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in reply to: Ignorance or Arrogance? #1066675

hyperk: I never heard of block and replace- What is it? I have been diagnosed under a year and on meds only since Sept., but that up and down is what I have experienced thus far- Thank you for your feedback and I wish you the absolute best with remission-

[hubb]

in reply to: Ignorance or Arrogance? #1066673

Thank you both- I am just not ready to give up my thyroid- I haven’t given up on the idea that the meds may work and help me reach remission, however what I seek is some way to help those meds do their job- Believe me when I say I am well aware of all the misinformation out there, and I too look for reliable resources- I was really just wondering if anyone else out there has sought alternative strategies to work IN CONJUNCTION with anti-thyroid medication.

[hubb]

in reply to: advice RAI or surgery #1067071

Hi Katy: I am currently asking myself the same question: RAI or surgery- It is not an easy decision, so I can empathize with you. My situation is not as severe as yours; I am not allergic to the ATD’s, but I am too sensitive to them, i.e., the Methimazole was too strong and made me hypo so I switched to PTU, which made me more hypo (TSH a whopping 53). I cut back to 1 pill (rather than 2) and now I’m hyper again (TSH .009)- I can not take AtenoI either. I do not have awful symptoms at hper like many people, however when hypo I can not function (not to mention I put on the pounds), which is why I fear both RAI & surgery. Doc suggests I meet with the surgeon to gather some information, but for now, I have decided to do nothing. I am going to try to split the difference with the PTU and see if that works: 1 pill odd days, 2 pills even- It’s worth a shot- I have also destressed my life by cutting back on my workload- (quite challenging because I teach writing, which means I have oodles to grade!) I realize that you do not have options with the medication, but be sure you know the pros and cons of each procedure. Thus far my reading indicates that the risk with surgery is very low in itself- The risk goes up depending on the specific experience of the surgeon- So, if you opt for surgery, be sure your surgeon is adept to thyroid procedures-

[hubb]

in reply to: very confused about a bunch of stuff… #1066979

As you go through the process of trying to figure out what is happening to you, and then what you are going to do about it, one thing is for sure; you have to feel comfortable with your doctor. You have time- You have only had 2 blood tests (if I understand correctly) and already you are scheduled for an RAI?? Do you feel rushed? I was diagnosed this past April- I have, like so many others, done extensive research. One of the things I learned is that, although many people share common symptoms, everyone has their own story; stories that are so individualized that it is impossible to find a "match" to your own situation. The answer is: There are no answers- What you are left with is what is going to work for you in your unique situation- THAT is why you have to have a doctor you trust and can understand- I wish you the best-

[hubb]

in reply to: Curious about treatment options… #1070216

I am new to all of this also, but I have read that smoking can increase the risk of the eye problems- I have also read that many people go into remission after taking the medicines such as Tapozol (sp?)- The radiation, if I’m not mistaken, will certainly send you hypo- These are tough decisions, and I haven’t made mine yet either- Wish you well-

[hubb]

in reply to: confused #1070461

Again, Thank you- I guess I really got my facts mixed up- I have been reading way too much- And I have a very long list of questions- I realize that I need to slow down- I am ashamed to say that I had been in "poor me" mode; I have been tired and my head is in one major fog! (symptoms, right?) Thanks for listening-

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in reply to: confused #1070459

Thank you Ski- I thought I understood all of this- I have spend the last few days on the computer. I thought the hyperthyroidism was caused by one or the other- In other words, I thought if I had nodules that were producing extra hormones, that I did not have GD- The doctor called me yesterday and said I definitely have GD- I asked him why I should go on the meds when that wouldn’t help the nodules and he said that I have 2 separate issues- I have to make an appointment today to go over results- I am leery of the meds because I read that my body will not absorb calcium and that I will not be able to fight off infections- I do not like the idea of trading one problem for several more- I have been home all this week due to a virus that won’t go away- Thanks for feedback- Reading the posts help me to understand, and the more I understand, the less I am afraid-

[hubb]

in reply to: confused #1070457

Thank you- I spent the day on the computer getting an education- Starting to put the puzzle together, but many unanswered questions (to which I have made a list) From what I have read, an antibody test is the only way to diagnose GD, yet it is not a clear-cut test- I called the doctor to see if I had an antibody test and the nurse said mine came back in "normal" range- She could not, however, answer any other questions and I expect to hear from the doctor today- In the meantime, I will be visiting a different doctor today and will hopefully have answers- I don’t like to jump in the pool unless I can see the bottom (so to speak) I appreciate your feedback-

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