RAI treatment for overactive thyroid nodule - GOOD

[callymissy]

Hello,  I had low TSH but my other bloodwork was normal.  Had thyroid uptake test and nodule determined to be causing me to be hyperthryroid.  Had lower dose RAI treatment a couple months ago.  Other than a few days of sore tongue (oh, drink green tea like crazy - it really helps), no side effects at all.  Going for bloodwork every two weeks.  First more hyperactive but subsequent tests show levels are slowly going back to normal, so it appears RAI is working.  Dr. confident when nodule is finally killed, my thyroid will normalize (it goes dormant when nodules are active).  My pulse is normalizing (was between 100-120 beats/min 24/7....now avg's 85-90).  Concentration level improving and overall feel better (still waiting for it to be easier to get to sleep at night).    Dr. told me since prob. in nodule and not thyroid, very little chance of thyroid dying as well and needing thyroid hormone pills rest of my life.  For those of you who can relate....don't fret over RAI treatment.  Not a big deal.  My Dr. said pills for overactive thyroid conditions are even more dangerous than RAI.  Many dangerous side effects.    One thing to note though about RAI treatment - if you are travelling across border (ie, we came from Canada to US a few weeks after the treatment) ALWAYS get Dr. letter AND Nuclear Imaging letters about your treatment.  US has radiation scans at borders and in Federal buildings and you will still be glowing.  We were stopped and I had to step out of car so they can take further readings.  No big deal at all but medical documentation is a MUST.  

[Smilerdeb]

Sorry..forgot to ask.
Were you tested for Graves Disease with antibody testing prior to RAI?

[Smilerdeb]

I read one of your sentences and dont know why your Doctor informed you of this but it is totally untrue.

**** Dr. told me since prob. in nodule and not thyroid, very little chance of thyroid dying as well and needing thyroid hormone pills rest of my life. ****

RAI ablates the thyroid too as the thyroid is hungry for that Radioactive Iodine, its just a matter of time when the thyroid starts to die off.
Mine took 5 weeks on a low dose of RAI and I have been on T4 meds ince August 2008.
A lot of Doctors will tell you that RAI will 'stun' the thyroid to go back to stop the overproducing hormones.
This is untrue.
The thyroid usually dies off ....its just a case of how long and when.
Some can take up to a year or longer...others go hypo after a few months.
Watch your levels as its early days yet and you may find the thyroid is 'dumping' at the moment and priducing enough T3 and T4 to keep you well.

Its good you are having 2 weekly tests....this will determine if and when any change occurs.

RAI IS over-rated.
I was scared because of the horror stories but it was a breeze especially if you have Graves and Hyperthyroidism.
Hyper is absolute Hell and theres no way I could ever go down that path again.
I would have RAI again if I needed it rather than living with Hyperthyroidism.


I also found that the symptoms of Hypo were a thousand times less after RAI than before RAI.
The sleeping issue comes good after roughly 3-4 months.

My Sister had RAI too and it took her 2 years to go Hypo.