[Ski]

#1072314

The first 2-3 weeks after RAI were truly uneventful for me ~ remember that, if you are hyperthyroid when you have RAI, it can take up to six weeks just to flush out the excess thyroid hormone from your bloodstream, so the first six weeks may give you a little relief, but the real difference in how you feel is more likely to come after that period of time.

The weight gain can come from several sources. First, as your thyroid hormone levels drop, your body can begin to rebuild the muscle mass that was lost while you were hyperthyroid. That is GOOD weight gain, you need muscle mass in order to be functional. Second, as your thyroid hormone levels drop down into hypothyroid levels, you can experience some weight gain due to the lowering of your metabolism. This resolves as your doctor begins to prescribe thyroid hormone replacement, and brings your levels back up into the normal range. Third, being hyperthyroid tends to "train" us to eat more, because we were hungry all the time and could eat without gaining, so we need to actively UN-train ourselves and start controlling portion size.

You can see that quantifying weight gain simply as a number of pounds really isn’t helpful, given all the ways that can happen.

The most important thing for us all to know is that Graves’ Disease is NEVER one-size-fits-all (no pun intended!), and we each react differently to every step of the process. Managing our own health is really the overall lesson. Eat smart and exercise as you are allowed to, and any weight gain you experience will be manageable once your levels are normal, and stable.

[enough3]

#1019540

I have asked this question before, but I need to ask again for some reassurance/clarification.

If anyone of you has had RAI could you please tell me what it was like, and how the first 2-3 weeks were after doing it. ALso, how much weight did you gain???

Thank You SOOOO much. ANY feedback would be great! Thanks!!

[MathTeach1]

#1072315

I can honestly say I saw no difference in the first two or three weeks after my RAI (Nov of 2008), other than I felt a little shaky without my ATDs. It was the end of a school semester and the Advent/Christmas season – I’m both a teacher and the spouse of a Lutheran pastor – so it’s a stressful time of the year anyway.

I have gained some weight, but as Ski said, I think it’s at least partially due to lack of exercise and eating habits. I’d gotten used to eating whatever I wanted, and while I’ve cut back, I’m not as disciplined as I could be. I’ve tried some very basic exercising, but my heart beat started fluttering, so I’m waiting a while longer. (I’m still on the beta blocker.)

My thyroid numbers are slowly moving in the correct direction, but I’m not on thyroid replacement as of yet.

Charisse

[Mickey65]

#1072316

I started on Synthroid a week ago. I did RAI on Dec 12, 2008, and felt better within 2 weeks of taking it, and after about a month was off the beta blockers.

I’d say a month after RAI, when I started going to my endo for my every two-week check-ups (weigh-in and blood-work) is when the weight slowly started to creep back on.

I had lost about 20 lbs altogether when I was hyper, but have since gained it back.

The first few days after I started Synthroid, I sort of noticed I felt a bit "foggy" in my head and was having some weird dreams, and also my bladder seemed to have "froze" up on me for a few days.

But everything’s fine now. No more foggy head and feel sluggish, and altho I’m still having weird dreams, at least my bladder is working again and I think I’m starting to eliminate some water weight now.

I’m also going to start on a low-carb diet as of monday – since I’ve done some research on my own and have discovered that kind of diet is the way to go for Hypo patients to lose weight.

[enough3]

#1072317

Thanks for all reply’s. So basiclly what I’m hearing is that it doesn’t really make you gain weight. It’s your individual eating habits that create weight gain. So, I guess if I make good choices with food and exercise, then it could be not so bad:)

I’m in the process of making a decision about RAI. Just don’t know if I have the strength for the highs and lows of the remission process.

[Ski]

#1072318

Our eating habits probably contribute the most, but being hypo definitely doesn’t help, which is why we urge vigilance to your levels. The sooner you start replacement hormone, the less time your body spends being hypo, and that minimizes the effects on your body. [Remember too ~ gaining back that muscle mass is critical, it is NOT bad news.]

Mickey ~ my guess is that your fogginess and other symptoms shortly after beginning to take Synthroid have more to do with the hypothyroidism you are taking the Synthroid to correct. It actually takes at least a week for the replacement hormone to build up enough in our bloodstream to really help.

One last comment ~ once you are on replacement thyroid hormone, and your levels fall in the normal range, you don’t have to consider yourself "hypo." You would be hypo, if you had no replacement hormone.

I would caution you to make sure you’re getting all of your nutrition while using that low-carb diet. In recent months, people have adjusted it to allow more fresh fruits and vegetables into the mix, since those are the GOOD carbs.

[Mickey65]

#1072319

I’m going to start on Atkins on Monday, and see how I do on it for a bit. I had done low-carb in the past and was fine with it.

My endo told me to not take any vitamins at all for the time-being.

Right now I can’t do well on portion control, so I have to do low-carb and eliminate certain foods I’ve been gorging on for a while to help with the extra weight. I don’t like South Beach too much, so it’s going to be Atkins for now.

[ladybug]

#1072320

Hi there – I’m new to this board and I know this topic hasn’t been active in a few months…

After a full year of PTU, I had RAI on April 29 and felt 100% normal until about 2 weeks ago when I gained probably 5 pounds in a week (9 lbs total since the RAI treatment). Luckily my dr appointment was right after that. My T3 and T4 levels were barely in the normal range and my doctor prescribed 75 mg of synthroid ("you don’t have to get miserable" is what she thankfully said). In the past week and a half on synthroid I have lost 3 lbs and feel fine. I am very concerned about weight gain and food choices on synthroid (I’m quite afraid of fiber now!!). Otherwise I have to keep myself off the internet because if I read too much about hypo I want to jump out the window. For those of you on replacement, what has been the key to maintaining healthy weight?

There is great information on this board. Wish I had found it when I was diagnosed at a routine checkup with no symptoms, but crazy thyroid numbers. It’s a scary disease but one that can actually be managed.

[Author]

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