Guest guest Posted June 16, 2003 Report Share Posted June 16, 2003 Hi and welcome to the group. What you have run into is the typical pushy endo. Best advice: find another or educate this one about the alternatives to RAI. Certainly if you're maintaining well on 2.5 mg. of Tap, you DO NOT need to do anything differently. You can stay on that dose for years and not have any problems at all. I know, I'm doing it--I was diagnosed in '94 and currently take a bit less than 2.5 mg. daily. My endo has no plans to take me off it, either. It's true that our levels change over time, and you might eventually be ready to stop taking the tap altogether. You would base that decision on several factors--and time is not one of them. First of all, how you feel. If you go hypo, you will feel sluggish and foggy-brained and gain weight. Second, your blood tests. Labs you should have routinely include FT4 and (every few times) FT3, the doc will probably want a TSH as well. But, before you go off meds your TSI should be tested and should come back as <2. TSI is the test for the antibodies that cause GD, and when we have them we have GD and need the medication. Feel free to share your lab results with us, by the way. Elaine is especially a great person to interpret them. But you sound like you've got everything under control, and I would be sure if I were you to find a doctor that will let you continue on the Tap (or menthimazole of carbamizole or whatever the brand) indefinitely, follow you with routine blood work every 3 months or more frequently if you feel like your levels are changing, and not push RAI. You don't need it! It would probably cause far more physical problems than you currently have with the controlled GD. As for finding the doc, I know things in Canada are pretty controlled. You may just have to educate the one you have--if she's willing to be educated. Some docs are threatened by patients who learn about their disease and some aren't. Mine, luckily, was not. One of the things you can do is get a copy of Elaine 's book, Graves Disease, A Practical Guide. Read it yourself, and give it (or excerpts from it) to your doctor. there's also, on the home page, a 'top 20 reasons not to have RAI' file. You may want to print that out for your doctor, it's well annotated. I'm sure others in the group will also come on and answer your questions, too. Good luck, Terry > > Reply-To: graves_support > Date: Mon, 16 Jun 2003 23:49:25 +0100 (BST) > To: graves_support > Subject: Hi, I'm new! > > Hello, > My name is . I was diagnosed with Graves in > April last year. At that time I was living in Japan > and had been for many years. I am Australian and now > live in Canada. After coming here I went to an > endocrinologist. Last week she told me that I would > have to consider RAI. I left her office with a feeling > of impending doom and so decided to do a little > research - that's how I found this group. I realised > she had not addressed many issues associated with my > overall health and the stress I had been under in > Japan. I am on 2.5mg (that is half a tablet) per day > and everything is normal. I have been taking half > since Febuary. She said if I went off the tablets now > I would go hyper again. I understand that but I can't > see why she is telling me about RAI when I have only > been on the tablets for 14 months. I feel a little > angry because if I were in Australia or Japan I > wouldn't really have to consider it. I am going to > refuse to take the RAI and try to change my diet etc. > I just have a few questions if anyone knows the > answers - When is it safe to go off the pills? Should > I continue to take the pills until the two years is > up? Why does my body continue to stay at a normal > weight and I feel good - should I start gaining weight > when it is time to go off the tablets? > If anyone can help me here I would really appreciate > it. > Thanks > > > __________________________________________________ > Yahoo! Plus - For a better Internet experience > http://uk.promotions.yahoo.com/yplus/yoffer.html > > > ------------------------------------- > 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. > ---------------------------------------- > DISCLAIMER > > Advertisments placed on this yahoo groups list do not have the endorsement of > the listowner. I have no input as to what ads are attached to emails. > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > -------- > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 17, 2003 Report Share Posted June 17, 2003 Hi : My endo told me that statistics showed an average of 18 months for those on ATDs to go into remission, but that doesn't mean it can't happen sooner or later. I chose to stay with ATDs and would have continued had I not gone into remission. Towards the end, I was taking very low dose, sometimes felt fluctuating hypo and hyper, and my lab levels were well within normal but moved around a bit. After a few false starts, I was able to get off the meds and stay in normal range. The key here is regular and frequent blood tests to gauge where you are. If you feel good, just be grateful! In fact, I took labs when I was feeling good to get a sense of where in the range I felt best. Take a blood test at least every 90 days, more often if you feel you are changing. Weight gain should not be THE indicator, although if you start gaining weight, feeling tired and emotional, cold, or any other hypo signs, it's time for a lab test. In addition to checking your thyroid levels, you can run antibody tests to see where you are. I would manage this period very carefully, don't make false moves, check how you are feeling against your labs. If your doctor won't support you in this and insists on RAI, can you get a different doctor? I'm glad I decided against RAI because at least for now, I am free of all thyroid meds and feeling pretty good. Good luck! > When is it safe to go off the pills? Should > I continue to take the pills until the two years is > up? Why does my body continue to stay at a normal > weight and I feel good - should I start gaining weight > when it is time to go off the tablets? > If anyone can help me here I would really appreciate > it. > Thanks > > > __________________________________________________ > Yahoo! Plus - For a better Internet experience > http://uk.promotions.yahoo.com/yplus/yoffer.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 9, 2004 Report Share Posted May 9, 2004 My name is Heidi and I had RNY Gastric Bypass Surgery 15 months ago. I've lost just over 150 pounds. My husband and I started trying to conceive last month. Anyone want to share special concerns or problems they've encountered getting or being pregnant after surgery? I'm also wondering how much weight gain I should expect when pregnant? Did anyone still lose while pregnant when more than a year out? I'm a sponge and will soak up anything you can tell me. ) Heidi ~ 26 years old DH ~ 25 years old Noah born 05/17/2001 RNY 02/06/2003 Start weight 291 Current weight 135 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 10, 2004 Report Share Posted May 10, 2004 Now that you have lost weight it will probably be easier to concieve at least that seems to be the case for so many on these groups. Appetites and weight gains vary but they are not all that bad, i don't think anyways. good luck with everything, God Bless, Robin, NorthEastern, NY Age- 41 EDD- July 27th, 2004 IT'S A BOY!!!!!! Mommy to: & (twin boys 8 years), Madison, daughter, 5 years and Wife to Pup 15 years (October 31, 1988) Gastric Bypass Surgery- October 18th 2002 Start-378, current- 246(pregnant) goal 170 after baby It's a BOY!!!!! Emerson Roger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 10, 2004 Report Share Posted May 10, 2004 Depression and weight has very much to do with your ability to get pregnant.. MY wife and i have been trying for over a year for our 2nd child. She did get pregnant since Connor (5/14/2002) was born, but had a misscarrage at 11 weeks (bloated overum). Now after the DCE we are trying again.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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