Is hyperthyroidism deadly? is it cureable?

My sister, 16 years old, was recently diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. We're worried that all the medications she's taking are making her gain weight and leave her short of breath, but she needs them to lower her heart rate/blood pressure. they could also reverse the disorder to HYPOthyroidism, which apparently is even more dangerous. Is there a safer/more affective treatment? any info would help.

Tell her to just pray and take it easy.

SploocH!

As long as the condition is known, which it is, it is hightly treatable, and in many cases, cureable. My mother suffered from it 20 years ago and was given a radioactive pill that literally dissolved her thyroid, and the problem was solved. On a light note, my father was a chemistry teacher at the time, so we held the geiger counter up to her throat and the needle went off the board! It was a funny family way of handling her medical concern. All was well, and she has been great ever since. No worries. Good luck to your sister. She will be fine.

Treatment and frequent testing/monitoring is essential. Also, quitting smoking if you do is very important to control this malady. Hope you both live long healthy lives. Please see the link in the sources section.

If your parents wanted to push for surgery, your sister could possibly have a thyroidectomy, a complete removal of the thyroid gland. No more hyperthyroidism but she would be on thyroid hormones for the rest of her life. But at 16, she may not be a good candidate for excision. It's also possible that she may be candidate for radioactive iodine therapy. As for the question "is hyperthyroidism deadly?" If untreated, it can lead to heart failure. "Is it cureable?" Yes, in a matter of speaking: surgically. Otherwise it's managed medically. Your sister's meds and/or dosages will most likely require adjustment and may need adjustment several times.

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It can be cureable with surgery and/or radioactive iodine therapy, she would have to be on meds the rest of her life though, thyroid medication, most likely not blood pressure/heart rate meds though. The dangers of hyperthyroidism is that your metabolism is so fast you don't absorb nutrients and in some cases I have known with animals, not sure on people, they can starve to death but still be eating enough to feed 10 pets. I work as a volunteer in animal grief counselling. Alot of pets have passed on from the condition because there is only 1 medication animals can tolerate, and only so much you can give them. By the time pets get diagnosed, they are in bad shape and poor risks for surgery or radioiodine. People are different, it's very successful and there are several kinds of meds we can take. I'm hypothyroid from previously being hyper. You do gain weight which is good. She could consult a natural medicine doctor to try alternatives but I have not heard of very many that do much. It's safer just to take the thyroid meds. They can stabilize her more if it turns to hypo rather than hyper. and if she can have it surgery is the ultimate fix.