[Anonymous December 26, 1997 at 2:23 pm Post count: 93172]

#1153818

makes sense. The only problem is taking them once in a while doesn’t make me feel anything. When I was first given them (10 mg three times a day) I took them a required…that’s when they made me feel terrible, ewhen I stopped the feeling went away. My cardiologist says it’s because I have a heart murmor that the beta’s make me feel that way. I’ve tried three different ones. My doctor doesn’t like me to take them that way either, but nothing else (prescription or non) works for my headaches.

Ron

[Anonymous December 26, 1997 at 6:32 pm Post count: 93172]

#1052372

Ron:

I have been taking the same beta blocker for year for migraines and the one thing my doctor is emphatic about: don’t dose myself and go on and off at will–that is what makes you feel like the heart attack. You have to be weaned off gradually like some other meds. Talk to your doc. Perhaps you could take a low dose on a regular basis. It worked for me and I was having 3 and 4 migraines a week.

Hope this helps.

Mitakuye Oyasin
Val

[Anonymous December 28, 1997 at 6:21 pm Post count: 93172]

#1153819

Hi!Thank you to so many of you who have been a big help to my Mom who has Graves and terrible eye problems. I have recently been diagnosed with Graves, too, and I may have RAI in January. I would like to hear from some people who have had this about what to expect, precautions to take, etc.

[Anonymous December 28, 1997 at 7:11 pm Post count: 93172]

#1153820

Hi Lee,
My one piece of advice to you is to have a baseline eye exam done before
you go for RAI. It is a thought that if you have eye involvement at the
time of RAI, it may worsen this condition. Jake, my husband, who
facilatates this BB and support chat, had eye involvement at the time he
took the RAI, and his eyes have worsened to the point of 12 eye surgeries,
soon to be 13 and 14. It is something to think about, and the plan of
treatment would most probably be different if the eyes are involved.
If you would like to e-mail Jake I will give you the addie and am sure
he will gladly respond to you.
Good Luck and keep smiling!

IN WARRIOR SPIRIT,
JAN

jake@support-group.com

[Anonymous December 29, 1997 at 7:00 am Post count: 93172]

#1153821

Hi, Lee:

The RAI treatment is very simple, with few side effects. You have to swallow a pill (typically, although sometimes it is liquid form) containing R131. Since the thyroid is the only place in the body that utilizes iodine, the R131 is absorbed into the thyroid, and any excess is excreted from the body through normal processes (urine and sweat primarily). Once in the thyroid the R131 sets about destroying thyroid cells. There is a mild soreness in the throat area for a few days, typically, but for me it was barely noticeable. Also, when the thyroid cells die out, their stores of thyroid hormone are released into the body, which temporarily elevates the blood levels of thyroid hormone causing more hyperness — this is called “escape phenomenon”. In my case the extra hyperness came on about a week after RAI and lasted two or three days. I was kept comfortable with beta blockers during this time.

As far as recommendations– first off, make sure you understand whether your doctor wants to try to “ablate” the thyroid (i.e. destroy enough of it to make you hypothyroid) or intends to try for “euthyroid”. This will make a difference in how quickly you can expect to see an end to the hyper symptoms. And if you and your doctor decide to ablate, familiarize yourself with symptoms of hypo so that you can recognize them. Your doctor will schedule periodic blood tests to check your hormone levels, but should symptoms develop in between, you could then get another blood test to check things out. You will feel better if you catch hypo early on, rather than letting it get entrenched.
Also, there is currently speculation among doctors that the real culprit in aggravating Graves Eye disease is not, perhaps, the RAI itself, but going hypo. It is a small percentage of patients this happens too, but you can take steps to avoid the going too hypo part by knowing what the symptoms of hypo might be.

Wishing you good luck, and good health.

Bobbi

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