I have been diagnosed with graves disease and was hoping to have radioactive iodine last month but my endo wants me to carry on taking the tablets for a while. I would like to know if anyone who has had rai if they now sleep as my sleeping is awful. I really feel that I need rai as not only do I want my life back but regular blood tests are a problem as I have small veins that collapse. Anyone who can let me know if feeling better sleeping etc does improve I would be grateful
Hi Looney 1
have you just been diagnosed? If do stay with the tablets for a while as hyperthyroid can go away. If you have radio iodine then you will more than likely go Hypothyroid and that is for life. I was Hyper for many years on and off, i could go 3 or so years without medication but unfortunately it kept coming back, this doesnt happen with everyone. I decided on radioiodine treatment about 4 years ago and i am now hypothyroid. The symptoms are different , but i am always tired my skin is so dry. I have heavy periods. Loss of libido, sore mouth, and lots more. My blood tests are normal but you still have symptoms. My advice as a long term Hyperthyroid is give the tablets a fee months you will feel better and perhaps even recover but if you have iodine and go underactive , its for life
Thanks for your reply. I have been taking levothyroxine and 40mg carb for a year now and do not feel any better and had bloods again today for a sore throat. Feeling a bit depressed and want a nights sleep
oh looney 1...please don't do this too yourself. try eating raw cruciferous veg....such as broccoli and cabbage with hummus and with kale and celry juice in smoothies with creamed coconut ...this helps to lower thyroid levels...also take melantoin and http at night and go off as it starts to get dark to help your circadian rhyhms.
theres a woman on the LS site here who had the RAI TREATMENT AND REGRETS IT. please don't do something that is irrevsible.
you won't need blood tests as you begin to trust you own sensation of the thyroid levels normalising.