Radioactive Iodine

I have been diagnosed with hypertyroid - Graves disease for over 3 years. In the first 2 yrs, i often forget my medication and doctor has advised me that once i stop the medication even for the few days, the previous medication that i have taken goes down the drain. Thus for this 1 year, i have taken very regularly, rarely missing on my medication. However, the checkups have been disappointing. My thyroxine, free level has been under control - 13 (last result) but TSH is only 0.06. Advice is normal level should be 0.34-5.60. I visit the doctor every 3 months and TSH only increases 0.01 everytime! Doctor said this is good progress but i am wondering given the rate it will take me years to reach normal level. I am taking 10mg of carbimonzole everyday although doc actually advised 5mg mon-fri and 10mg sat-sun.

Doc has advised that perhaps i could drink radioactive iodine and kill off the tyroid once and for all and take supplements all my life. Is this advisable? any side effects or possible regrets if i do so?

Thank you.

[Smilerdeb]

If your FT3 and FT4 is at normal and the anti-thyroid meds are not causing any problems with the liver..then stay where you are.
I have Graves and had Hyperthyroidism, had RAI, then Thyroidectomy and believe me.....if my levels had been normal, I wouldnt have gone the RAI route.
Any form of stress sends my levels whacko!
Its not just a 'cut and dried case' of swallow the RAI, then swallow a thyroxin pill everyday.
If only it was that easy.

I am a firm believer that "IF IT AINT BROKEN, DONT FIX IT".
And I advise you learn all you can about Graves and hyperthyroidism and also about the 'other side of the fence' HYPO.\

Up until recently my levels were normal and I worked damn hard to get them where they were but stress has caused me to go hyper to hypo to hyper for the last few months.
The 'see-saw' continues even after RAI and to really be successful in your searchfor wellness...you must know your symptoms 'inside out'.
You must know when you are heading drug induced hyper before the bloods even tell you are.
You must know when your on not enough replacement thyroxin before the labs even tell you.

Sometimes the 'symptoms' can be confusing.....you can feel hyper and hypo at the same time (crossover symptoms) where your FT3 and FT4 is great but yr TSH is way too high.
It is very mind boggling if you know nothing about your symptoms or cannot recognise them in time before the labs.
It takes a lot of hard work and effort to get the desired levels.
They dont just happen.
Sorry to be blunt but unless you are experiencing thyroid storm (atrial fibrillation) I would suggest you stay as you are on the anti-thyroid meds and watch your symptoms as Carbimazole works fast and can send you med induced hypo very quickly if on a dose too high.

I dont regret RAI......but I do regret being diagnosed with Graves.
Maybe others can also give you some insight and advice.
Al the best :)

[Smilerdeb]

Forgot to mention...........
All the time a person has Graves and HAS a thyroid, it can take years for the TSH to go up a fraction....sometimes it never does.
The tsh is not a good indicator with hyperthyroidism and Graves...the FT3 is the one you have to watch to make sure it doesnt cause heart issues when it goes high.