Guest guest Posted August 21, 2000 Report Share Posted August 21, 2000 Dear Caroline, Though I cannot add anything to what's been posted so far I feel compelled to write. I do have a question that maybe a dr. outside the US might finally be able to answer satisfactorily: Why is it that many other countries (i.e. not the US) do not encourage RAI for women of childbearing age? By now you've probably read that the ramifications are more than enough to give one pause and make a thyroidectomy downright attractive. What can't be stressed enough is - you have time. Time enough to take beta-blockers, anti-thyroid meds (which many doctors prescribe before RAI anyway), eliminate stimulants and eat healthily while you educate yourself. In just one month you will feel better equipped to make further decisions. It might boil down to this -which is the least of the evils? What you may also have heard is that both thyroidectomy and RAI can impact on fertility. Here's another question - does one more so than the other? I know hypothyroid women who've successfully and repeatedly carried pregnancies to term though a)under intense medical care and b)they'd developed Hashimoto's or postpartum thyroiditis, not been originally hyper-rendered-hypo. Good luck, good health, and we're with you, Fay Young ________________________________________________________________ YOU'RE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR THE INTERNET! Juno now offers FREE Internet Access! Try it today - there's no risk! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 25, 2000 Report Share Posted August 25, 2000 Thanks for your wishes and thoughts Fay, Interesting questions about the treatment of choice in the US compared to other countries. Here in Australia the preference is Surgery for non cancerous goitre and I'm certainly glad I seem to have more choices on treatment than my USA brothers and sisters. I think that the long term effects of RAI are unclear and my endo explained to me that he preferred surgery in my case due to uncertainty of RAI - it take ages to see if it has worked and exactly how much of the thyroid it has knocked out - hence most patients become hypo. Yes, I know the fertility problems. There is no way I'd be able to get pregnant at present and I read that it will improve when the thyroid hormones levels become normal. The GD itself also affect fertility - so I hope it is not a loosing battle. I'm seriously considering the surgery because I'm scared stiff of thyroid storm. If I become stable on a low dose of PTU and get pregnant the chances of the antibodies and hormones raging again are high. So that would not be good. Well I'll do more thinking, reading, taking, writing, listening, and most of all praying. Take Care Cheers Caroline hkfjhsf Young wrote: > Dear Caroline, > Though I cannot add anything to what's been posted so far I feel > compelled to write. I do have a question that maybe a dr. outside the US > might finally be able to answer satisfactorily: Why is it that many other > countries (i.e. not the US) do not encourage RAI for women of > childbearing age? By now you've probably read that the ramifications are > more than enough to give one pause and make a thyroidectomy downright > attractive. > What can't be stressed enough is - you have time. Time enough to take > beta-blockers, anti-thyroid meds (which many doctors prescribe before RAI > anyway), eliminate stimulants and eat healthily while you educate > yourself. In just one month you will feel better equipped to make further > decisions. > It might boil down to this -which is the least of the evils? What you may > also have heard is that both thyroidectomy and RAI can impact on > fertility. Here's another question - does one more so than the other? I > know hypothyroid women who've successfully and repeatedly carried > pregnancies to term though a)under intense medical care and b)they'd > developed Hashimoto's or postpartum thyroiditis, not been originally > hyper-rendered-hypo. > Good luck, good health, and we're with you, > Fay Young > ________________________________________________________________ > YOU'RE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR THE INTERNET! > Juno now offers FREE Internet Access! > Try it today - there's no risk! For your FREE software, visit: > http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj. > > > ------------------------------------- > The Graves' list is intended for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace expert medical care. > Please consult your doctor before changing or trying new treatments. > ---------------------------------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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