Wow! You have been thru it…and you’re right in the thick of it, Kelsey. Sorry to hear you went into thyroid storm post RAI. I’m curious how high your thyroid hormones were at the time you received RAI…T3 & T4, if you know…And do you know the labs while hospitalized? Are you on any other meds other than the beta blockers?
As to what to expect next…well, as your thyroid ceases to function, the hyper-production of thyroid hormones also gradually falls proportionately. This seems to be variable with folks, and the time before the initiation of TRH (thyroid replacement hormone, usually thyroxine alone, although I’m looking into a combo therapy with T3 & T4 right now for myself.(after reading the recent article from the NEJM). Anyway, during the hypo faze I felt pretty awful…depressed, tired, gained weight, cried alot…I needed some additional sedation plus the beta blockers and eventually some anti-depressant therapy for awhile. Yoou really have a wild ride for awhile…But slowly the wondrous and baffling human body begins to respond to TRH, labs and TSH’s begin to normalize and sanity slowly returns…(I think). And then it’s just a monitoring game with labs and you learn to know the clues your body gives. It does require constant, life-long vigilence, unfortunately, but once over the worst, it’s managable and life does go on. ( I remember well, wondering if that was true when I was in the thick of this delightful “dis-ease”.
If I can be any help to you with specific questions or referrals to links, please feel free to e-mail me. I hope you have good home supports to see you thru this. One thing for sure, if you found this site, you’ve found more info and experience with this disease than you can imagine. Keep coming back and support this organization for all the miracles provided to us all, past, present and future. Keep me posted on how you’re doing, OK? Best of luck to you, Kelsey.
Rachel (NGDF asst. on-line facillitator…OLAF)
