Anyone have extrathyroidal extension? Stage 3?

Your situation -- and mental state -- sounds exactly like what I went through last September.  Stage III -- as my wonderful surgeon explained -- is still upwards of 95% curable.  I was so frantic when I saw Stage III -- I tried calling my Endo (who was gone for the day), and out of total panic, called the surgeon's office at night!! But, he was kind enough to call me back to calmly explain that stages are based on age, etc., and that it gives the doctors a "key" as to decide if RAI treatment is necessary.  I had the slight extension beyond the thyroid, I am in my 50's, and 2 lymph nodes in the thyroid area were positive.  

I had the RAI treatment in Nov. 2008; Thank God, thyroglobulin test & WBS came back negative.  

You will be in my prayers. 

I have it too... my primary tumor was 7 cm with multiple pathalogical lymph nodes. RAI of 200 mCi, and the cancer recurred in less than a year.

I'm also RAI-resistant, with extrathyroidal extension. 2 surgeries in 11 months.

Good Luck, all!!

I'm also a stage III, age 49.  I was 47 when diagnosed.  I had a lot of disease so had to have RAI twice, each around 200 mci.  I also had a neck dissection which produced 15 nodes with cancer.  Six months after that, I still have a couple positive but small nodes, possibly dying still from the RAI.  It's been a pain and a real stressful time emotionally, but my Tg has come down from the original 113 (yes!) to 2.4.  So I we are getting on top of it and I WILL survive this!  So will you!