I was speculating about this too. I work at an unnamed gov’t national
lab and there are 4 of us in my office alone(and that is one group of only
30 people) that take synthroid. I know two of us for sure are Graves
folks. I have been at this location for 26 years and for 5 of them
worked with little goodies that came fresh out of the reactor. (Long
before the years when good safety precautions were in place.) Then
I moved on to “safer” work in a business function that was located just
feet away from a national tritium labeling facility. Just recently
we found out that for years the filters in that facility weren’t working
and that now the ground and plants are contaminated.
We have been advised that all this stuff was at “safe levels.” When I
was first diagnosed with Graves, I mentioned to the Dr. where I worked
and what I had done and they thought the type of radiation that I
was close too (gamma) would not have triggered any problems. Working across
from the tritium facility and going outside and finding white flotsam
on all the cars in the parking lot (frequently) gives rise to
lots of employee speculation too.
Doesn’t all this stuff make you wonder if there is a connection?
It sure is weird with all you folks in PA responding.
Any type of radiation exposure would be an interesting survey question.
i.e., Type of exposure and years.
