Glowing in the Dark???

[Guest guest]

Hi out there,

had my 2nd. visit with my consultant today. Blood results are T4=5.0,

T3=1.6 (bloods were taken on a day when I felt good!!!) and as a consequence

consultant has dropped my Carbimazole from 20 mgs daily to just 5mg daily

and wants me to stop my Beta Blocker ( 80mgs. Half Inderal sustained

release).

Then she hit me with the RAI option. I'm not sure how I feel about this

because A) seems weird to suggest blasting my thyroid then needing thyroxine

for the rest of my life she offered the alternative treatment of well

observed Carbimazole therapy for 12-18 months (or as required), then trying

to drop the meds entirely (or at leat until my thyroid becomes hyper again).

I also have an underlying and as yet undiagnosed neurological condition

which may be Parkinsons Disease and I need to get the thyroid under control

to allow for an accurate diagnosis of this second critical illness.

I am looking for a simple straight answer to the question " Does RAI work any

better than ATDs and is it truly safe? "

Hmmm??

Thanks in advance.

Bob Q (Scotland)

[Guest guest]

A lot of questions:

> had my 2nd. visit with my consultant today. Blood results are

> T4=5.0,

> T3=1.6

What are the ranges for normal that your lab gives (they do vary)? And

were these total, or free T's? The free T's are the most accurate test

for how much thyroid hormone is circulating.

> consultant has dropped my Carbimazole from 20 mgs daily to just 5mg

> daily

This is a very dramatic drop, and may cause you to suffer a rebound

effect. It's best to go from 20 to 15 or 12.5 if you had been feeling

uncomfortably hypo (which you weren't).

> and wants me to stop my Beta Blocker ( 80mgs. Half Inderal sustained

> release).

Am not familiar with BB's - anyone know if she's doing the same to him

with the BB's - too dramatic?

> Then she hit me with the RAI option. I'm not sure how I feel about

> this

> because A) seems weird to suggest blasting my thyroid then needing

> thyroxine

> for the rest of my life she offered the alternative treatment

> of well

> observed Carbimazole therapy for 12-18 months (or as required), then

> trying

> to drop the meds entirely (or at leat until my thyroid becomes hyper

> again).

So what are you doing now?!?!?!? Poorly observed Carbimazole? (?!?!?! NOT

aimed at you but at the treatment your endo is giving you. Maybe it's

just me - I woke up early and am not operating on all cylinders yet.)

> I also have an underlying and as yet undiagnosed neurological

> condition

> which may be Parkinsons Disease and I need to get the thyroid under

> control

> to allow for an accurate diagnosis of this second critical illness.

Are the magician who wrote in a few weeks ago? Are you feeling at all

better?

> I am looking for a simple straight answer to the question " Does RAI

> work any

> better than ATDs and is it truly safe? "

No, and no.

You may want to check out mediboard. There's another fellow from the UK

who used to be active here and is now said to spend his time there -

Simon from England, who may have some insights into navigating the NHS

and thyroid treatment as practiced on the other side of the pond.

Take care, Fay

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