[Anonymous]

#1075786

Hi, Kim — It’s good to hear from you, and especially to hear that you are doing well.

I have been told that RAI does not, necessarily, eliminate all thyroid cells. It can remove enough to make us hypothyroid, but there might still be thyroid cells “alive and well” in the body. As a result, fluctations in our replacement hormone needs can occur. I had a flare up a few years ago, and actually went hyperthyroid. My replacement dose was lowered for a while, and then raised back to its previous level a few months later. It’s a bit unnerving when that happens. But I figure that an adjustment to replacement hormone is a much easier fix than any of the former treatment options, so I try to keep perspective in place. The thing is, antibody levels can rise or fall for no well-understood reason. And when the levels are elevated, any remaining thyroid cells WILL be compelled to pour out thyroid hormone, and our replacement needs could change.

Again, good luck, and thanks for communicating your good news.

Bobbi — NGDF Online Facilitator

[Anonymous]

#1020033

Hi everyone. I felt pretty good lately I forgot to come here and let everyone know. I ran across my membership email and thought, wow, its been a few months. I guess it is true, once a person starts feeling great, they forget about posting.

I just wanted to say a thing or two (like Ski did). the newly diagnosed….have hope. There is an end and let me tell you, its so hard to see it but it is there. I had RAI back in March 3rd, 2007 and it was downhill (extremely downhill in May 2007) till about september. After that, it was an uphill battle. I sometimes wanted to give up and shut the world out. But, I made myself get up and take care of myself each day. I am finally running circles around my daughter (who is 20 years old and having been diagnosed with Graves a couple months ago). I’m not 100% like I was before RAI, but having Graves, who ever is the same again?

People who know me cant believe I’m starting to bounce back like a freight train. The only thing, I’m still learning that if I continue full force with a busy lifestyle (get up at 4am, get home at 8:30pm monday thru friday from work and my kids activities), eventually my steam runs out and I’m out of commission for a week.

I still have my emotional outbursts once in a while and cry when I want too. I started taking wonderful vitamins and minerals and what a difference. My thyroid decided to start ever so slightly, functioning. Yep, you read that correctly. I went from having an ultrasound done to see that my thyroid “died” and shriveled up to now having one that is just starting to function. Guess it only takes one thyroid cell to continue on. anyways, a little worried about that. If it does function fully one day, does that mean I have a possibility of having Graves flare up again? Oh and my Synthroid has been lowered twice now.

Anyways, I didn’t mean to write so long but I just wanted the newer ones to hold onto HOPE. Things do somewhat come back to normal. Just remember to take “ME” time and you will be just fine.

Hugs
Kim

[Anonymous]

#1075787

I am a newbie. I do not know your history, but glad to hear things are going better. I am curious to know what vitamins and minerals you are referring to. Thank you Sheri

[Anonymous]

#1075788

I am not a doctor so giving any advise would not be something that I should be doing. One of the things I did early on was have extensive blood tests, hair analysis, etc. to find out exactly what my body makeup was. It was a real eye opener for me, I even found out I had dangerous levels of arsenic in my system. My immune system was weaken by more then Graves. With that information in hand, I then determined a course of action that was unique to me with my primary care physician for the non graves portion of my weaken immune system. We are all different, there are a lot of resources out there you just have to be cautious and not believe everything you read. Please work with your doctor to insure that you are not doing anything dangerous to your health.

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