[Bobbi]

#1062783

All the methimazole does is to act as a chemical block to the production of thyroid hormone. Removing it does indeed cause our levels to rise dramatically.

As to thyroid storm after RAI. Not typically. About one week after RAI, give or take some days, the dying thyroid cells release all of their stored supplies of hormone into the body all at once. If someone hasn’t been alerted to this issue (we call it "dumping" here on this board), they can erroneously conclude that they’re experiencing storm. But in true storm, there is no shut-off switch: the thyroid cells continue to pour out huge quantities of hormone, and only emergency medical intervention can stop it. With dumping, on the other hand, those cells are not making NEW hormone to dump, they are only releasing hormone that has already been made. So there is an end limit, without medical intervention.

I hope you are feeling much better soon.

[smj78]

#1018119

I just had my RAI. I am thankful it is over. it is funny b/c I came home to my latest blood results faxed over to me. They were way higher than just 2.5 week ago. I was off the methimazole for week prior, but I can’t imagine that just a week off would have such drastic results. I’m wondering people’s thoughts.
On 1/13 I was at:
T4=1.9 (.82-1.77)
TSH=<.006 (.450-4.500)
T3= 8.5 (2.0-4.4)

Then on 1/31 I was at:
T4= 3.4
TSH= <.006
T3= 20.2 (they flaged this as "Alert")

Could the week off the meds make that much difference? Would I have been rising anyway?

I was concerned about thyroid storm. My endo is not concerned and said she never sees it. She put me on a Prednisone pack for a week though and said that would conteract it. Has anyone heard of that?

I am so relieved it is over. I know it may still be a long road, but I am so sick of agonizing over my decision!

[smj78]

#1062784

Oh-I did not know that. If this typically happens a week after RAI, I wonder why my endo would give me steroids now? Are there different symptoms of dumping vs. storm?

So far I don’t feel any different. I don’t know why I thought I would feel completely different and like garbage after RAI. It’s hard to believe that this will really do anything. I go back in 5 weeks. I’ll be facinated to see my blood work at that point!

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