# Young Teen with Graves



## Em's Mom (Mar 29, 2010)

Hello - just trying to get a handle on Grave's for my 13-almost 14 - year old daughter.

Em was diagnosed with Grave's a year ago October, so has been living with this for about a year and a half. She was stabilized well, and went off treatment as her levels were fine, no meds needed.

Now it has flared up again. She is experiencing typical symptoms. Her doctor is recommending Radioactive Iodine Therapy within the next week or two.

We are doing as much reading as we can, trying to get a handle on this. Emily is a middle schooler, and is missing school right now because she feels yucky. This is going to be a problem before long. It is very difficult to motivate her to get up and go.

Anyway, that's not my question. My concern is doing the treatment. Is this really the best choice? My dr assures me it is. From all I've read, it seems best. As I see it, it's a choice of staying on the roller coaster or getting off and riding the more stable yet somewhat unpredictable rides, but not so crazy instead. Make sense?

I am wondering how the disease may be different in a teen, also. Everything I've read so far is about adults.

Thanks for any insight for us.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Em's Mom;6131 said:


> Hello - just trying to get a handle on Grave's for my 13-almost 14 - year old daughter.
> 
> Em was diagnosed with Grave's a year ago October, so has been living with this for about a year and a half. She was stabilized well, and went off treatment as her levels were fine, no meds needed.
> 
> ...


My personal opinion is that surgery might be the better option. For one thing, they are now finding that a lot of folks with Graves' do have cancer of the thyroid. If you do RAI, you will never know plus there are other concerns with RAI.

Most of us here will agree that it is a very rare day if at all for a person to go into permanent remission.

If you have time, I would like to see some tests results with the ranges; must have the ranges. Also, has your daughter had sonogram, uptake scan or any antibodies' tests?

Welcome to mom and Em; I am so sorry to hear of a young girl suffering like this.


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## Em's Mom (Mar 29, 2010)

Surgery seems a lot more extreme than the RAI. My reaction, anyway.

I don't have her numbers - doctor does, of course.

I will talk with her doctor about possible cancer. However, her symptoms of Graves are classic, no doubt about that.

Sonogram and uptakes are to be done this week or next. Probably tomorrow, if we can swing it.

I guess I don't get why you suggest surgery...............


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Em's Mom;6133 said:


> Surgery seems a lot more extreme than the RAI. My reaction, anyway.
> 
> I don't have her numbers - doctor does, of course.
> 
> ...


To make sure about cancer because pathologist will really examine well, sometimes RAI makes the eyes so much worse and I personally had to have RAI 3 times for sometimes they don't get it all the first time due to dosage constraints for the safety of the patient.

I certainly am not opposed to any choices our posters make and I am here to support you no matter what decision is made.

Wonder why doc is doing sonogram and uptake? The radioactive uptake should be more than sufficient!

So then, your daughter has exophthalmos, goiter, pretibial myxedema and thyrotoxicosis all of which fit the clinical critera for Graves' as per Dr. Robert Graves'?

Does she have arrhythmia and is she on a beta blocker?

Oh,dear.


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## sidpb (Jan 2, 2010)

I have to put in my 2 cents on surgery. It may sound extreme, but to me it was the quickest, easiest way to get on with my life. RAI can cause eye involvement, which - in my opinion - looks WAY worse than a scar on your neck, especially for a teenager. My surgery was unbelievably easy and I felt well enough to return to work on the 3rd day (I didn't but I'm sure I could have). Young people usually don't scar as bad and bounce back SO much better than us old folk. There are no muscles cut it's just skin involvement. RAI is a crap shoot that can cause you to be ill for several weeks or months after while your thyroid dumps. It rarely works the 1st time and may have to be done up to 3 times before it works. I felt INFINITELY better 3 days after my surgery. Doctors don't like to remove them anymore, I don't know why, but a week after my surgery my Endo agreed it was probably the right course to take even though he tried to discourage me early in the game. Do more research... your leaving behind a large dead gland in your neck. Wouldn't it be better to just get rid of it? Good luck!!!


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## Em's Mom (Mar 29, 2010)

Andros said:


> To make sure about cancer because pathologist will really examine well, sometimes RAI makes the eyes so much worse and I personally had to have RAI 3 times for sometimes they don't get it all the first time due to dosage constraints for the safety of the patient.
> 
> I certainly am not opposed to any choices our posters make and I am here to support you no matter what decision is made.
> 
> ...


In reply - I certainly don't know all those terms you mentioned above. She does have goiter, crazy emotions, enlarged eyes, elevated heartrate, and all the level numbers that indicate Grave's. It's really not a question as to whether she has this condition.

Sorry if I indicated she is having a sonogram - that has not been mentioned. She is having her intakes done - soon as the very slow ball gets rolling. Maybe today or tomorrow. then onward ......

I am still in the question asking stage, making sure that the RAI is the correct choice.

Thanks for taking time to respond.

BTW, her doc is of excellent repute, much respected, and is a pediatric endocrinologist. (as opposed to just a pediatrician or endocrinologist alone)


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