Re: home from RAI...questions, questions, questions

[Guest guest]

> i can't focus on anything (reading a book, the sunday ads, watching

> tv). is this normal? i thought after getting some levoxyl back in

> my system i'd feel better.

its normal, you are still hypo. it takes 6 weeks for the levels of

levoxyl to build back up in your system.. Many docs prescribe cytomel

to be taken after RAI for a week or so on the way back up as a way of

feeling better.

also, i have no

> appetite, my mouth is very dry (i suck jolly ranchers, peppermint

> candies, and lemon drops for that) and my face is really puffy...i

> don't look like me. is all this normal? how long should it last?

> when should i start to feel " myself " again?

puffy is probably from hypo it should start to fade in a few days to

wa week... dry mouth is probably from the RAI, it takes a week or 2

to start to feel better.. i had a lousy taste in my mouth after RAI

that took several weeks to go away... but each day it was a little

better...

barb

Barb Burri

dx pap 7/1/99 TT 8/13/99, RAI 63mci 4/26/00 - CLEAN SCAN 12/15/00 -

.175 synthroid

barburri@... // bburri@... // www.burri.com

hailing from Plaistow NH (42 miles Due North of Boston)

[Guest guest]

Hi ! Bet you are glad this part of treatment is over Sounds

like you are hypo which is of course perfectly normal after RAI

treatment. Be careful how you take your thyroid medication(on an empty

stomach, about the same time each day) in a few weeks (sometimes less)

you will be feeling much better and look like yourself again. I too have

facial swelling when hypo. Mostly seen around my eyes. It does go away.

Hang in there. Ask you Dr. about taking Cytomel if you need to have

more energy during the day(if you have kids for instance). I had two

endos last year and 1 used cytomel to help me during hypo, the other

didn't even mention it. Good luck and hang in there!!

Kathi

pap

dx 1998

lymphnode involved

RAI 150 mc.

1 clean scan

137 levoxyl daily(endo upped it 5 weeks ago)

[Guest guest]

Hi ! Bet you are glad this part of treatment is over Sounds

like you are hypo which is of course perfectly normal after RAI

treatment. Be careful how you take your thyroid medication(on an empty

stomach, about the same time each day) in a few weeks (sometimes less)

you will be feeling much better and look like yourself again. I too have

facial swelling when hypo. Mostly seen around my eyes. It does go away.

Hang in there. Ask you Dr. about taking Cytomel if you need to have

more energy during the day(if you have kids for instance). I had two

endos last year and 1 used cytomel to help me during hypo, the other

didn't even mention it. Good luck and hang in there!!

Kathi

pap

dx 1998

lymphnode involved

RAI 150 mc.

1 clean scan

137 levoxyl daily(endo upped it 5 weeks ago)

[Guest guest]

Here is a repost from Dr. Ain regarding resuming levothyroxine that may

clarify how long it takes to 'get back to normal after RAI'. You may

find that you'll notice some improvement after about a week to 10 days

and your energy and stamina will continue to gradually increase for the

following month.

Marilyn (dx '94-pap w/lung metastases - 5 pos scans/435mCi's - scans 6 &

7 clean)

* * * From Dr. Ain * * *

" The half-life of levothyroxine is 7 days. It takes from 6-8

half-lives,

when resuming any medication, for the level of the medication to

reach its ultimate steady-state level in the body. For levothyroxine

(Synthroid, Levothroid, Levoxyl, etc.), this means that it will take

fully 6-8 WEEKS for the levels to come back to normal.

When stopping levothyroxine, the curve is identical although

reversed. That is why the TSH level does not typically become

sufficiently elevated for I-131 scans or therapy until 6 weeks after

stopping the medication. "