There was a study done in the UK a few years ago, using death certificates of people who had had RAI, looking for cause of death. It was one of the many studies that have been done over the decades trying to look for possible “issues” with RAI.
I found this study to be of interest for two reasons. The first is that it was limited to the UK, but it included tens of thousands of people. I had no idea that there could have been that many people in England (and perhaps Scotland, IReland and Wales) who could have undergone RAI. So we are talking lots of people, even though I do not know of anyplace that could quantify exactly how many people.
The second point of interest was that the study concluded that, in general, “being hyperthyroid” for a period of time was the most consistently logical reason to explain any of the elevated types of death over the normal population.
So, please, if your antithyroid medications are NOT controlling your hyperthyroidism well, you do need to consider the alternatives. Being hyperthyroid is the enemy, not the treatment options at this point in time. If not RAI, perhaps surgery. Your doctor is in fact your best guide.
I know this is a very difficult decision, and I wish you well,
Bobbi — NGDF Online Facilitator
