[KMB]

in reply to: Weight Gain #1071920

Hi, Dianne: Please tell me what topic to search under and/or where in PubMed I can find the articles about RAI and weight gain? Thanks.

DianneW wrote:I know you want people to give THEIR experiences and that’s great–and I’ve already told you about the studies you can find on PubMed on the subject, but I forgot to mention that some of the studies concluded that people who were overweight before Graves’ were more likely to gain weight following treatment than people who were of normal weight, if that helps.

[KMB]

in reply to: Running and Graves #1073380

Dear Elle:
I was diagnosed with graves disease four years ago. The first thing the Dr. wanted to do was remove my thyroid. I studied up on the disease and opted for a treatment regimen. I started by taking PTU, but immediately had a violent reaction. I asked my Dr. to prescribe methmazole, and had been taking this drug until last Fall, when I went into complete remission. Throughout my treatment, I have been an active cyclist. I teach a cycle aerobics class about 4 times/week, and have done so since 2005 I never let up on any of my activities. I do a couple of triathlons a year. I am 55 years of age and my bone density scan revealed that I have the bones of a 20 year old, my HDL is low, low; my LDL is high; my pulse and heart rate are low; everything is good, and I believe that I am so fit because I never halted the exercise routine. I also thought that I had beat this Grave Disease thing, too. Low and behold the Graves revealed itself again with my last blood test; now I’m looking at options for complete removal. At times, I wish I had gone ahead and had the organ completely removed back in 2006, because I would not have been going through the highs and lows that I have been going through while on methmazole. Sometimes, my blood test would reveal that I am going hypo, and the Dr. would lower my dosage; then I would go through the quivers and shakes for awhile. My main barometer is my handwriting – when I can’t hold my hand still enough to write properly, then I know I’m in bad shape. Because I’m not at that stage right now, I question the reliability of what the Dr. has been telling me. I’m going in for a second opinion in another week. In any event, I do not believe that a Grave Disease diagnoses should indicate halting all of your regular activities. You were an active runner, prior to GD, you should be able to resume that regimen, unless there’s something really awry in your system. How are the rest of your body functions doing? I’m guessing that a complete physical will provide the information you and your doctor need in order to provide an effective plan. There’s lots of doctors out there, try another opinion.
Best.

[KMB]

in reply to: Anyone that tried natural methods/diet? #1073659

Thanks again, Ski for the really great response. You are providing me with a lot of insight into the process. I will request a dosage large enough to get rid of the thyroid in one process, rather than repeating like you had to do. Now, after the two day period of being away from others, is it reasonable to return to work? How about your normal exercise routine? I am a cycle (aerobics) instructor and I also work a full-time job, what can I reasonably expect is a normal time period to stay away from my normal routine? Throughout the process of the RAI uptake, how did you feel? Were you lethargic, or sick to your stomach or have headaches? How was your mental state? Were you depressed and out of sorts or were you feeling relatively sane? This is really a complicated process because of the multiple demands on my schedule and finances (just like everyone else, I’m sure). While I would love to hear you say that "two days and you’re good as new," I have a feeling that the answer is more-likely to be a couple of weeks down and a couple of months stabilizing. By six months, I can expect to be ‘normalized.’ Am I fairly accurate in my assessment?
Best,
KMB

[KMB]

in reply to: Anyone that tried natural methods/diet? #1073655

Dear Ski and Jake:
Thank you for the replies. They were frank and informative. Of the two methods of thyroid removal, it is beginning to look like the RAI is the most complete. How long does this process take? How long does the patient have to stay out of circulation during the uptake? I’ve read that RAI can affect the eyes, causing more of a bulge, is this true?
Thanks for your advice.
KMB

[KMB]

in reply to: Anyone that tried natural methods/diet? #1073645

Dear Jake:
Your response makes a lot of sense. I’m going through what my Endo calls a relapse of my Graves Disease or Subclinical Hyperthyroidism. My TSH level has been dropping since last June; my current TSH is at 0.06, while my T4 is at 1.14 and my T3 is at 1.33. It was my hope, when I was first diagnosed with Graves Disease over three years ago, that I could beat this thing and put it into permanent remission. I really thought I had this thing licked last year, when I was taken off methamazole completely, but the euphoria was short-lived. I started having the jitters, heart flutters, and nodules, all of which gave my Endo a rational for subjecting me to more studies and tests. I had a fine need aspiration, wore a heart monitor for 24 hours, and had my blood tested every three months. Each time my blood was tested, my TSH level was dropping, while my T3 and T4 was going up. Today’s prognosis was a real downer for me, but reading your comments are making a lot of sense to me because as much as I have been rejecting the idea of killing off an organ that is so desperately trying to save itself, the organ appears to be losing and virtually killing me off in the process. So please, Jake, can you tell me what my readings really signify to you and point me in a direction that makes sense? Also, I have a real concern about subjecting my body to Radioactive Iodine; I find it difficult to believe that this course of treatment targets only the thyroid and does not do harm to the host. It also concerns me that RAI involves so many cautions, because if this is a safe, responsible treatment why is it so dangerous to other inhabitants of my household? If I opt for surgical removal of my Thyroid, is it effective? Lastly, the removal of my Thyroid will make my system slow down to the point where I will have to take another drug for the rest of my life to regulate the hypo effects. I’ve read that this is far easier to control than hyper, yet there is a period of adjustment. I am really confused and hoping you can provide me with some advice. Thanks so much.

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