[Ski]

#1072758

This is a really smart step for you to take ~ investigating the other options, while you’re in no rush to decide upon one. I don’t know of many people who will know from first-hand experience the recovery differences between RAI and surgery (we usually choose one and that’s it ~ though our Jake George has experienced both, and I hope he weighs in), but each carry some level of risk, so make sure you are clear about the risks of both, take some time to think about them, talk with your daughter, and you’ll come up with one that "feels" better than the other. In truth, they both have the ability to bring her back to health, so it’s an individual choice after that.

Naturally, RAI is not invasive (don’t have to cut the skin), so in that respect you could say it’s "less severe." Surgery carries some risks of damaging the parathyroids or nicking the vocal cords, but in the hands of a very experienced surgeon who does these types of surgeries often with very low complication rates, you can minimize those risks almost to zero.

You could be in the home with her after RAI, usually ~ it’s a 6-feet-away rule for the first 48 hours, but since you’re grownups and understand what’s going on, you could still be in the same house. It’s a LITTLE disconcerting, but you can still talk to each other, watch movies together (as long as you can maintain the distance), and after the first two days, the distance rules ease up.

Let us know if your discussions with the two doctors leaves you still with questions, or if you’d like some anecdotal input from those who have been there with either treatment.

[eunah]

#1019594

Hi – I’m a mom who has a 12 year old daughter who was diagnosed a year ago with Graves. She also developed alopecia universalis at the same time. That means she has absolutely no hair. But she is doing well. She has been on methimazole since the start and her FT3 & FT4 levels are currently normal although when we try lowering her dose, her levels have increased too much. She’s never had a normal TSH but once got close. (to .29) but then went down to .02 and before that, it was always less than .001.

Anyway, we are thinking ahead to a definitive treatment but aren’t necessarily in a rush. She is opting for surgery because she is very attached to us and can’t bear the thought of having to keep her distance. She is adopted as well and we have worked on attachment issues so making her be isolated for several days could be very hard on her. Surgery would allow for her to be comforted and nutured by us. But it seems like a lot more than RAI.

We have a consult with a surgeon and nuclear medicine dr in a few weeks just to learn more about these procedures, not to go ahead with any. My daughter is not thrilled right now about either. We could stay on the meds a lot longer but I want to be prepared in case things go haywire with her thyroid and action needs to be taken. Is surgery a lot more tramatic than RAI? I have been reading your experiences but am interested in any more feedback. Thank you.

[Rebecca17]

#1072759

Has anyone had vocal cord or nerve damage. My case was extreme and am very very thankful for the skilled surgeon . But I do now find myself dealing with permanent vocal differences and would like to connect with others who have had similar experiences.

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