[Anonymous]

#1158967

Hi em, I’m just on my way out but read your post. Ten years ago when I was first diagnosed as being extremely hyper thyroid I went on Tapazole for a couple of years as I did not want to go the RAI route. I did end up with eight years remission. When I started to go hyper a few years ago I was so surprised as I had actually forgotten what a bad time I had had. This last time as I was over 50 it was suggested by a new Endo that I do RAI as symptoms get worse with age. I know I have posted on this before. If you go to the top and ask for postings under name or author (Ican’t remember) you can scan all my past posts and find something. Otherwise if you want to e-mail me please do. I will be back later tonight.

Don’t get scared, read all you can. There is lots on the net, American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists. http://aace.com, National Graves’ Disease Foundation etc. I have received lots of information from the Thyroid Foundation of Canada.

I enjoyed my eight years of remission. If I had had RAI and then got this Graves’ Eye Disease 10 years ago it would have been much harder to go on disability and not work. Please note – I am NOT saying because you have RAI you will get the eye disease. I did but it is just a very small percentage of people who do. Just my luck!

Talk to you later and start reading. Take care. SAS

[Anonymous]

#1054559

I have just received diagnosis that I have hyperthyroidism, maybe Grave’s disease. Has anyone ever taken medication with success for treatment rather than the RAI? I would like to try medication rather than RAI if possible. Also, how does one know if they might have the viral form called thyroiditis?

Em, in New Jersey

[Anonymous]

#1158968

I have been on anit-thyroid meds 10 months and am hoping for remission. A few weeks ago there was a post from Ramone who took meds for 18 months (I think), was taken off them and has been in remission for 4 months. A woman at my church took meds for 1 year and has now been in remission for 11 years. There are several things that the doctors say are conducive toward remitting such as small thyroid, catching it early, no one in the family with it, getting it postpartum. For me, I couldn’t just blast my thyroid if there was a possiblity that I could save it and remit. (I can certainly understand those who chose RAI because these disease certainly can make you want a quick fix). There are several of us on the board who are going the anti-thyroid route…so feel free to ask away.

What part of Jersey are you from? I was born in raised in Oak Ridge (near Lake Hopatcong and West Milford).

Glynis

[Anonymous]

#1158969

To Em, I tried anti-thyroid meds for 6 months. The side effects
made me very ill. I opted for the RAI, and fortunately did not have
any problems with the treatment. The disease has been a long love hate
relationship, but the good news is you may respond very well, I think
the majority of the cases do very well without complications. Perhaps
somebody knows the statistics on this. My advice is find the best
endo you can, and make sure that you can work with them, not just be
treated by them.
Good Luck
Barb

[Anonymous]

#1158970

Hello everyone! I just popped in a minute to say hello and to report that I am still in remission (I choose to call it “healed”) and feeling great! Losing a little of the weight that I put on with PTU, not as quickly as I would like but probably about as much as my exercise efforts warrant! It’s HOT here in North Carolina, and so I’ve been fairly lazy. Six weeks since my last PTU and not a symptom in sight! I am feeling back to my old self before Graves, and very grateful! I’ll be praying for all here who also desire healing! Love and blessings to all, Sharon

[Anonymous]

#1158971

So great to hear your positive post. Enjoy!

[Anonymous]

#1158972

Sharon, how wonderful for you and how much you give hope to the rest of us still waiting.

[Author]

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