Viewing 1 post (of 1 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • Anonymous
    Participant
    Post count: 93172

    I don’t have any info about losing a sense of taste as a result of the ATDs. One bit of “trivia” though: PTU may not taste “nasty” to everyone. I’ve heard there is a gene that some of us have (but not all of us) that allows us to experience the taste of “bitter”. Without this gene the bitter taste doesn’t come through as strong, if at all. I think I must have that bitter gene. : )

    Laura: I wish you luck with your treatment. It sounds like your doctor has made a “judgment call” — based on his/her experience treating Graves and based on the current information about the success probabilities of the ATDs. Most of the literature indicates that having a small gland with little or no goiter, and not being terribly hyper for too long are indications that a patient might be in the 50% or so of patients treated that way who get to remission. This doesn’t mean it isn’t possible, just that it is less likely. I understand being nervous about RAI. I thought seriously about throwing up the pill after swallowing it. I’m glad now that I didn’t, but at the time I was very nervous.

    Redhen: Your research so far sounds like something out of Frankenstein. Some thoughts: The fact that the pre-eminent RAI pioneer drank the stuff in front of his classes (note the plural there) sounds like he was doing this before it was understood that radiation is cumulative and that we need to protect ourselves from it. Those early pioneers often did not take adequate precautions with storage, or handling, and were exposed to large doses of the stuff, and a lot of them suffered the consequences as a result. This was also the point in time when doctors were exposing babies born with large thymus glands to x-ray treatment, multiple doses, which caused the thymus to shrink. Those children (which includes my husband) have to be regularly checked (scanned) for thyroid cancer and disease. I remember seeing x-ray machines in shoe stores, too — to check the fit. The level of understanding about the limitations and dangers of radiation was not known at the time and a lot of stupid stuff was done.

    I just got back from depositing my youngest at college. Trauma time! I may have to go dig out a Jimi Hendrix tape and blast it from the stereo to make the place feel more “normal.” : ) I’ve been moping around the house until this morning, when I received notice that he has received a full tuition and books scholarship from the state. YES!!!. It was like having Christmas in August. While I was up there, though, I raided a medical school bookstore, and got texts for endocrinology and immunology. One interesting tidbit from the immunology text so far: all of us should expect to go hypo at some point in time, no matter what treatment we choose. The antibody attack can eventually shut-down the thyroid. So even if you opt for ATDs and go into remission for a long time, make sure that your annual checkup includes bloodwork of thyroid levels and TSH.

    Wishing all good health and happiness.

    Bobbi — Bobbi1436@AOL.com

Viewing 1 post (of 1 total)
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.