Re: RAI Dilemma

[Guest guest]

Anne,

I must have deleted your initial post...I've been so busy lately I haven't

had a chance to go through all the mail. You mentioned in another post,

however, that you were concerned about agranulocytosis and the possibility

of getting pregnant. Why are you worried about these things if you're not

already having trouble? Agranulocytosis is very rare, and generally shows

up very early in the treatment if you're going to get it. And, if you want

to get pregnant, have your doctor switch you to PTU. It doesn't pass

through the placental barrier like Tapazole. It just seems to me that if

you're doing fine on the ATDs, there's no reason to go off them now. I know

of someone who has been on ATDs for 20 years and is doing fine. You're on

such a small dose, so I can't imagine any great harm being done to your

liver, either. The thing is, if you do the RAI, you'll be relying on

another pill for the rest of your life, and from what I understand, it

doesn't work too darn well. My doctor has tried to get me to do RAI from my

very first visit. I admit there have been times during my treatment that I

considered it, because I was so miserable. But, I think I'm finally on the

right dose, and I've been feeling great for about 6 weeks now, and now I

can't even imagine how I could have considered it. Just be very careful in

your decision. This is the choice of a lifetime.....

Holly

[Guest guest]

Anne,

I must have deleted your initial post...I've been so busy lately I haven't

had a chance to go through all the mail. You mentioned in another post,

however, that you were concerned about agranulocytosis and the possibility

of getting pregnant. Why are you worried about these things if you're not

already having trouble? Agranulocytosis is very rare, and generally shows

up very early in the treatment if you're going to get it. And, if you want

to get pregnant, have your doctor switch you to PTU. It doesn't pass

through the placental barrier like Tapazole. It just seems to me that if

you're doing fine on the ATDs, there's no reason to go off them now. I know

of someone who has been on ATDs for 20 years and is doing fine. You're on

such a small dose, so I can't imagine any great harm being done to your

liver, either. The thing is, if you do the RAI, you'll be relying on

another pill for the rest of your life, and from what I understand, it

doesn't work too darn well. My doctor has tried to get me to do RAI from my

very first visit. I admit there have been times during my treatment that I

considered it, because I was so miserable. But, I think I'm finally on the

right dose, and I've been feeling great for about 6 weeks now, and now I

can't even imagine how I could have considered it. Just be very careful in

your decision. This is the choice of a lifetime.....

Holly

[Guest guest]

> I am not sure if anyone else on this list who has had RAI has anything

> positive to say about it, but I feel it has greatly improved my quality of

Hi Amy -- I had RAI in December (the 4th, I think). There was a time when

I was *really* hyperT, and then suddenly shifted to hypoT around (roughly)

February 27th. I've been on .100 Synthroid since February 28th, and I'm

feeling better than I have in a loooong time. I'm currently waiting for my

latest lab results to determine if I need a dosage adjustment (I've been

on it for 6 weeks now).

I'm looking pretty good -- my eyes are not protruding anymore. I'm

feeling REALLY good, have lost the 5 lbs that I picked up when I went

hypoT, and am still convinced that RAI was the right choice for me.

--patti

*~*~*~*~*

Patti Spicer patti@...

Photographer, Woodlawn VFC (Baltimore County Station 33)

" Those who would give up freedom for security deserve neither "

--Ben lin

http://www.cyphergirl.com - My photography, cookbooks, thyroid info, and more!