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When I was diagnosed with Grave's Disease in January 2011, the first thing I went looking for was information. The second was the stories of others who had been through what I have--particularly those who are living well on the other side. That's why I created this blog: to share with you what I have learned, and what I have experienced, so that you can find comfort in knowing it's going to be okay.


Radioactive Iodine Ablation

Today I received radioactive iodine treatment for my Graves' Disease. The decision to have this treatment was a difficult one for me--despite the fact that I've been feeling awful for months (dizziness, muscle weakness, overall tiredness, chest pains, heart palpitations) simply because the idea of killing off a part of me didn't seem right, and introducing a radioactive substance to my body seemed no less ludicrous.

After a great deal of thought and a failed attempt at anti-thyroid drugs (I had the rare side effect of liver damage) radioactive iodine became the best treatment option.

If you or someone you love is struggling with Graves' Disease and is also in the midst of making this difficult decision, here are some websites I found useful that you too may wish to explore:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/graves-disease/treatment.html
http://www.radiologyinfo.org
http://www.endocrinologist.com/

 Feel free to share your story or post questions. I will do my best to answer them here.

Comments

  1. Hi there, I just had my thyroid ablated today. Thank you for your blog! We share a lot of the same feelings, and I feel like you are preparing me for what's to come! How are things going now?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hello. Thanks for your comment, and thank you for asking about how things are going now. At this point I am adjusting to life on Synthroid. In about two weeks, I have another appointment with my endocrinologist to evaluate my thyroid levels again and (hopefully) up my Synthroid dose. It appears to be low (I believe they start us low because the thyroid is still slowing dying off) because I am tired quite often. However, I have found a few tricks that have helped me cope. I'll write more about them soon.

    In the meantime, you may want to check out my latest posts, which I have added to my new website: http://amysjoy.com. The most recent article is "There's an Upside to Everything" http://amysjoy.com/2011/05/26/theres-an-upside-to-everything/. You can find more articles by clicking on the "Graves Disease" link in the right side column on http://amysjoy.com. Please feel free to comment on either site and let me know if there are questions I can answer for you.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi ...I was looking for info for Graves disease, and thyroid ablation, 15 years after. I have many things to comment on...diet, ( I am wheat and dairy free for 8 years) exercise, a must...I have not had any major problems, curious about the things I do not know about simply not having a thyroid, and still having graves disease, Am I in the clear? I cant seem to find info on this?

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