Anonymous
Sherri et al:
I haven’t been on in about a month, but wanted to weigh in here a bit on post RAI as Sherri requested. I had RAI last February and anyone who posted in February and March will remember that I had a very challenging time with the procedure. You mentioned that you do not like to take drugs and haven’t taken anything for the heart palpitations etc. RAI can cause increased hyperthyroid symptoms in patients that sometimes require beta-blockers to protect the heart. Depending on your levels of thyroid hormone going into the RAI and how your body reacts to the radiation, beta-blockers might be necessary for a short period of time following the procedure. I am not a doctor, just a Graves patient who went through a difficult RAI, but I really suggest that you follow closely your doctors suggestions following the procedure. I don’t like to take medicine either, but without the beta-blockers I would not have come through the reaction that I had to the procedure without heart damage. I do not mean to scare you, most come through RAI without any complications at all, but please be aware that it is important to be very well informed and open minded going into the procedure. If you search back to last spring there are some good posts regarding Post RAI and dealing with Graves Disease in general—you might take an hour or two to go back and look at them.
Graves Disease has changed my life. Looking back at what I have gone through the last 4 years, I don’t know how anyone could have Graves and not have it change their life. I will never be the 30 year old with a body that “runs like clockwork” again. But, at the same time, I am mentally stronger b/c of the Graves Disease and I have learned how to cope with the disease. I have learned my limits and learned how to prosper in spite of the Graves. There are still some really hard days. I am now officially hypothyroid and trying to get leveled out on synthroid (5 months post RAI). I have a blend of hyper and hypo symptoms that the doctors are trying to figure out the root of since my blood work is definitely showing hypothyroid at this point. Some days “normal” seems like it will never get here, but I know that I will make it. The “road to recovery” seems to be filled with challenging “hills”, but with each hill that I climb I get stronger and more able to pass the next one.
Good luck to you with RAI—get yourself very well informed on the procedure and be your own advocate with your doctor. That will carry you a long way with the procedure (maybe you’ve even already had it since your post was the end of May and I am slow replying).
Anne