Questions

[Guest guest]

,

I am so sorry you are dealing with this. Welcome to this wonderful

place...you'll find great comfort here. I also had surgery...lost my right

tube. I felt pain on that site for a few weeks after...made me nervous, but

seems to have subsided. My surgery was 12/08/00. I had some serious

complications after the surgery but even so my doctor said I could ttc as

soon as I felt ready. I had no further testing after the surgery, once the

tube is removed the entire pg is also removed and the numbers tend to drop

very, very quickly. I hope you had a peaceful day. LOVE KJ

[Guest guest]

,

I am so sorry you are dealing with this. Welcome to this wonderful

place...you'll find great comfort here. I also had surgery...lost my right

tube. I felt pain on that site for a few weeks after...made me nervous, but

seems to have subsided. My surgery was 12/08/00. I had some serious

complications after the surgery but even so my doctor said I could ttc as

soon as I felt ready. I had no further testing after the surgery, once the

tube is removed the entire pg is also removed and the numbers tend to drop

very, very quickly. I hope you had a peaceful day. LOVE KJ

[Guest guest]

,

I am so sorry you are dealing with this. Welcome to this wonderful

place...you'll find great comfort here. I also had surgery...lost my right

tube. I felt pain on that site for a few weeks after...made me nervous, but

seems to have subsided. My surgery was 12/08/00. I had some serious

complications after the surgery but even so my doctor said I could ttc as

soon as I felt ready. I had no further testing after the surgery, once the

tube is removed the entire pg is also removed and the numbers tend to drop

very, very quickly. I hope you had a peaceful day. LOVE KJ

[Guest guest]

, I had emergency surgery, because I had already ruptured and I lost part

of my left tube. The doctor who operated on me never told me to come back to

check my hgc levels, but some people have said you usually don't have to check

if you have had surgery. The doctor who operated on me told me and my db to try

6 weeks after my surgery! which I think is crazy, because I am still somewhat

sore and my surgery was 12-7-00. I still have aches on my ep side they come and

go and every once in a while I feel like I am going to get a bladder infection

but i never do. Our experances sound alot alike and I feel the same way you do,

I have irritable bowl syndrom, and i often get pains just like with my ep and I

get upset because it reminds me of that horriable night. I hope this helped a

little.-----Keri

>

> I was wondering if anyone knows if I should have my hgc levels

> tested if I had the entire tube removed. My doctor hasn't mentioned

> it but I need to go back at the end of April since he found a cyst on

> my right ovary, which he ruptured during my surgery, so I was going

> to ask about that then. I have also been having pains on and off,

> usually on the side that I had surgery but not always. It has been

> almost two weeks since my surgery. Is this normal? Someone mentioned

> this today on the boards but I don't remember who. The pains just

> make me nervous because they remind me of the pain when I didn't know

> that my pg was ep. Also, is it usual for a doctor to recommend that

> you wait two cycles or three before trying to conceive again after an

> ep? My doctor recommened two so I just wondered what others have

> experienced. Thanks, I appreciate the support so far. Other people

> just don't understand what I have gone through. They just ask how I

> am and then move onto the next conversation.

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

, I had emergency surgery, because I had already ruptured and I lost part

of my left tube. The doctor who operated on me never told me to come back to

check my hgc levels, but some people have said you usually don't have to check

if you have had surgery. The doctor who operated on me told me and my db to try

6 weeks after my surgery! which I think is crazy, because I am still somewhat

sore and my surgery was 12-7-00. I still have aches on my ep side they come and

go and every once in a while I feel like I am going to get a bladder infection

but i never do. Our experances sound alot alike and I feel the same way you do,

I have irritable bowl syndrom, and i often get pains just like with my ep and I

get upset because it reminds me of that horriable night. I hope this helped a

little.-----Keri

>

> I was wondering if anyone knows if I should have my hgc levels

> tested if I had the entire tube removed. My doctor hasn't mentioned

> it but I need to go back at the end of April since he found a cyst on

> my right ovary, which he ruptured during my surgery, so I was going

> to ask about that then. I have also been having pains on and off,

> usually on the side that I had surgery but not always. It has been

> almost two weeks since my surgery. Is this normal? Someone mentioned

> this today on the boards but I don't remember who. The pains just

> make me nervous because they remind me of the pain when I didn't know

> that my pg was ep. Also, is it usual for a doctor to recommend that

> you wait two cycles or three before trying to conceive again after an

> ep? My doctor recommened two so I just wondered what others have

> experienced. Thanks, I appreciate the support so far. Other people

> just don't understand what I have gone through. They just ask how I

> am and then move onto the next conversation.

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

,

I had an ep in august 00 and lost my right tube. They did not check my hcg

levels at all... I think it is because they took everything out, so there

is nothing to check...

My dr had me wait for 2 normal cycles before trying again...

I also had a cyst that ruptured... they told me they cleaned it all out.

which tube did you lose??

If you have any more questions, please ask... you can email me privately if

you want at tigger89@....

lisa r

lisa r

T.T.F.N.

[Guest guest]

,

I had an ep in august 00 and lost my right tube. They did not check my hcg

levels at all... I think it is because they took everything out, so there

is nothing to check...

My dr had me wait for 2 normal cycles before trying again...

I also had a cyst that ruptured... they told me they cleaned it all out.

which tube did you lose??

If you have any more questions, please ask... you can email me privately if

you want at tigger89@....

lisa r

lisa r

T.T.F.N.

[Guest guest]

> ,

> I had an ep in august 00 and lost my right tube. They did not

check my hcg

> levels at all... I think it is because they took everything out,

so there

> is nothing to check...

>

> My dr had me wait for 2 normal cycles before trying again...

>

> I also had a cyst that ruptured... they told me they cleaned it all

out.

> which tube did you lose??

>

> If you have any more questions, please ask... you can email me

privately if

> you want at tigger89@o...

>

> lisa r

> ,

I lost my left tube. The doctor said he just wants to check the

right ovary to make sure the cyst isn't coming back, especially since

that's the good side now. Thanks for responding.

> lisa r

> T.T.F.N.

[Guest guest]

,

I'm still catching up on messages, and I don't know about the hgc levels or

how long I was supposed to wait, but I can tell you that the pains stick

around for a little while. My ep was in October 2000, and my scar still

gets little " tinges, " but the other pains near the tube that was removed and

the one that was " repaired " have finally gone away, I think, though I do

remember that it was a few months that I still felt them now and then.

Maggie

[Guest guest]

,

I'm still catching up on messages, and I don't know about the hgc levels or

how long I was supposed to wait, but I can tell you that the pains stick

around for a little while. My ep was in October 2000, and my scar still

gets little " tinges, " but the other pains near the tube that was removed and

the one that was " repaired " have finally gone away, I think, though I do

remember that it was a few months that I still felt them now and then.

Maggie

[Guest guest]

B - From what I understand, an hcg of <10 is negative. My last level was

reported as <1, which is the lowest I believe.

Cary - How frustrating! I can relate to your wanting to know all the answers

here...I guess there is no way to know exactly what's going on in our bodies.

But I agree with others - your RE has a lot of experience with this and I would

go with his/her opinion.

Dana - Congratulations on all the positive developments!!! I'm very happy for

you...you must be elated!

- welcome to the group. I can very much relate to your fear of having

another ep - at first I wasn't going to ttc for a few months. Now that I've

gotten the green light, I can't wait to start. I'm sure I will be a nervous

wreck though. One semi comforting thing is that if another ep were to occur, it

would probably be caught very early. I guess it wouldn't be any less

devastating though

lrbarone@... wrote:

Hey everybody-

Please forgive me if I sound really dumb, but I have some questions.

Is a " negative " hcg one that is below 10? I know that if you have an

hcg below 10, you are not pregnant, but do they actually go negative?

Is an OPK an Ovulation Predictor Kit? How do they work?

I know absolutely nothing about clomid-How does that work?

Thanks ladies!

B

[Guest guest]

B - From what I understand, an hcg of <10 is negative. My last level was

reported as <1, which is the lowest I believe.

Cary - How frustrating! I can relate to your wanting to know all the answers

here...I guess there is no way to know exactly what's going on in our bodies.

But I agree with others - your RE has a lot of experience with this and I would

go with his/her opinion.

Dana - Congratulations on all the positive developments!!! I'm very happy for

you...you must be elated!

- welcome to the group. I can very much relate to your fear of having

another ep - at first I wasn't going to ttc for a few months. Now that I've

gotten the green light, I can't wait to start. I'm sure I will be a nervous

wreck though. One semi comforting thing is that if another ep were to occur, it

would probably be caught very early. I guess it wouldn't be any less

devastating though

lrbarone@... wrote:

Hey everybody-

Please forgive me if I sound really dumb, but I have some questions.

Is a " negative " hcg one that is below 10? I know that if you have an

hcg below 10, you are not pregnant, but do they actually go negative?

Is an OPK an Ovulation Predictor Kit? How do they work?

I know absolutely nothing about clomid-How does that work?

Thanks ladies!

B

[Guest guest]

B - From what I understand, an hcg of <10 is negative. My last level was

reported as <1, which is the lowest I believe.

Cary - How frustrating! I can relate to your wanting to know all the answers

here...I guess there is no way to know exactly what's going on in our bodies.

But I agree with others - your RE has a lot of experience with this and I would

go with his/her opinion.

Dana - Congratulations on all the positive developments!!! I'm very happy for

you...you must be elated!

- welcome to the group. I can very much relate to your fear of having

another ep - at first I wasn't going to ttc for a few months. Now that I've

gotten the green light, I can't wait to start. I'm sure I will be a nervous

wreck though. One semi comforting thing is that if another ep were to occur, it

would probably be caught very early. I guess it wouldn't be any less

devastating though

lrbarone@... wrote:

Hey everybody-

Please forgive me if I sound really dumb, but I have some questions.

Is a " negative " hcg one that is below 10? I know that if you have an

hcg below 10, you are not pregnant, but do they actually go negative?

Is an OPK an Ovulation Predictor Kit? How do they work?

I know absolutely nothing about clomid-How does that work?

Thanks ladies!

B

[Guest guest]

Ooops...I mean to congratulate DARCI !!!! Sorry. I can't keep everyone

straight!

Terri Sears wrote:

B - From what I understand, an hcg of <10 is negative. My last level was

reported as <1, which is the lowest I believe.

Cary - How frustrating! I can relate to your wanting to know all the answers

here...I guess there is no way to know exactly what's going on in our bodies.

But I agree with others - your RE has a lot of experience with this and I would

go with his/her opinion.

Dana - Congratulations on all the positive developments!!! I'm very happy for

you...you must be elated!

- welcome to the group. I can very much relate to your fear of having

another ep - at first I wasn't going to ttc for a few months. Now that I've

gotten the green light, I can't wait to start. I'm sure I will be a nervous

wreck though. One semi comforting thing is that if another ep were to occur, it

would probably be caught very early. I guess it wouldn't be any less

devastating though

lrbarone@... wrote:

Hey everybody-

Please forgive me if I sound really dumb, but I have some questions.

Is a " negative " hcg one that is below 10? I know that if you have an

hcg below 10, you are not pregnant, but do they actually go negative?

Is an OPK an Ovulation Predictor Kit? How do they work?

I know absolutely nothing about clomid-How does that work?

Thanks ladies!

B

[Guest guest]

Ooops...I mean to congratulate DARCI !!!! Sorry. I can't keep everyone

straight!

Terri Sears wrote:

B - From what I understand, an hcg of <10 is negative. My last level was

reported as <1, which is the lowest I believe.

Cary - How frustrating! I can relate to your wanting to know all the answers

here...I guess there is no way to know exactly what's going on in our bodies.

But I agree with others - your RE has a lot of experience with this and I would

go with his/her opinion.

Dana - Congratulations on all the positive developments!!! I'm very happy for

you...you must be elated!

- welcome to the group. I can very much relate to your fear of having

another ep - at first I wasn't going to ttc for a few months. Now that I've

gotten the green light, I can't wait to start. I'm sure I will be a nervous

wreck though. One semi comforting thing is that if another ep were to occur, it

would probably be caught very early. I guess it wouldn't be any less

devastating though

lrbarone@... wrote:

Hey everybody-

Please forgive me if I sound really dumb, but I have some questions.

Is a " negative " hcg one that is below 10? I know that if you have an

hcg below 10, you are not pregnant, but do they actually go negative?

Is an OPK an Ovulation Predictor Kit? How do they work?

I know absolutely nothing about clomid-How does that work?

Thanks ladies!

B

[Guest guest]

Ooops...I mean to congratulate DARCI !!!! Sorry. I can't keep everyone

straight!

Terri Sears wrote:

B - From what I understand, an hcg of <10 is negative. My last level was

reported as <1, which is the lowest I believe.

Cary - How frustrating! I can relate to your wanting to know all the answers

here...I guess there is no way to know exactly what's going on in our bodies.

But I agree with others - your RE has a lot of experience with this and I would

go with his/her opinion.

Dana - Congratulations on all the positive developments!!! I'm very happy for

you...you must be elated!

- welcome to the group. I can very much relate to your fear of having

another ep - at first I wasn't going to ttc for a few months. Now that I've

gotten the green light, I can't wait to start. I'm sure I will be a nervous

wreck though. One semi comforting thing is that if another ep were to occur, it

would probably be caught very early. I guess it wouldn't be any less

devastating though

lrbarone@... wrote:

Hey everybody-

Please forgive me if I sound really dumb, but I have some questions.

Is a " negative " hcg one that is below 10? I know that if you have an

hcg below 10, you are not pregnant, but do they actually go negative?

Is an OPK an Ovulation Predictor Kit? How do they work?

I know absolutely nothing about clomid-How does that work?

Thanks ladies!

B

[Guest guest]

,

many women's period doesn't return immediately and they sort of give up on ever recovering from ashermans. Then like yourself, they discover that their period return's. Sometimes it takes more time for the lining to grow and heal back. Remember, YES you can get pregnant, and unless you know you are scar free and have a good lining to hold a pregnancy, please take precautions and wait to see if your uterus is back to normal before trying. It only takes a small entrance for a sperm to travel and find a good spot to attach. But the risk of a miscarriage is what you want to avoid.

Having a period after such a long time must be a great feeling. Anyway, to keep our records right, can you let Suzanne know of this period so that she can add it to your profile? Any other changes too would be appreciate but check your profile first to see if all the info is correct. Her email is: suzanne.d.taylor@...

Poly

[Guest guest]

,

many women's period doesn't return immediately and they sort of give up on ever recovering from ashermans. Then like yourself, they discover that their period return's. Sometimes it takes more time for the lining to grow and heal back. Remember, YES you can get pregnant, and unless you know you are scar free and have a good lining to hold a pregnancy, please take precautions and wait to see if your uterus is back to normal before trying. It only takes a small entrance for a sperm to travel and find a good spot to attach. But the risk of a miscarriage is what you want to avoid.

Having a period after such a long time must be a great feeling. Anyway, to keep our records right, can you let Suzanne know of this period so that she can add it to your profile? Any other changes too would be appreciate but check your profile first to see if all the info is correct. Her email is: suzanne.d.taylor@...

Poly

[Guest guest]

,

First, since it has been 2 years with no periods and now you have had

two light ones in a row, I think something has changed inside your

uterus/cervix area. Did you have any exams, tests, HSG, SHG, etc that

might have opened you up so to speak? If not, I would try to set up

an appt with your doctor to check it out. It could be that you were

pretty scarred up and that your endometrium was very thin or damaged

and now after two years, your endo has thickened up and is healthy

again, therefore you are shedding the endometrium at the end of each

cycle like a normal healthy uterus is supposed to do. Second, yes,

you can get pregnant if you still have your ovaries & a uterus. If

blood can come out, sperm can definitely get in. Remember 's

story. She didn't bleed either and ended up pregnant recently. It

only takes one tiny sperm to reach an egg and presto, you can get

pregnant. If on the other hand, you are on BCP or your husband has

been " snipped " than you are okay. I wouldn't take any chances

however because if you do get pregnant, with your significant amount

of scar tissue, you probably would have many problems carrying to

term.

W

[Guest guest]

, see my answers below:

I've understood that Dr

Gallinat tries to remove ALL scar tissue,

including scar tissue along the walls of the cavity. Am I right?

Yes, otherwise after the surgery the left over endometrium (from before

the surgery) can not spread along the walls. Endometrium needs a

functioning basal layer. It can not grow on scars tissue.

I've also understood that it is

not advisable to try to get pregnant

if there is scar tissue left, except maybe if it's only a tiny little

bit. Correct?

Yes, imagine a balloon with lots of glue spots (tissue). It can´t be

blown up (like for a pregnancy), can it?

And how about the chances of

endometrium growing back while the walls

are still almost completely covered by scar tissue? Not good, I

suppose?

see above

Corinna

[Guest guest]

Hi Cheryl,

> Some of you have informed me that I really should go through the

> nuclear test (forget now what you called it) to see if the nodule in

> my neck is hot or cold. And the needle biopsy. But the ENT said

> neither was important; he had enough info from the contract CT and

> the ultrasound. However, I saw both of those reports and they

> didn't say much of anything just that there may be a possibility of

> malignancy in the left part of my thyroid.

Although needle biopsy (FNA) is used these days in the majority of

cases, it wasn't around when I was first treated (1965); and when I

had a suspected recurrence in 1982, my surgeon dismissed FNA as

unecessary because he " knew " the operation was needed without doing

one. Like you I found it very hard to go ahead and agree to surgery

on his say-so and without clinical evidence " it " was there. He was

not a good communicator, and I thought at one point that he was simply

obsessed. My GP spoke to the surgeon and supported me in wanting to

wait. Then I asked for and got a second opinion, and the doctor who

gave that opinion was able to convince both me and my GP. I was

finally persuaded that the risk was sufficiently high that it was the

right thing to do even if the surgeon found nothing (and guess what -

he found something).

If you are still finding it hard to make up your mind, you do have

some options. You could try asking your surgeon what is the

percentage chance of malignancy in your case and based on the test

results; if you're not comfortable with his answer or prefer to ask

someone else, you could ask for a second opinion - ideally from an

endocrinologist with expertise in thyca - to interpret the tests and

give you his/her opinion; you could also ask if there is a support

group for thyca in your area (see: http://ww.thyca.org) with members

who might be able to help you come to a decision; or you could

" insist " on a needle biopsy, but bear in mind that the result may give

you a false-negative, or inconclusive, reading.

> What would happen if I just didn't have anything done?? If it isn't

> cancer I will be fine!! If it is cancer, how fast does it spread?

> Sounds like a very slow-moving cancer.

I am not a doctor, but as explained to me, even if it is malignant

maybe nothing would happen for a number of years, depending on your

age. In later decades though an untreated thyroid tumour can

de-differentiate into a much more aggressive form of (anaplastic)

thyroid cancer. Postponing the operation might also mean that the

tumour grows in such a way as to affect other structures in the neck,

which would increase the chance of complications.

> I am very confused and just really don't know what action to take.

> I think I would rather live a short but normal life than live longer

> but have to be running to doctors and hospitals the rest of my life.

It is your right to say " no " but do you know enough about the possible

consequences to take that decision and can you live with it?

> When is one officially pronounced cured?

Most of us react well to RAI and are completely teated after one

ablative dose, but it takes up to a year to determine this. After a

clean scan, and provided the thyroglobulin (Tg = marker for thyroid

cancer) is undetectable, there are usually periodic scans for a while,

and annual check-ups.

Although I have been pronounced " cured " on several occasions, I prefer

the term NED = " No Evidence of Disease " because we do need long-term

follow-up. But you can - I have, you will I hope - forget about it

and get on with your life.

Hope this helps and good luck,

Judith (British, in Holland)

dx 1965 pap thyca T4-N1-M0

pt England 1965

dx2 1982 recurrence in lymph nodes

tt + rai The Nerlands 1982

clean scan and " ned " since Sep 1982

[Guest guest]

,

I hope you are feeling better. I had stitches in my bellly button and my bikini line. I had a few cramps, but I think it was from the gas they pump into you. (Most people have lots of sramps from this) The stiches in my belly hurt a lot on there own. Made me feel like I was hit by a truck. It was an unpleasant few days. Are you on estrogen? Are you bleeding? Ant bleeding in the uterus will cause cramping. I am sure your lining is improving, as they probably jst took away a lot of stuff from it. I am not sure if the cramps are from the growing lining. Do you have a balloon? Sometimes I have heard people get cramps when it was too full. In either case, I am glad you are home, and on the road to recovery.

Have a happy holiday,

"mary276378 wrote:

Hi, I was just wondering if any of you had stitches after your lap. I did not last time but I do this time. I also wondered if a lot of cramping is normal and if this would have anything to do with endometrium yet. thanks mary

[Guest guest]

Hi Tonya,

Congrats on finishing up with your treatments! Now you can

focus on getting yourself regulated on your medicine and getting

your life back to normal.

One year is the norm for thyroid cancer follow-up. Some people

go back after 6 or 9 months, but usually it's because they have a

more difficult situation.

It may seem like agony to wait a whole year to find out if RAI

finished the job, but the cells often take that long to finish dying

off. Throughout this next year you'll be slowly processing

everything that has just happened to you, but soon enough you

will be able to start putting this on the back burner and focus

again on the things in life you find rewarding and that make you

happy.

Best wishes,

--Carmen in nyc

10/00 TT, pap thyca

11/00 RAI 100 mCi

2/03 Second RAI scheduled

> Hello everyone,

> I have been a member of this group since October when I first

found

> out I had thyroid cancer. I underwent a total thyroidectomy in

> December and just underwent my first RAI because my scan

was clean

> except for some " risidual " effect in the neck. I did have a few

> lymph nodes in the neck posisitive as well. So my question. I

> underwent my RAI and I asked when I should come back for

another scan

> to make sure this has taken care of it and I was told a year. Is

> this normal. It seems like a long time to put your life on hold to

> know for sure. I know you never know for sure and it can come

back

> but to not know if the dose was enough seems strange to me.

The

> doctor is well known and seemed knowledgable but I have

learned to

> get second opinions so I am going to also try and contact a

endo. I

> will need one ayway to get me regulated on meds. Is this

normal

> practice or should I find someone who will do another in six

months

> or maybe I just need to be louder and demand it? I can't tell

you

> how much all of your stories help me to keep hope alive. I

know that

> like most of you there are days I feel like giving up and am

angry

> but I know there is hope out there and I would just like to tell

> everyone thank you.

>

> Sincerely,

> Tonya

[Guest guest]

Hi Tonya, I rcvd my scan 2 and 1/2 months after my radiation. I would get a

second opinion and speak up. I have had to on a number of occassions. My

neighbour had to wait a year and she found it mentally draining. Good Luck

Jo

Re: questions

Hi Tonya,

Congrats on finishing up with your treatments! Now you can

focus on getting yourself regulated on your medicine and getting

your life back to normal.

One year is the norm for thyroid cancer follow-up. Some people

go back after 6 or 9 months, but usually it's because they have a

more difficult situation.

It may seem like agony to wait a whole year to find out if RAI

finished the job, but the cells often take that long to finish dying

off. Throughout this next year you'll be slowly processing

everything that has just happened to you, but soon enough you

will be able to start putting this on the back burner and focus

again on the things in life you find rewarding and that make you

happy.

Best wishes,

--Carmen in nyc

10/00 TT, pap thyca

11/00 RAI 100 mCi

2/03 Second RAI scheduled

> Hello everyone,

> I have been a member of this group since October when I first

found

> out I had thyroid cancer. I underwent a total thyroidectomy in

> December and just underwent my first RAI because my scan

was clean

> except for some " risidual " effect in the neck. I did have a few

> lymph nodes in the neck posisitive as well. So my question. I

> underwent my RAI and I asked when I should come back for

another scan

> to make sure this has taken care of it and I was told a year. Is

> this normal. It seems like a long time to put your life on hold to

> know for sure. I know you never know for sure and it can come

back

> but to not know if the dose was enough seems strange to me.

The

> doctor is well known and seemed knowledgable but I have

learned to

> get second opinions so I am going to also try and contact a

endo. I

> will need one ayway to get me regulated on meds. Is this

normal

> practice or should I find someone who will do another in six

months

> or maybe I just need to be louder and demand it? I can't tell

you

> how much all of your stories help me to keep hope alive. I

know that

> like most of you there are days I feel like giving up and am

angry

> but I know there is hope out there and I would just like to tell

> everyone thank you.

>

> Sincerely,

> Tonya

[Guest guest]

Hi Tonya, I rcvd my scan 2 and 1/2 months after my radiation. I would get a

second opinion and speak up. I have had to on a number of occassions. My

neighbour had to wait a year and she found it mentally draining. Good Luck

Jo

Re: questions

Hi Tonya,

Congrats on finishing up with your treatments! Now you can

focus on getting yourself regulated on your medicine and getting

your life back to normal.

One year is the norm for thyroid cancer follow-up. Some people

go back after 6 or 9 months, but usually it's because they have a

more difficult situation.

It may seem like agony to wait a whole year to find out if RAI

finished the job, but the cells often take that long to finish dying

off. Throughout this next year you'll be slowly processing

everything that has just happened to you, but soon enough you

will be able to start putting this on the back burner and focus

again on the things in life you find rewarding and that make you

happy.

Best wishes,

--Carmen in nyc

10/00 TT, pap thyca

11/00 RAI 100 mCi

2/03 Second RAI scheduled

> Hello everyone,

> I have been a member of this group since October when I first

found

> out I had thyroid cancer. I underwent a total thyroidectomy in

> December and just underwent my first RAI because my scan

was clean

> except for some " risidual " effect in the neck. I did have a few

> lymph nodes in the neck posisitive as well. So my question. I

> underwent my RAI and I asked when I should come back for

another scan

> to make sure this has taken care of it and I was told a year. Is

> this normal. It seems like a long time to put your life on hold to

> know for sure. I know you never know for sure and it can come

back

> but to not know if the dose was enough seems strange to me.

The

> doctor is well known and seemed knowledgable but I have

learned to

> get second opinions so I am going to also try and contact a

endo. I

> will need one ayway to get me regulated on meds. Is this

normal

> practice or should I find someone who will do another in six

months

> or maybe I just need to be louder and demand it? I can't tell

you

> how much all of your stories help me to keep hope alive. I

know that

> like most of you there are days I feel like giving up and am

angry

> but I know there is hope out there and I would just like to tell

> everyone thank you.

>

> Sincerely,

> Tonya