Why didnt RAI work???

[Hazyp]

Oh no......I had RAi on 17th May...I've been off work since then and was expecting to return to work part time on Monday.

I had blood tests done about a 2 weeks ago and the results were higher than before the RAI. I had a hospital appointment yesterday and my Endo said I'm not to return to work, the RAI wasn't successful and they will have to do it again. I know I'm hyper again....I can feel it, and said I intended to return part time....my Endo said she wouldnt be a responsible doctor if she allowed this....my heart is under strain, I'm hot, not sleeping, she says I'm confused and not thinking straight. I know I'm not but I thought I could still work, but now even my Husband agrees with her and they think its because I'm not thinking straight that I dont realise how ill I am.

So...I've got to have it done again. Endo has taken more blood yesterday and will call me with the results this afternoon, and if they are still high then its back on the PTU and no work.

Why oh why didnt it work???

[Ericamegan]

I had my RAI back in Feb. I had to take a beta blocker for several months after to control the hyper symptoms. It seems like my thyroid levels would spike and fall. My levels went way up after RAI and have just started falling in the last month.  My last blood test showed I am really getting closer to normal levels, but am still slightly hyper . My doctor thinks I won't go hypo for another couple months.  I bet It's going to take the rest of the year for things to balance out with me.  It's seem a little weird that your dr was wanting to do another dose of RAI so soon and doesn't want you to work even part time. I was back at work 10 days later and had some days where I didn't feel great, but it wasn't awful. Hope things start evening out for you soon.

[Hazyp]

I was feeling so well this morning....now I feel like I've got a machine going inside me....I think it may have started up again! Damn!

[stella5349]

The only thing I can think of is that the antibody counts were high and were falsely giving out hyper numbers and symptoms. RAI took almost a year for me to hit rock bottom as I raged hyper for quite some time after it.

It takes longer for some to adjust after RAI then they say. Its not just nuking and then it dies... its definately more complex than that.

[Smilerdeb]

Great news!
I thought it a bit strange that you had not long had RAI and yet was going to be sent for another dose.
Usually the thyroid will 'fire up' and try to 'work ' before it stops working.
In this time..usually a week or two....the levels go high because of the hormone 'dump' and will then start to fall.
Just keep the beta blockers with you as you may have a few 'dumps'.
But FANTASTIC NEWS!

Now start researching HYPO and dont let the Doc let you go over 10,0 with the TSH before starting a T4 med.
I started mine (25mcg every 2nd day) to avoid the HYPO crash.
By not allowing you to go over 10.0 in the TSH, you wont crash so hard.
So have your labs done every 2-3 weeks until the TSH goes up.
Hugs xxx

[Hazyp]

Wooo hooooo! I've just had a call from my Endo...my levels have come down! Now I'm the low end of high.....got to speak to my doctor tomorrow and I should be able to return to work soon!  My Endo was convinced I had gone higher and she was wrong!! yeee hah!!!

[Totie]

I had the same thing happen to me 16yrs ago. I was hyper/graves/goiter. I hit thyroid storm before RAI. I did the RAI it did not work for me. I hit another thyroid storm after the RAI ended up with surgery. I could not stop losing weight, fast heart rate, you name it I had it. I was during all that time hospitalized for the thryroid storms, not fun....

Sometimes the RAI does not work on everyone. I am all better now...