Graves' Disease Support Group

Bobby,

Hello, I understand you are nervous I was before RAI also. I got RAI two weeks ago Wens. The day I got it I actually felt a little better maybe it was all in my head.lol. I felt the same as before the RAI the second day until now. They want to put people back on anti thyroids 5 days after treatment to help with graves disease effects. However my allergic reactions made it impossible for me to go on the meds needless to say I feel like crap! The beta blocker helps with my heart racing and proctects your body from getting all of the thyroid hormone.

I only got a sore neck in response to the Radiation. Get sour candies to suck on b/c it can do a number on you salivary glands. I had no problems with this. You will not feel any different and they do not make a big deal out of the reaction your body will have where I live. You must stay away from the public for 5 days so go buy things you need today before the RAI. Adults can visit after the second day. It really does not really hurt or cause major problems usually.

You will be fine. It is not like radiation that cancer patients because it only really affects your thyroid. You should NOT get nausea or vomit or anything like that, they told us to eat before we went and that would make things better no nausea. I read on the net not to eat before but I guess different places think different things. It really is not bad. The worst part was having to stay away from my family, I really missed my kids after 5 days and hubby after 2. I felt like a leper.

I am surprised they are talking hospital stay, you really shouldn't need it. Unless they are worried about you being alone. I am clueless as to why we do not get a really high dose like cancer paitents do with thyroid cancer.

Good luck, my fingers are crossed for you, but you will be okay. I know a few people who have gotten it done and it has not been a big deal. supposedly you will feel better starting one month after with no anti thyroids and 2 to 3 weeks with them. It takes 1-6 months to kill the thyroid and then you will need synthroid or another replacement thyroid hormone.

Best Wishes!

I took mine Feb. 2004. It was 15millicures. Afterwards had a little nausea, but it wasn't very bad. Later I had some eye problems, and a thyroid storm.

Good luck

Hoping some RAI people will help you through this Bobby, let us know... you could prove beneficial to others with your own experience. Mar is newly RAIed and good for you to share with, also maybe some men would help you too.

Hi Bransnana

I just don't want my experiece with it. I want hear from others who have been thru it also with their own stories about when they first noticed changes and more to their condition. How soon after RAI did they notice their fist changes??? Just to let you know. The time here is 12:55 PM and I take my RAI pill at 2 PM. EEEEEEks LOL

yes I understand, but do share your story too. Let's see how eager they are to help you through this now that it's done. Stay away from people remember,use different toilet if you can or flush twice, use paper plates etc... did they tell you all that?

Yes they did tell me all that and that will be told to me again today. Less then 1 hour till RAI. I am starting to get nervous a little and anxious. It's making my anxiety go also. I know I will be OK but it's a strange feeling that I'm taking a pill that most likely will destroy my thyroid Gland. Time to get ready for Hypo Maybe??? At least I know the Tremors, Shakiness, Anxiety, sorness and tiredness, breathing hard and others issues will start going away. AT least I got something good to look forward to.

Hope it all goes well Bobby by now you will have had the RAI.

Good luck and I know you have lots of support on here even if it isn't from all the RAI people.

The day that I took the pill, I felt hungry! Ravenous because I couldn't eat before it or for at least 2 or 3 hours afterwards. Getting a pill dropped into a paper cup from a lead container was more than a little wierd.
I didn't like the initial isolation from eveyone or putting a special fluid down my drains and down the commode because my excretions were radioactive. I still had the racing heart and the trouble catching my breath for at least 2 weeks after RAI. It was not a quick fix such as a pain pill might be for physical pain.
My experience with RAI reminded me that Graves Disease is a serious illness that must be respected and treated. Thankfully, people seem to have more options now than they did years ago.

I didn't feel good for probably 6 months. Now I do battle my weight as I had not had to do before RAI because my thyroid had been on super-hyper mode. However, I'd rather be chubby than dead. I had needed an urgent response to my Graves' Disease.

My endocrinologist told me that I could look good on paper and still not feel the effect of it for awhile because a lot of tissue had to catch up with the levels reflected in blood work. We are all different.