# Getting Cut and Removed VS RAI



## MrGraves (Nov 6, 2009)

I thought id start this thread if it is ok with you folks, 
Im opting for the surgery where they go in and lipo out parts of my thy so I can keep it if I can. I have read horror stories from people with RAI, they then go hypo, are cold and sweaty all the time and have no energy.

The physical surgery, they go in and cut out and removed the "bad parts" and let ya keep the good parts, thats what im going to have done this december.

Pro's & cons for both procedures from veterans would be greatly appreciated. 
Thanks!
Mr.Graves










(im not that doped, I have my eyes closed B-cuz of the cam flash)

I keep a beard to hide my "Dual adams apple" and to avoid the questions from kids. :sad0047:


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## chopper (Mar 4, 2007)

Just don't be surprised if after the surgery you are told there's nothing left - no thyroid.

I can only assume as sick as you've been all this time that your thyroid is shot and any surgeon worth his license will make a judgment call while you are out cold and he's got you open whether to take the whole gland or not - he may just be doing you a favor if he does.

You don't want to go through surgery only to find out afterwards he left a chunk of active gland that is now causing you problems again. Don't worry about being hypo. You'll need to take a pill any way. Let the doctor get aggressive if he needs to so all that crap is out of your body. I am pretty sure there isn't much "good stuff" left but the doctor will know for sure once he sees it. If it's a good doc, he'll take care of you in one shot. Docs don't like re-opening people cause they screwed up.


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## MrGraves (Nov 6, 2009)

well I got a ultrasound of it and it came back un normally large, so Doc Mike said they can go in and suck out the bad stuff... I was going to ask him if I could pay him to be in the op room to make sure they DID NOT take out the whole thing.. just somthing about not having a internal organ reffered to as "the master gland" that bugs me.. 
I guess they could lie to me.. :anim_63:

somthing about having to take a pill for the rest of my life bugs the hell out of me.. but i cant wait for it to "Burn out" its killing me.. its going to burn me, and my heart out before it burns out itself. plus the testy pain... :sick0020:
itll be nice to have that gone.. and the kidney pain and the sweating... and the.... on and on..


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## MrGraves (Nov 6, 2009)

Ive been reading about RAI's , physical removal, all of this sounds real bad and like I am still going to be sick after whatever we decide to do..


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## chopper (Mar 4, 2007)

Only if you want to be. Think POSITIVE. They zap or cut you and it's over. Period. Take a pill and in 6 months you'll feel like you are 16 again.

Think about this. You are driving yourself nuts with all the crap posted online.

Who goes online to talk about their thyroid? Really, answer the question.

Exactly. People who are having trouble with their thyroid complain on boards. When you read the boards it seems as if everyone has trouble but you're not getting the whole picture.

Hundreds of thousands of RAI's are done each year and maybe 2% have trouble after and that's all the stuff you read. If a guy gets his thyroid fixed after years of misery, you think he's going to be on these boards complaining about how well he feels? 

Exactly. People move on. People who get fixed don't post typically so all you end up with are boards full of war stories.


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## MrGraves (Nov 6, 2009)

you have good advice man,.... 
ughhhhhhh...
i think just thinking about this stress's me out. 
well, if I do get fixed Ill post it in here elequintly.
Mg


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## fuzzy (Nov 19, 2009)

had rai, only diagnosed a few months before being sent for rai. they didnt give me a choice because my heart has been trubled and they didnt want to give it more stress


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## AussieGirl (Feb 28, 2010)

nasdaqphil said:


> Only if you want to be. Think POSITIVE. They zap or cut you and it's over. Period. Take a pill and in 6 months you'll feel like you are 16 again.
> 
> Think about this. You are driving yourself nuts with all the crap posted online.
> 
> ...


THANK YOU nasdaqphil! 
I know this is an old thread but this is great advice that I think I really needed to hear (read?). It's good to read all the posts but its easy to start worrying and get all worked up about the road ahead.

I really do need to just 'suck it up' and get on with getting better! I did it last time and will do it again. so :tongue0015: to this stupid disease!


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

MrGraves said:


> Ive been reading about RAI's , physical removal, all of this sounds real bad and like I am still going to be sick after whatever we decide to do..


Not so... If you receive proper replacement dose after either RAI or surgery you will feel fantastic! Think about it this way... why would you want a gland that is severely damaged controlling all your body functions spitting out excess hormones and damaging your heart?

One positive about surgery is you become hypo almost immediately and begin replacement hopefully before you have any hypo symptoms. It is a positive thing to go hypo immediately vs. the slow die off of the gland post RAI which is the way it happens for alot of RAI folks.

Once on replacement you should be more level in hormone thus improvement of quality of life. I'd like to point out that I did have to try several GP's (I gave up on my endo 6 weeks post op) to dose properly but they are out there.


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## jbiel123 (Mar 2, 2010)

I am a newbie to the posts and have been reading all of them. I am going out of my mind with all this crap!! Diaganosed with Graves over a year ago (severe) had allergic reaction for hyper meds* had RAI 2/09* started on thyroid replacement after 4 months and felt great! Now its back and my moods and physical wellbeing are all over the charts!. I have seen just about every Endo doc in town and just saw one who thought I should be treate by a Psych doc instead* but my levels clearly show the my Graves is back. My husband and I are really pushing for removal. I have 4 yr old twins* very active life and cannot afford to deal with the anymore. I realize that I will go back to hypo after the surgery* but at least I know it wont come back.

Could use some thoughts on this* if anyone has similar situations. Thanks so much* feeling helpless!


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

jbiel123 said:


> I am a newbie to the posts and have been reading all of them. I am going out of my mind with all this crap!! Diaganosed with Graves over a year ago (severe) had allergic reaction for hyper meds* had RAI 2/09* started on thyroid replacement after 4 months and felt great! Now its back and my moods and physical wellbeing are all over the charts!. I have seen just about every Endo doc in town and just saw one who thought I should be treate by a Psych doc instead* but my levels clearly show the my Graves is back. My husband and I are really pushing for removal. I have 4 yr old twins* very active life and cannot afford to deal with the anymore. I realize that I will go back to hypo after the surgery* but at least I know it wont come back.
> 
> Could use some thoughts on this* if anyone has similar situations. Thanks so much* feeling helpless!


It would appear that one RAI does not always do the job. I myself had to have RAI 3 times. It think a lot of it has to do w/how advanced the patient is into this disease.

If I could do it over, I would have opted for surgery. The truth is at that time, surgery was not even mentioned to me. Little did I know.

Hypo "is" better. Especially if the doctor works with the patient to get the patient euthyroid. I have been euthryoid for many many years and am a most happy camper. I wish the same for you.

W/ 4 year old twins, you must surely be on a race*track all day long! Whoooooooohoo!


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## jbiel123 (Mar 2, 2010)

I agree* surgery would be the best route. My levels still indicate that I have an active thyroid gland (even though I went hypo for a few months) and my antibodies are thru the roof* why would they still keep me on Levoxyl 75mcg? Huge part of me tells me something else is going on!


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