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  • Anonymous
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      Hi Pam! Sorry to hear you’re one of us now, but you couldn’t have found a better group of support people than this group. We ALL know what you’re going thru…and tho’ I understand your denial defense, you really have to face this head on. The NGDF ( National Graves Disease Foundation ) is a wonderful resource and if you send a stamped self-addressed envelope to them at 2 Tsitsi Ct., Brevard, NC. 28712-9263 and they will send you alot of valuable info and you can become a member if you choose. I myself would say to you, don’t put off the nuclear scan…it doesn’t hurt a bit, but it is impt. for diagnostic reasons to rule out other problem as well as to diagnosis Graves. Yes, the beta blockers can ease the symptoms of thyrotoxicosis, mask them for awhile, but they will not treat the cause of this illness. For me , the medication route didn’t have the successful statistics for recovery that the radioactive iodine did…it’s called I131 and it’s just a swallow and that’s it…then you wait for the thyroid hormone levels to come down, go off the beta blockers and eventually get started on synthroid or one of the generics…I take levoxyl myself and it’s only been about 4 weeks. I was diagnosed in June’96, had the RAI that same month, felt pretty funky and depressed, I must admit…It kind of got worse before better, but I will return to my job on Monday. My eyes were really a bother after the RAI, and for awhile before being diagnosed but they have quieted down alot now. The eyes can do their thing or not for some of us …some have it really bad and require surguries…I’m told that most cases don’t necessairly get so severe…but it can happen… You need a good doctor, preferrably an endocrinologist to work with you. I require an anti-depressant now at the point I’m at. Read all the posts here and count on the others to help you through this…but no more denial…it won’t work for long…Keep in touch and good luck with the scan…it really is a piece of cake.
      Rachel

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