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Graves’ Disease Treatment in Dubai

November 10, 2026

Dr. Hecham Harb

Consultant Endocrinologist & Medical Director

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Quick answer

Graves’ disease is an autoimmune cause of an overactive thyroid. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) attributes around 4 out of 5 US cases of hyperthyroidism to Graves’ disease. Treatment options include antithyroid medication, radioactive iodine and surgery. Some people also develop thyroid eye disease, which needs its own assessment and, sometimes, specialist treatment. Endocare’s endocrinologists in Dubai diagnose and treat Graves’ disease and discuss which option is appropriate for you.

Key takeaways

Graves’ disease is caused by an antibody, thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulin (TSI), which stimulates thyroid cells to produce too much thyroid hormone.
NIDDK puts Graves’ disease at nearly 1 in 100 Americans, and women and people over 30 are affected more often.
A family history of thyroid autoimmune disease, other autoimmune disorders and nicotine use can each make Graves’ disease more likely.
NIDDK reports Graves’ ophthalmopathy, the eye disease linked to the condition, in more than 1 in 3 patients, and most of them have mild symptoms.
NIDDK gives antithyroid medication an average total treatment time of around one to two years, although treatment can continue for many years.
After a total thyroidectomy, daily thyroid hormone replacement is needed for life. After radioactive iodine, an underactive thyroid is common, although when it develops varies.
Endocare’s endocrinologists see patients with Graves’ disease at our Dubai clinic in Dubai Healthcare City and refer to other specialists where a procedure is needed.

In one line: Graves’ eye disease can follow its own course, so your endocrinologist assesses the eyes separately and refers you to an ophthalmologist where symptoms are more than mild.

01 Introduction

Graves’ disease is an autoimmune condition in which the immune system produces an antibody that acts on the thyroid in the same way as thyroid-stimulating hormone. The gland responds by producing too much thyroid hormone, which causes an overactive thyroid, also called hyperthyroidism. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) states that Graves’ disease affects nearly 1 in 100 Americans. This page covers who develops Graves’ disease, how it is diagnosed and treated, and the eye disease that can accompany it.

02 What Graves' disease is

NIDDK states that in Graves’ disease the immune system makes an antibody called thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulin (TSI) that attaches to thyroid cells. Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) from the pituitary gland normally controls how much hormone the thyroid produces. TSI is not subject to that control. As a result, the thyroid can continue to produce too much hormone regardless of the signal from the pituitary.

03 Who develops Graves' disease

NIDDK states that Graves’ disease is more common in women and in people older than age 30. It lists the factors that raise the likelihood:

A family history of Graves’ disease or Hashimoto’s disease
Other autoimmune disorders, including vitiligo, autoimmune gastritis and rheumatoid arthritis
Using nicotine products

Of these factors, only nicotine use can be changed.

04 The symptoms of Graves' disease

Graves’ disease produces the symptoms of an overactive thyroid. NIDDK lists weight loss despite an increased appetite, a rapid or irregular heartbeat, nervousness, irritability and trouble sleeping. Fatigue, shaky hands, muscle weakness, sweating or trouble tolerating heat, frequent bowel movements and an enlarged thyroid, called a goitre, are also on its list. Two further features can point specifically to Graves’ disease: changes in the eyes, and a rare thickening of the skin, most often on the shins, called Graves’ dermopathy.

Our page on treatment for an overactive thyroid covers the condition, its tests and its treatment in more detail.

05 How Graves' disease is diagnosed

Your endocrinologist will confirm an overactive thyroid first, from a suppressed TSH with a raised free T4 or free T3, and then identify the cause. NIDDK states that a hyperthyroidism diagnosis cannot be based on symptoms alone.

The thyroid antibody test, and what it shows

A positive thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulin result supports Graves’ disease as the cause, as opposed to an overactive nodule or inflammation of the gland. This distinction matters because the treatment options may not work equally well for every cause. Where the antibody result is unclear, your endocrinologist can arrange an ultrasound and, if needed, a radioactive iodine uptake scan to show which part of the gland is overactive.

06 How Graves' disease is treated

Our endocrinologists work within the 2016 American Thyroid Association guidelines for the diagnosis and management of hyperthyroidism and other causes of thyrotoxicosis. The treatment options for Graves’ disease are antithyroid medication, radioactive iodine and surgery. A beta-blocker can ease symptoms such as a rapid heartbeat alongside any of them. NIDDK states that a beta-blocker does not stop the thyroid from producing hormone.

Antithyroid medication

Antithyroid medication reduces how much hormone the thyroid produces. NIDDK states that treatment takes around one to two years on average, although it can continue for many years. Before you start, your endocrinologist will explain the safety instructions the American Thyroid Association sets out:

Stop taking further doses and seek medical care immediately if you develop a fever or a severe sore throat, because the American Thyroid Association advises a complete blood count and no further doses until your doctor clears you to restart
Contact your doctor immediately if you develop a red skin rash or hives
Contact your doctor immediately if you notice yellowing of your eyes or skin, itching, or dark urine, because these can indicate liver injury

The American Thyroid Association describes the fall in white blood cells, called agranulocytosis, as rare and potentially life-threatening.

Radioactive iodine

NIDDK states that radioactive iodine slowly destroys the cells of the thyroid gland that produce thyroid hormone. It also states that almost everyone treated this way later develops hypothyroidism, which is easier to treat than hyperthyroidism with a daily thyroid hormone medication. A nuclear medicine service delivers the treatment. Your endocrinologist will refer you where it is indicated and will manage your thyroid levels afterwards.

Surgery

Surgery removes part or most of the gland. The American Thyroid Association states that a total thyroidectomy requires lifelong supplementation with thyroid hormone afterwards. Endocare does not perform thyroid surgery. Where an operation is indicated, your endocrinologist will refer you to a surgeon.

07 Remission and relapse after a course of antithyroid medication

A course of antithyroid medication can end in remission, meaning thyroid levels that stay normal without further treatment. The condition can also return after the medication stops, which is called a relapse. Because a relapse is possible, your endocrinologist will continue to check your thyroid levels after the course ends, at intervals based on your results.

Where the condition returns, your endocrinologist can discuss another course of medication or a definitive treatment. Neither option is necessarily better. The right choice depends on your individual assessment, how well you tolerate treatment and what you can realistically sustain long term. Your endocrinologist will work through these factors with you.

08 Graves' eye disease

NIDDK states that more than 1 in 3 people with Graves’ disease develop an eye disease called Graves’ ophthalmopathy. Most people have mild symptoms. The eye disease is caused by the same autoimmune process acting on the tissues around the eye. It can follow a different course from the thyroid condition.

The eye symptoms to watch for

NIDDK lists the following symptoms of Graves’ eye disease:

Bulging eyes
Gritty or irritated eyes
Puffy eyes
Sensitivity to light
Pressure or pain in the eyes
Blurred or double vision

Seek medical advice immediately for any change in vision, double vision or severe eye pain.

What makes the eye disease worse

NIDDK states that Graves’ eye disease often improves with treatment or even resolves on its own, although it can come back or get worse. It names stressful life events and smoking as triggers.

When you need an eye specialist

Your endocrinologist will monitor mild eye symptoms alongside your thyroid levels. Where symptoms are more than mild, where vision changes or where the eyes become painful, your endocrinologist will refer you to an ophthalmologist. Endocare does not provide ophthalmology.

09 Smoking and Graves' disease

NIDDK lists the use of nicotine products among the factors that make Graves’ disease more likely. It also states that smoking makes Graves’ eye disease worse. For these reasons, we recommend that patients with Graves’ disease stop smoking.

10 Graves' disease in pregnancy

Your endocrinologist will manage Graves’ disease differently during pregnancy. NIDDK states that propylthiouracil is often used during the first 3 months of pregnancy. It also states that radioactive iodine is not used in women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. The American Thyroid Association publishes guidelines for thyroid disease during pregnancy and the postpartum period, and our endocrinologists work within them. We recommend telling your endocrinologist as soon as you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, because your medication and your monitoring may need to change.

11 What happens if Graves' disease is left untreated

NIDDK lists the complications of untreated hyperthyroidism. They include an irregular heartbeat that can lead to blood clots, stroke and heart failure, as well as thinning bones and osteoporosis. Muscle problems, Graves’ eye disease, and menstrual cycle and fertility problems are also on its list. Because of these risks, our endocrinologists recommend treatment once the diagnosis has been made.

12 Which doctors are involved in treating Graves' disease?

Your endocrinologist diagnoses Graves’ disease, prescribes and monitors antithyroid medication, and manages your thyroid levels over time. A nuclear medicine service delivers radioactive iodine, and a surgeon performs a thyroidectomy. An ophthalmologist manages eye disease that is more than mild.

13 What your care at Endocare involves

Specialist thyroid care at Endocare begins with a full medical assessment. Your endocrinologist will assess your symptoms alongside the appropriate thyroid tests to understand what is actually driving them and determine the right treatment. The assessment includes a review of your antibody result and an examination of your neck and eyes. Where possible, your first appointment takes place in person at Endocare’s Dubai clinic, as the physical examination and body composition analysis cannot be completed remotely.

Thyroid hormone influences how quickly the body uses energy. An overactive thyroid can therefore affect body composition as well as weight. At Endocare, body composition analysis is included free of charge at every consultation. Body composition analysis estimates body fat, muscle mass and body water. Repeated measurements help your endocrinologist understand how your body is changing beyond the number on the scale.

Monthly follow-up appointments can be held in person at the clinic or online. For adults taking antithyroid medication, the UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends considering TSH, free T4 and free T3 tests every 6 weeks until TSH is within the reference range. It then recommends considering a TSH test every 3 months until the antithyroid medication is stopped.

14 FAQ

What is the most effective treatment for Graves' disease?

No single treatment is right for every patient. Antithyroid medication can lead to remission, although the condition can return after the medication stops. Radioactive iodine and surgery are more definitive treatments. After either one, most patients need daily thyroid hormone replacement. Your endocrinologist will consider the size of your thyroid, your eye symptoms, your age, any plans for pregnancy and your own preferences.

What are three symptoms of Graves' disease?

A rapid or irregular heartbeat, weight loss despite an increased appetite, and shaky hands are three of the symptoms NIDDK lists. Bulging eyes and other eye changes can point specifically to Graves’ disease rather than another cause of an overactive thyroid.

Can you manage Graves' disease without medication?

A beta-blocker can ease symptoms, but it does not treat the overactive thyroid. Untreated hyperthyroidism can lead to the heart and bone complications NIDDK lists. If you would prefer to avoid long-term medication, your endocrinologist can discuss radioactive iodine or surgery with you.

Is a Mediterranean diet good for Graves' disease?

No diet has been shown to treat Graves’ disease, and we do not recommend one as treatment. A balanced eating pattern supports general health during a long course of medication. The one dietary caution concerns iodine. NIDDK states that consuming large amounts of iodine can cause the thyroid to make too much hormone in some people. We recommend telling your endocrinologist about any supplement you take.

Will my eyes go back to normal?

NIDDK states that most people with Graves’ eye disease have mild symptoms, and that the condition often improves with treatment or even resolves on its own. It can also come back or get worse, particularly with smoking. Eye symptoms that are more than mild are assessed by an ophthalmologist.

Book a consultation at Endocare

Our Dubai clinic is located in Building 27, Block B, Unit 504 B, Dubai Healthcare City. Opening hours are Sunday 10:00-20:00, Monday 08:30-18:30, and Tuesday to Thursday 10:00-20:00. The clinic is closed on Fridays. Free parking is available in the building and on the surrounding streets. For patients using public transport, Dubai Healthcare City Metro Station on the Green Line is the nearest stop.

In the UAE, you can see an endocrinologist directly, with no GP referral needed, for concerns related to hormones, weight, metabolism or blood sugar. If you plan to use health insurance, we recommend checking your policy before you book, because some insurers require a referral or pre-approval. To book a consultation with our endocrinologists in Dubai, call +971 4 285 3885 or email contact@endocare-clinic.com.