[ddcarman1]

#1060523

Hello!

I’m new and this is my first post. My daughter is 15 and has Grave’s. She lasted 2 weeks on the meds and couldn’t take it. My daughter wants surgery and husband wants RAI because he gets keloids. She is a dancer and thinks RAI will take too long to work. She can’t dance now does not want to wait the 2-4 months to dance again. I want to hear any stories about how people decided RAI vs Sx. Did RAI really take 4 months to be better. Can my daughter dance while on RAI therapy? Can they go to school when they receive the iodine?

Thank you everyone for your time!

[Kimberly]

#1183105

Hello and welcome! Hopefully, you will hear from others who have made the surgery vs. RAI decision. The “Treatment Options” thread in the announcements section of the forum has a couple of nice links that go through the pros and cons of each option. Certainly both options have risks and benefits. Not sure what the issue with the meds was, but for mild skin reactions, some patients do well by taking antihistamines with the meds. For more severe reactions, discontinuation is recommended; this is a decision that you will need to make in conjunction with your doctor.

It might also be helpful to visit the GDATF’s YouTube site and check out the videos from Dr. Scott Rivkees and Dr. Michael Gottschalk on Graves’ and children:

(Note on links: if you click directly on the following link, you will need to use your browser’s “back” button to return to the boards after viewing, or you will have to log back in to the forum. As an alternative, you can right-click the link and open it in a new tab or new window)

https://www.youtube.com/user/GravesAndThyroid/videos

I don’t know where you are located, but the GDATF has an event coming up in Philadelphia specifically on Graves’ and kids. You can find info on the gdatf.org home page by clicking on the “Kids and Graves'” tab to the right of the screen.

Also, there is a Facebook support group for parents that you might be interested in; it’s not an official group of the Graves’ Disease and Thyroid Foundation (nor is it monitoried by the GDATF), but includes many family members who have come together to share their personal experiences. http://www.facebook.com/groups/265484340175004/. It’s a closed group, but you can request to join, and the organizers will message you with a brief questionnaire to confirm that you are a Graves’ parent.

Wishing you and your family all the best!

[ddcarman1]

#1183106

She was having severe joint pain and could barely walk so she is off the anti-thyroid meds. Thank you for the you tube videos. We live in Chicago so Philadelphia is a little far.

My daughter is a dancer and can’t now. She wants to get back ASAP. She wants surgery and we wan’t to make sure we are making the right decision.

Any advice is great. I will look at the threads.

[snelsen]

#1183107

Just a beginning post, I have to leave so I will write more later. I realize your daughter is married, and apparently she is conflicted because her husband has, or is worried about, keloids. There are many variables that contribute to that, and they are rare because of the small sutures used. General surgeons who perform thyroidectomies are very good at what they do. Also, it is really not my business to say this, but this is your daughter’s decision, and I think she should do her research, move ahead and get the surgery. It IS much faster recovery. I had a thyroidectomy, was back doing everything in a month.

I can’t speak for RAI, other than I know you have to stay away from people for a few days. Personal experiences from others, are really helpful, so I hope several people write about their experiences.

Most important is that your daughter make decisions about her own body, and not do “oughts and shoulds” based on what others think, in any area of her life. But that is only my thought on this subject.

I will send a PM later, give you my email, address, and take a photo of my neck on my iPhone so you and your daughter, and maybe her husband, will look at it. IF I can find the incision, it is basically invisible.
Shirley, another Graves person.

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