[mamabear]

#1071795

Kimmer, hello and welcome. I am wondering why your dr. said it was the only treatment. Did you know that there was an oral medicine they could try first or maybe your dr. thought it wasn’t worth it. Not sure but either way, I hope you are feeling better. Keep an eye on your symptoms of going Hypo now and talk to dr. about any questions and keep all of your appt’s.

[Kimmer]

#1019464

Hello, my name is Kim and I am 51 years young, and was just diagnosed with Graves Disease two weeks ago (4/6/09). Prior to the diagnosis my only complaints were a constant headache behind the right ear and heart palpitations (150 resting pulse) for about two weeks starting at the end of February. I complained about these two symptoms to my doctor at my annual physical in March. I was put on blood pressure medicine to control the heart rate, and so far it seems to be working. After two sets of blood work and one trip to an endocrinologist the diagnosis was provided on April 6th. On April 13th and 14th I was at the nuclear medicine department of a local medical center having the Radioactive iodine uptake scan and the Radioactive Iodine (I-131) treatment. The endocrinologist told me that this was my only option. I was back today (4/20) for a follow up on the treatment and was told that I would not really have any answers or counts for six weeks. The one good thing they did tell me was that I can start cutting back on the blood pressure medicine and within three weeks will be off of it completely. I know they told me that I will most likely end up with Hypothyrodism and will have to take daily medicine, oh great another pill ” title=”Very Happy” /> I was thrilled to have found this website and have found a lot of answers to questions that I had. I’m sure I will be checking in frequently. Thank you very much.

[Ski]

#1071796

Welcome Kimmer,

We’re glad you found us! Let us know if you have questions that aren’t answered by browsing around ” title=”Very Happy” />

[azroses2322]

#1071797

Welcome Kimmer, At this point, I recommend that you familiarize yourself with the symptoms of Hypo so that when they come you can recognize them (and not blame then on something else).I am older than you and went through the same thing and was glad that I had learned the hypo symptoms beforehand. When you go for your labs, get a copy so you can also track and understand what they mean for you with the symptoms you are feeling — I found this helpful so than in the long run I can tell if I am starting to go out of range. Once you have gone hypo and they are satisfied, the time is right, they will start your replacement regime. Once they start the replacement then there is a journey to regulate your dose. It takes about 6 weeks on each dose to see where you are before they can adjust it again to get you on the right dose. So it may take a while to get your dose correct or they may hit it right away.

[Kimmer]

#1071798

Thank you very much for the kind words. I don’t feel much different after the RAI accept the headaches are much milder now. I didn’t really have much time to think about what was going to happen to me since it was only one week from finding out what was wrong to actually having the RAI treatment. For some reason my doctor did not suggest the prescription drug to try first she said I should go right to the RAI. I was never given any T count numbers and didn’t even know that was something to watch until I started reading the posts on this site. My endo is very sweet but I will not be able to see her for a while as she is almost nine months pregnant and will be leaving soon. She could only stand in the doorway last week at my first appointment after the RAI as I had had it only the week before. I go back for my first blood work on June 1st and will make sure I ask for a print out of all of my numbers. I am going to start bicycle riding and walking again this week as I really miss doing that. My husband and I were riding bikes maybe 20 miles a day three days a week and I was walking 5 miles everyday. I never really stopped walking until February until I thought my heart was going to jump out of my chest. I had always been able to get my heart rate up to around 145 bpm when I would crest the top of a hill but a resting bpm of 145 I knew something wasn’t right. My husband has been very supportive and tell him all of the new things that I learn from this site. My son was very nervous when I told him I was ill and was a bit bummed when he couldn’t see me for a few days. He is expecting his first child (my first grandchild) next month so I was very insistent on them not visiting and I still won’t allow my daughter in law to visit. I know it has been 10 days since the RAI but the doctor said the longer I wait to see her the better it is. She did tell me that I could go to the baby shower on May 9th though. I have many things to look forward to and feel very blessed with my life. My husband is wonderful with all of this and his support makes things a lot easier. I wish everyone well and will check back again.

[Ski]

#1071799

Hi again Kimmer,

I just wanted to mention that there is a possibility of feeling "super hyper" a couple of weeks after RAI ~ it’s due to the fact that thyroid cells not only manufacture thyroid hormone, they also store it, and when those cells die, all that thyroid hormone gets "dumped" into the bloodstream at once. It can make for a couple of weird days, right around the two week mark, after which it should subside rapidly (IF it happens to you ~ it wasn’t noticeable for me). I would talk with your doctor before heading out on your first bike ride, because you’re right at that period after RAI, and it could be dangerous to get your heart rate up just now.

[Kimmer]

#1071800

Hello it’s me again. So it has been exactly two weeks since I had the RAI treatment and the headache has returned with a vengeance. My blood pressure has hit the roof and my heart rate is up again. I woke up at 3:00 am from something, I don’t really know what but did not feel well. I keep a blood pressure cuff on the nightstand and my heart rate was 148. The endocrinologist has cut me back on the beta blockers and is weaning me off of them over the next two weeks. I have placed a call into her to ask if this is normal but have not heard back yet. After reading thru this site it appears that this is absolutely normal. I walked to the end of my driveway to retrieve the mail and barely made it back to the house, I was so out of breath. I will be going back to the endo on June 1st for my first set of blood work since the RAI. I don’t know what my original counts were as I never thought to ask for a print out, but will not make that mistake this time. Again, I would like to thank everyone on this site, as it has been a real learning experience. Thanks again, Kim

[Ski]

#1071801

Take it easy right now ~ I hope you’ve heard from the endocrinologist by now? If not, this is one of those times I’d make myself a pest. If the office staff tries to tell you that "there’s no need to talk with the doctor," remind them that within that statement, they just started practicing medicine without a license.

It sounds like the "dumping" I was talking about, and right on time (two-week mark), but it’s best to check with the doctor. If you’ve been weaning off the beta blockers too fast, you can also suffer a "rubber band" effect where the symptoms you’ve been holding off come back with a vengeance. In either case, best to check with the medical professionals.

[mamabear]

#1071802

Nothing more to add just wanted to say Prayers and hugs to you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Promise I wont squeeze to hard!! ” title=”Wink” />

[Kimmer]

#1071803

Hello everyone. I was finally able to get some blood counts from my original doctor (4/1/09). I have called several times to the endo asking for the counts they did but have had no luck. I go back on June 1st for the counts after the RAI that was done on April 14th so I will have something to compare. I have no idea what these numbers mean but here they are, Free T4 1.84, TSH 0.03 (prior to the RAI). That is all they gave me, no T3 level. I spoke with the endo today and they are uping my dose of beta blockers as my pulse rate is still ranging from 95-140 resting. She told me that I am still in the time frame of the "dumping" as was explained to me after I had the RAI and what I have learned from this site. I have started an excel spreadsheet to track my counts but it looks a bit empty with only one line of information. Hopefully next month there will be more. Thank you, wishing you all well. Kim

[Ski]

#1071804

We can’t evaluate your numbers (that’s for the doctor to do), but that spreadsheet is a GREAT idea. You should keep the reference range of normal from the lab somewhere on the spreadsheet so you can compare your levels against it. All labs have different processes and their normal ranges can be different, so it’s important to check. Hopefully all your tests will be at the same lab, which makes it FAR easier to get a handle on what’s going on.

[Hopeful23]

#1071805

hello welcome.. my levels were the same when i was diagnosed. im not sure exactly but from my understanding the tsh level is controlled by ur p gland. When it reads to much in ur blood it stops sending a signal yo ur thyroid to release hormone. im sure others will chime in on other info.

[Kimmer]

#1071806

Hello all. Here is my six week update after RAI. I had blood work on Monday the 1st and today received a prescription in the mail to start taking L-Thyroxine 50mg because my Thyroid Levels are now to low. Looks like I became Hypo rather quickly. I still can’t seem to get the doctor office to give me my counts so I have to wait until next time I go in August to fill out paperwork to request it then the doctor has to approve me having copies. I’m also waiting to hear if I need to discontinue taking the Beta-Blockers or if I will be taking two prescriptions for a while. Most days I feel great, tired on occasion but actually pretty good. Thank you for all of your wisdom, I really love this site. Best of luck to everyone. Kimmer

[Ski]

#1071807

If you’ve gone hypo, it’s likely that your doctor will recommend stopping the beta blockers ~ but please wait for word from your doctor on when and how to do that. We must wean ourselves from beta blockers slowly, otherwise they create a "rubber band" effect of the symptoms they’ve been relieving, and you can end up quite uncomfortable. Typically we’re on very low doses of beta blockers, so the weaning process shouldn’t take longer than a week or two, but ask your doctor for specific instructions.

[MRHabetz]

#1071808

Ok……….I’m new here, can you tell me what the beta blockers are used for?

[Author]

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