a very useful link to another support group- Re: al...

[Guest guest]

Though Elaine might the expert on this topic, I have to disagree on

some of her statement. If you check medline, you might have some

different answers for some of the points.

Best wishes.

Liang

> Hi Elaine,

>

> Wow! Thanks for clarifying my comments. I hadn't realized that the

dangers were so far out. Your post brought me back to my initial

gut level reaction: drink something radioactive!!?? Never!

>

> Thanks -

> Re: Re: a very useful link to another

support group- Re: al...

>

>

> Hi ,

> Although it's been mentioned here that the majority of people do

fine with

> RAI, and 5 years ago I may have even said this, there are no

studies that back

> this statement when it comes to long-term patients. The few

studies pertaining

> to the wellbeing, general health, and mortality rates of patients

treated for

> hyperthyroidism do not support this view.

> I think the majority of patients treated with RAI may feel fine

for the first

> year or so, but studies show that hypothyroidism becomes more

severe about 6

> years after RAI and for most people, thyroid antibodies persist

for at least

> 10 years. The risk of developing GO, acropachy and pretibial

myxedema remains

> for at least 30 years after RAI. And the elevation in thyroid

antibody titers

> causes the fluctuating symptoms that we complain about. Often,

patients do not

> realize that symptoms such as depression, hearing loss or joint

pain are

> related to these fluctuating levels until they begin researching

their condition or

> other problems related to autoimmunity emerge.

>

> As for the comment someone made that this discussion board wasn't

scientific,

> I don't think it was ever intended to be. The board does offer

educational

> support and it offers concrete information about the

interpretation of

> laboratory results. But when scientists worldwide can't even

agree on the optimal

> treatment for GD or the nature of autoimmunity, a scientific

discussion board would

> still be riddled with differing opinions. Best to all, Elaine

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Elaine,

Wow! Thanks for clarifying my comments. I hadn't realized that the dangers were

so far out. Your post brought me back to my initial gut level reaction: drink

something radioactive!!?? Never!

Thanks -

Re: Re: a very useful link to another support group-

Re: al...

Hi ,

Although it's been mentioned here that the majority of people do fine with

RAI, and 5 years ago I may have even said this, there are no studies that back

this statement when it comes to long-term patients. The few studies pertaining

to the wellbeing, general health, and mortality rates of patients treated for

hyperthyroidism do not support this view.

I think the majority of patients treated with RAI may feel fine for the first

year or so, but studies show that hypothyroidism becomes more severe about 6

years after RAI and for most people, thyroid antibodies persist for at least

10 years. The risk of developing GO, acropachy and pretibial myxedema remains

for at least 30 years after RAI. And the elevation in thyroid antibody titers

causes the fluctuating symptoms that we complain about. Often, patients do not

realize that symptoms such as depression, hearing loss or joint pain are

related to these fluctuating levels until they begin researching their

condition or

other problems related to autoimmunity emerge.

As for the comment someone made that this discussion board wasn't scientific,

I don't think it was ever intended to be. The board does offer educational

support and it offers concrete information about the interpretation of

laboratory results. But when scientists worldwide can't even agree on the

optimal

treatment for GD or the nature of autoimmunity, a scientific discussion board

would

still be riddled with differing opinions. Best to all, Elaine