Feeling Normal After Rai

Hello - I just completed my RAI treatment on Monday 8/6. I start my Synthroid this Monday 813, the same day I receive by Body Scan. I would appreciate hearing from others about how long it took to feel "back to normal" after going completely hypo. My biggest complaint is the exhaustion and feeling "fuzzy" or light headed. Boy am I ready for that to stop. So tired of feeling bad. Any information would help me stay positive! Thanks.

I am about a month ahead of you.  I started synthroid after RAI on July 13. It was about a week before I noticed much of a difference; about 2 1/2 weeks to start approximating "normal".  I still don't seem to have the stamina or "focus" that I would like, but it does seem to be improving. 

Hang in there.

David

Can you tell me what types, if any, side effects you had from the RAI treatment?  I had mine on Fri 8-10.  Today I woke up swollen - neck and eyes; I also began feeling nauseas (sp?) today.  What else is there to expect? 

Any info appreciated!

Julie

Julie:  Initially I had a kind of mild nausea and a metallic taste in my mouth.  I noticed some redness in the area where the thyroid gland was removed.  Shortly thereafter, I started having pain similar to the post-surgical experience: not bad, but real.  About a week after the treatment, I lost my sense of taste, which seemed like adding insult to injury after a month on the low iodine diet!

Here's the good news:  The nausea was short lived; the pain was never much of a bother, but has diminished significantly.  Best of all, my sense of taste started returning after a couple of weeks.  It really does get better. 

Good luck

David

Thanks for the info... Today I am swollen all over - clothes and rings are even tight.  I think I am even losing my sense of smell along with my sense of taste.  I'm glad to hear the taste loss is temporary.  I hope the smell sense is too.  (Might be good in some cases, my son (14) is a hockey player and he gets pretty funky - as does his jerseys, etc...).

As for the swelling, it looks like I have been drug through a knot hole - and I feel that way too!

As sick as it may sound, I'm glad to know it's normal!

thanks again,

Julie

On 8/13/2007 jmcd630 wrote:

Thanks for the info... Today I am swollen all over - clothes and rings are even tight.  I think I am even losing my sense of smell along with my sense of taste.  I'm glad to hear the taste loss is temporary.  I hope the smell sense is too.  (Might be good in some cases, my son (14) is a hockey player and he gets pretty funky - as does his jerseys, etc...).

As for the swelling, it looks like I have been drug through a knot hole - and I feel that way too!

As sick as it may sound, I'm glad to know it's normal!

thanks again,

Julie

I was lucky NOT to have the kind of swelling that you had but I did have some of the other. I had my RAI on June 20 so it has been almost 8 weeks for me. I started back on my Synthroid by June 24 so I've been back on that for 7 weeks. I did have some swelling which occurred about 2 weeks after the RAI. I also had nausea for a couple days right after the RAI. I had some nausea pills which I took but that made me so tired and lethtargic that I suffered through. It was gone in just a day or two. Then about a week ago, I had some pain in my thyroid area (do not have any thyroid) but that lasted about a day and haven't had any since. I almost feel normal again but still feel tired. I'm a teacher and head back tomorrow so I better get into the routine!! You will feel better eventually.

 As I look at this treatment, it is really easy to do. But there is a tremendous amount of "waiting around". The treatment itself only takes one or two days but it is about 6 weeks before you are preparing (off meds, on diet) and then about 8 weeks to get back to normal. That's a long time to just not feel good!

Thanks, I keep telling myself there is light at the end of the tunnel, but when I feel so crappy it is hard.  Today is only day 3 of being on Synthroid.  I had my total thyroidectomy on June 27, though I thought it was only going to be a partial thyroidectomy.  The cancer was found during surgery.  RAI was last Friday.  I felt pretty good on Saturday so I thought this would be a breeze, but then I woke up Sunday all swollen. 

I too am an educator, I do staff development/professional development for 17 local districts in southwest michigan.  I have a large PD activity scheduled for Thursday with 40 principals and superintendents.  I just hope the swelling is gone by then.

I also hope I won't see some of the side effects in a week or so...I'd like them to be GONE!!

Have a great school year - what grade/subject??

On 8/13/2007 jmcd630 wrote:

Thanks, I keep telling myself there is light at the end of the tunnel, but when I feel so crappy it is hard.  Today is only day 3 of being on Synthroid.  I had my total thyroidectomy on June 27, though I thought it was only going to be a partial thyroidectomy.  The cancer was found during surgery.  RAI was last Friday.  I felt pretty good on Saturday so I thought this would be a breeze, but then I woke up Sunday all swollen. 

I too am an educator, I do staff development/professional development for 17 local districts in southwest michigan.  I have a large PD activity scheduled for Thursday with 40 principals and superintendents.  I just hope the swelling is gone by then.

I also hope I won't see some of the side effects in a week or so...I'd like them to be GONE!!

Have a great school year - what grade/subject??

I teach Special Education. I just wanted to let you know that I had two interviews during the time I was off my meds, on the special diet, waiting for the RAI scan. Luckily, the interviews went fine because I got the job! However, I had to go sign my contract on the Friday after the RAI and that was a hard day because I was nauseous and lightheaded! But I made it! I wasn't going to wait on signing my contract! Here's hoping your swelling goes down by then. To be honest who knows? It seems like the lack of taste,all of a sudden taste is gone and then it is back! Who knows? Good luck!