[Ewenme]

#1064695

I’m sure it’s very frustrating to go through all that and come out with no answers. If I understand correctly, once you have RAI, your thyroid has been destroyed, therefore, cannot ever produce thryoid hormone again, which is why your doctor prescribed synthroid. It replaces the thyroid hormone which your thyroid is no longer able to produce. Too much of the synthroid, however, could give you the same symptoms as Graves disease (rapid heart beat, weakness, fatigue, weight loss, tremors, anxiety, etc, etc). When did you last have your blood checked? Might be good to give your endo a call and find out if he could check it again just to be sure your dose of synthroid is adjusted right. Ski or Bobbi, please correct me if I am wrong.
Joy

[Penelope95]

#1018422

In 1984, I was diagnosed with Graves Disease. I was given raioactive iodine. Since then I have been taking synthroid . Blood tests are taken every 6 months and endo adjusts meds as needed. This is my question, 10 days ago I went to ER with severe chest pains and shortness of breathe. I was sent home on day 7 with no answers . I just realized after being home for 2 days, no one tested by thyroid. Can Graves Disease come out of remission and what would be the symptoms? Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[Bobbi]

#1064696

Gee, they kept you seven days!?! Obviously, the hospital docs thought something was wrong. How frustrating for you not to know what was going on.

RAI does not necessarily kill off every last bit of thyroid. Some of us can be left with "some" thyroid still functioning after RAI, but usually — hopefully — it is not enough to make us hyper again. But if there is enough of it, it can make it necessary from time to time to adjust our dose of replacement hormone up and down. If that has been your history, getting your levels checked might make some sense. I hope it is something that simple.

[snelsen]

#1064697

Did you have a cardiology work=up when you were there? Did you have an echocardiogram? I would sign a release of medical records form if you do not have one already, ask for the discharge summary, test results, procedure results and labs, from the hospital. That sound say what they ruled in, ruled out and what their impressions were. ARe you familiar with your labs? I am guessing they did do thyroid labs, and they were (as they say) unremarkable, or within normal limits. Seems like they would have given you information if not ok. Seven days is a LONG LONG time to be in a hospital, and leave with no idea of what is wrong or what they thought. Just my thoughts.
Shirley

[Harpy]

#1064698

Just to add to Bobbi’s comment
I have read that if it is not completely destroyed, in some rare cases it can re grow back enough to produce enough hormone to create a Hypothyroid situation.
Back to basics, get hormone test levels and if that is the case ie high hormones (T4&T3) hopefully by reducing your dose of synthyroid you can get back on track.

[Ski]

#1064699

Super quick clarification ~ if your thyroid began producing hormone again, you’d become hyPERthyroid, not hypo (message above).

It is extremely rare that tissue "regrows" ~ it’s ALSO rare for tissue that wasn’t destroyed to be stimulated this long after RAI. I’m not completely certain that I’ve heard of confirmed cases of tissue "regrowing," that’s one I’ll have to ask this year’s doctors at the conference in San Diego. I may have seen people here refer to it in that way, but I’m really not sure I’ve ever heard a doctor say that has conclusively happened.

[Harpy]

#1064700

Sorry about that Typo
Thank you Ski for your vigilance, yes I meant to write Hyperthyroid

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