Kimberly3. I’m also allergic to shellfish. Would that stop me from doing the Radioactive Uptake Test and eventually RAI? I’ve been reading up on this and it looks like it probably would be ok.
4. From what I’ve been reading here, I need to have my thyroid levels stabilized before TT, which is my preferred option anyway. Is there another way? My levels are pretty bad…ft4 is 4 times the upper limit and TSH is .001.
5. So far, I have no eye involvement. Would TT be even an option for me?
Hello and welcome – we’re fellow patients here, not doctors, but a few notes…
Yes, a certain percentage of patients who have a reaction on methimazole will have the same reaction on PTU. Hives are tricky, as they can be a side effect of the meds – but they can also be related to the hyperthyroidism itself.
It’s believed that the issue with shellfish allergies is a specific protein, not the iodine – so we’ve not heard of any issues with patients with this type of allergy getting RAI.
The preference is to have normal thyroid levels before surgery, but the doc can use a combination of beta blockers and potassium iodide to reduce the risk of thyroid storm.
There’s no evidence that surgery causes eye issues, and there’s some anecdotal evidence that some patients see an improvement of eye issues following surgery.