RAI CRISIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Guest guest]

Hi.

I have been a member of the group now for a little over

a month, and have written in now and then but I realize

that I never formally introduced myself. In short, I am

23 years old, diagnosed with familial papillary thyca in

11/01, had surgery in 12/01 and am now in the midst of a

month long? LID preparing for my RAI, which is in a week

and an half. I know all about being hypo because I was

diagnosed with that in 4/01, and had lived with it for

several months before the diagnosis when I was

prescribed levoxyl.

Anyway, my crisis... I am supposed to have this RAI in a

week and a half and now they are telling me that unless

my calcium comes up to normal range (it's in the 6's

right now), then no RAI. (I lost three parathyroid

glands during the surgery.) I am fairly panicked.

After all, I have been doing this LID thing for weeks

now. I already take 8 pills a day for calcium. Has

this ever happened to anyone?

Then, I think that the doctor and nurse were starting to

get a little frustrated too, which makes it worse. I

already feel bad enough. Now, they want me to have a 24

hour urine test to test the iodine in my body. Is this

a routine procedure? I don't want to sound paranoid,

but is there any chance I could be asked to have this

done in order to see whether or not I really followed

the diet? In honesty, I am really paranoid that the

test will come up with iodine. I mean, I tried at very

best to follow this diet but I'm sure I got some

incidental iodine somewhere. Then I remembered that I

drank OJ out of a can once, had a little spinach once

and use sweet butter repeatedly (but I was always told

we were allowed sweet (unsalted) butter). But, in being

on this thing for a month, would those instances really

blow my whole diet? Other than that, I have definitely

been dilligent on this diet, as much as I can be.

I feel like I am under a little pressure here,

especially with the whole calcium thing. I am worried

about this iodine test too, even though I shouldn't be.

I just can't wait for this to be over, but I have a

feeling it is only just beginning.

Anyway, I just needed to vent, so thanks for listening.

And if anyone has an answer to my questions (about the

calcium and the iodine test) that would be awesome.

Also, can someone put my mind to rest about sweet butter

thing (so many LID thycans I know used it).

Thanks again,

Pattie