RAI therapy VS antithyroid medcation

[rachelhuang]

I was diagnoised hyperthyroidism (grave disease)10 years ago when I was 20 years old, I have been on antithyroid drug  for about 10 years so far, I stopped medication for a few times in the past, but it relapsed after 3 to 6 months, so I had to go back to medication.
4 years ago I moved to USA and my endo suggested to do radioactive iodine (RAI), I have always been a little against RAI, I don't know, I just have some concerns.

Until recently me and my husband are considering to have baby, and I am 30 years old, I figure I have to make a decision: do RAI before pregnancy or take PTU during pregnancy (I am on 2.5 mg meth every other day for 2 months so far, and before that I was on 2.5 mg every day for about 1 year).

By the way my older sister also had hyperthyroidism when she was about 10 years old, and she took antithyroid drugs over 10 years and when she was 21 years old she stopped medication, she got married and had a healthy boy. until half years ago she was diagnoised thyroid cancer (she was 34 years old then), she had a total thyroid removal surgeory.

I hope can get some answers for my situation. I feel right now I am at the cross road, I want to have healthy babies with my husband in the future, but right now I want to make a decision to move on for the best.


Thanks
Rachel  

[GABY1973]

Hi! i am hypertyroid patient about 13 years & taking PTU 150mg per day now.Doctor advice me to do RAI & i afraid to do it so , may i know what is the side effects for doing RAI ? will i become fat women ?i am panic to do RAI, TQ!

[Smilerdeb]

Read my journals...I had RAI 2 years ago and have never regretted it.

[rachelhuang]

Hi,

Thank you for respond to me, I think I will choose to do RAI and then wait for another year to get pregnant which as I know is best for baby.

But it will be better if I can hear some positive idea of RAI.

Thanks again.
Rachel

[Smilerdeb]

bumping this up for others to answer................

[Smilerdeb]

Forgot to mention...ask your Doc to run a full CBC as long periods of being on anti-thyroid meds can cause liver problems as they make the liver enzymes rise.
You would have to be the first person I know to be on anti-thyroid meds for so long.
Usually the limit is 2 years as long as the liver enzymes are not raised.

[Smilerdeb]

You are in a catch 22 situation.
If you have RAI now.,...they advise NOT to fall pregnant for 12 months.
If you dont have RAI, then you will have to be monitored very closely as you are at risk of premature labour with hyper/hypo.

Either way,......even if you do have RAI now, you will have to be on a T4 med afterwards and also be monitored very closely.

PTU has now been withdrawn as an antithyroid medication for pregnancy due to foetal abnormalities the last I heard.
This is something you should discuss with your Doc as delaying treatment is also delaying options.

Unstable thyroid levels can cause miscarraige, foetal defects and premature labour.
So basically adb=vice from your Doctor would be the way to go.
No-one can advise you whether to have RAI before or after.....you have to weigh up the positives and negatives in this case.
I wish you the best x