Is Tapazole Effective in Curing Toxic Goiter?

Q: I’m 30 years old and still single. A few months ago, I found out that I have toxic goiter based on my T3 and T4 test. My doctor gave me Tapazole to suppress the overproduction of thyroid hormone. Is this medicine effective? What is the cause of toxic goiter? Is there an oversupply of iodine?

What is Toxic Goiter?

Toxic goiter is a term used for hyperthyroidism or overproduction of thyroid hormones. They thyroid is a very important organ of our body. It secretes they thyroid hormone which is responsible for regulating normal metabolism or bodily function. When there is an excessive production of thyroid hormone, there is a speed-up of the metabolism or regulatory function in the body leading to hyperactivity of the target organs of the thyroid hormones. Thus the term “toxic”. An example of this is rapid heart failure. There is also excessive sweating, nerve stimulation leading to tremors, weight loss, and hyperactivity of the gastrointestinal tract leading to diarrhea. Sometimes, there is abnormal deposition of fat behind the eyeball leading to bulging eyeball called “exophthalmos”.

Causes of Toxic Goiter

Causes of toxic goiter may be outside stimulation, or oversupply of iodine as in large-dose or prolonged intake of medicines or substances that contain iodine. Sometimes, there is an unidentified infection that destroys the thyroid with release of the hormones. Many times, the cause is unknown but it may run in the family.

The most important thing is being able to diagnose the condition early to prevent complication, like heart failure, the worst-case scenario of which could be “thyroid storm” where all the bodily functions are put in “high gear”.

Effectiveness of Tapazole Against Toxic Goiter

The medicine you mentioned about is a good medicine. There are several other preparations in the market that can be given safely. It is important that your T3 and T4 be monitored to check for response. This medicine may have to be taken for a lifetime.

Alternative Cures for Toxic Goiter

However, if you want a more permanent relief from hyperthyroidism, there are two option: have the thyroid removed by surgery, or ablate it by taking Radioactive Iodine (RAI) which will kill the thyroid-tissue and therefore suppress the toxicity it is causing. The second option is becoming more popular because it’s safe and no operation is necessary. RAI requires only swallowing a glass of radioactive material. No hospitalization is needed.