosisTreatmentPreventionFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Causes
Symptoms
Diagnosis
Treatment
Prevention
Frequently Asked Questions
Post-ablative hypothyroidismcan happen after you have a thyroidablationto treat certain thyroid diseases. Thyroidablationis a common, non-surgical medical procedure that decreases the function of some, or all, of the thyroid gland. It can be used to treathyperthyroidism,Graves’ disease, orthyroid cancer.
This article explores post-ablative hypothyroidism causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.
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Post-ablative Hypothyroidism Causes
The thyroid gland produces and releases thyroid hormones into the bloodstream to help regulate the body’s metabolism. The thyroid’s function affects almost all body processes, including the central nervous system, digestion, menstruation, body temperature, development, and heart, bone, and muscle health.
If all or part of the thyroid gland is destroyed (ablated), it cannot produce sufficient levels of thyroid hormone to support the body’s needs. This leads to an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism).
How Common Is Post-ablative Hypothyroidism?Up to 80% of people who have undergone radioactive iodine treatment for thyroid disease develop post-ablative hypothyroidism within six months.
How Common Is Post-ablative Hypothyroidism?
Up to 80% of people who have undergone radioactive iodine treatment for thyroid disease develop post-ablative hypothyroidism within six months.
Commoncausesof post-ablative hypothyroidism include:
Post-ablative Hypothyroidism Symptoms
Post-ablative hypothyroidism typically occurs three to six months after radioactive iodine treatment.Common post-ablative hypothyroidismsymptomsinclude:
People who have all of their thyroid glands removed through ablation are immediatelydiagnosed with hypothyroidismbecause there is no way for the body to continue producing thyroid hormone on its own.
If you still have part of your thyroid gland, your healthcare provider will orderthyroid blood teststo measure the levels of thyroid hormone in your bloodstream starting four to six weeks after treatment.
Thyroid blood tests will be repeated every one to three months for the first year. After that, your thyroid hormone levels will be checked annually. However, let your provider know if you develop hypothyroidism symptoms in between appointments.
Thyroid hormone replacement therapy is the standard treatment for post-ablative hypothyroidism. Synthroid, Levoxyl, Unithroid, or Levothroid (levothyroxine)—a synthetic version of the thyroid hormonethyroxine(T4)—is taken daily to restore and stabilize thyroid hormone levels.
For most people, thyroid hormone replacement is a lifelong treatment. It is very important that you keep taking the medication even if you no longer have hypothyroidism symptoms.
A small percentage of people with post-ablative hypothyroidism experience a temporary deficiency of thyroid hormone and only need short-term treatment with thyroid hormone replacement therapy. This condition is called “transient hypothyroidism.”
However, this condition almost always eventually progresses to permanent hypothyroidism.
How Hypothyroidism Is Treated
A more recent study in 2016 found that the more risk factors a person has—including the presence of thyroid antibodies, largegoiter(enlarged thyroid gland) size, and a history of Graves’ disease—the higher their risk for developing post-ablative hypothyroidism soon after the procedure.
Summary
Post-ablative hypothyroidism occurs after thyroid gland ablation when the thyroid gland does not make enough thyroid hormone to meet the body’s needs. Radioactive iodine (RAI) treatment is the most common thyroid ablation procedure in the U.S.It treats thyroid diseases like hyperthyroidism, Graves’ disease, or thyroid cancer.
Symptoms of post-ablation hypothyroidism include fatigue, weight gain, cold intolerance, depression, and dry, coarse skin and hair. Levothyroxine, a synthetic version of the thyroid hormone thyroxine (T4), is highly effective at treating hypothyroidism. Most people need to stay on the treatment for life.
A Word From Verywell
Developing post-ablative hypothyroidism after a thyroid ablation is very common. Talk to your healthcare provider about any hypothyroidism symptoms you develop after a thyroid ablation procedure so you can start treatment if needed.
Frequently Asked QuestionsThyroid ablation is a medical procedure that involves destroying (ablating) all or part of the thyroid gland. The most common form of thyroid ablation in the U.S. is radioactive iodine treatment (RAI).Post-ablative hypothyroidism happens because the thyroid gland is not making enough thyroid hormone to support the body’s needs.Hypothyroidism occurs immediately if the entire thyroid gland is ablated. People who have part of their thyroid gland remaining may develop hypothyroidism within a year after the ablation.Hypothyroidism does not always occur after ablation, but it is highly likely. An estimated 80% of people who had a thyroid ablation develop hypothyroidism within a year after the procedure.
Thyroid ablation is a medical procedure that involves destroying (ablating) all or part of the thyroid gland. The most common form of thyroid ablation in the U.S. is radioactive iodine treatment (RAI).
Post-ablative hypothyroidism happens because the thyroid gland is not making enough thyroid hormone to support the body’s needs.Hypothyroidism occurs immediately if the entire thyroid gland is ablated. People who have part of their thyroid gland remaining may develop hypothyroidism within a year after the ablation.
Post-ablative hypothyroidism happens because the thyroid gland is not making enough thyroid hormone to support the body’s needs.
Hypothyroidism occurs immediately if the entire thyroid gland is ablated. People who have part of their thyroid gland remaining may develop hypothyroidism within a year after the ablation.
Hypothyroidism does not always occur after ablation, but it is highly likely. An estimated 80% of people who had a thyroid ablation develop hypothyroidism within a year after the procedure.
9 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Salman F, Oktaei H, Solomon S, et al.Recurrent graves' hyperthyroidism after prolonged radioiodine-induced hypothyroidism.Ther Adv Endocrinol Metab. 2017;8(7):111-115. doi:10.1177/2042018817730278Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Radioisotope Brief: Iodine-131 (I-131).Society for Endocrinology.Thyroid gland.Sheehan MT, Doi SA.Transient hypothyroidism after radioiodine for graves' disease: challenges in interpreting thyroid function tests.Clin Med Res. 2016;14(1):40-45. doi:10.3121/cmr.2015.1297Wan Mohamed WMI, Sayuti SC, Draman N.Hypothyroidism and its associated factors after radioactive iodine therapy among patients with hyperthyroidism in the northeast coast state of malaysia.J Taibah Univ Med Sci. 2018;13(5):432-437. doi:10.1016/j.jtumed.2018.06.004National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid).British Thyroid Foundation.Treatment of an overactive or enlarged thyroid gland with radioactive iodine.Ahmad AM, Ahmad M, Young ET.Objective estimates of the probability of developing hypothyroidism following radioactive iodine treatment of thyrotoxicosis.Eur J Endocrinol. 2002;146(6):767-775. doi:10.1530/eje.0.1460767Husseni MA.The incidence of hypothyroidism following the radioactive iodine treatment of graves' disease and the predictive factors influencing its development.World J Nucl Med. 2016;15(1):30-37. doi:10.4103/1450-1147.167582
9 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Salman F, Oktaei H, Solomon S, et al.Recurrent graves' hyperthyroidism after prolonged radioiodine-induced hypothyroidism.Ther Adv Endocrinol Metab. 2017;8(7):111-115. doi:10.1177/2042018817730278Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Radioisotope Brief: Iodine-131 (I-131).Society for Endocrinology.Thyroid gland.Sheehan MT, Doi SA.Transient hypothyroidism after radioiodine for graves' disease: challenges in interpreting thyroid function tests.Clin Med Res. 2016;14(1):40-45. doi:10.3121/cmr.2015.1297Wan Mohamed WMI, Sayuti SC, Draman N.Hypothyroidism and its associated factors after radioactive iodine therapy among patients with hyperthyroidism in the northeast coast state of malaysia.J Taibah Univ Med Sci. 2018;13(5):432-437. doi:10.1016/j.jtumed.2018.06.004National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid).British Thyroid Foundation.Treatment of an overactive or enlarged thyroid gland with radioactive iodine.Ahmad AM, Ahmad M, Young ET.Objective estimates of the probability of developing hypothyroidism following radioactive iodine treatment of thyrotoxicosis.Eur J Endocrinol. 2002;146(6):767-775. doi:10.1530/eje.0.1460767Husseni MA.The incidence of hypothyroidism following the radioactive iodine treatment of graves' disease and the predictive factors influencing its development.World J Nucl Med. 2016;15(1):30-37. doi:10.4103/1450-1147.167582
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Salman F, Oktaei H, Solomon S, et al.Recurrent graves' hyperthyroidism after prolonged radioiodine-induced hypothyroidism.Ther Adv Endocrinol Metab. 2017;8(7):111-115. doi:10.1177/2042018817730278Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Radioisotope Brief: Iodine-131 (I-131).Society for Endocrinology.Thyroid gland.Sheehan MT, Doi SA.Transient hypothyroidism after radioiodine for graves' disease: challenges in interpreting thyroid function tests.Clin Med Res. 2016;14(1):40-45. doi:10.3121/cmr.2015.1297Wan Mohamed WMI, Sayuti SC, Draman N.Hypothyroidism and its associated factors after radioactive iodine therapy among patients with hyperthyroidism in the northeast coast state of malaysia.J Taibah Univ Med Sci. 2018;13(5):432-437. doi:10.1016/j.jtumed.2018.06.004National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid).British Thyroid Foundation.Treatment of an overactive or enlarged thyroid gland with radioactive iodine.Ahmad AM, Ahmad M, Young ET.Objective estimates of the probability of developing hypothyroidism following radioactive iodine treatment of thyrotoxicosis.Eur J Endocrinol. 2002;146(6):767-775. doi:10.1530/eje.0.1460767Husseni MA.The incidence of hypothyroidism following the radioactive iodine treatment of graves' disease and the predictive factors influencing its development.World J Nucl Med. 2016;15(1):30-37. doi:10.4103/1450-1147.167582
Salman F, Oktaei H, Solomon S, et al.Recurrent graves' hyperthyroidism after prolonged radioiodine-induced hypothyroidism.Ther Adv Endocrinol Metab. 2017;8(7):111-115. doi:10.1177/2042018817730278
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Radioisotope Brief: Iodine-131 (I-131).
Society for Endocrinology.Thyroid gland.
Sheehan MT, Doi SA.Transient hypothyroidism after radioiodine for graves' disease: challenges in interpreting thyroid function tests.Clin Med Res. 2016;14(1):40-45. doi:10.3121/cmr.2015.1297
Wan Mohamed WMI, Sayuti SC, Draman N.Hypothyroidism and its associated factors after radioactive iodine therapy among patients with hyperthyroidism in the northeast coast state of malaysia.J Taibah Univ Med Sci. 2018;13(5):432-437. doi:10.1016/j.jtumed.2018.06.004
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid).
British Thyroid Foundation.Treatment of an overactive or enlarged thyroid gland with radioactive iodine.
Ahmad AM, Ahmad M, Young ET.Objective estimates of the probability of developing hypothyroidism following radioactive iodine treatment of thyrotoxicosis.Eur J Endocrinol. 2002;146(6):767-775. doi:10.1530/eje.0.1460767
Husseni MA.The incidence of hypothyroidism following the radioactive iodine treatment of graves' disease and the predictive factors influencing its development.World J Nucl Med. 2016;15(1):30-37. doi:10.4103/1450-1147.167582
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