Radioiodine Therapy for Thyroid Cancer

HI! Just learned of the documentary namesake of this site & saw it last night! Loved it, am so inspired, & even more psyched to find this site! I'm 41 & a 10-yr breast cancer survivor. Back then I couldn't find anyone near my age with a similar disease. I felt alone & ashamed. I wish I had felt like Kris & shared it with the world! My current issue I am writing about is that I've just learned I have thyroid cancer. 'They' say it's the best cancer to get because it's very slow-moving & has an excellent prognosis. Now I'm even more like 'WHY did I get this? Since I got BC I have a seriously healthy lifestyle. But that's a tangent. I would like to know if anyone out there has undergone radio -iodine therapy for thyroid cancer & if so, how did they feel before, during and after? I'm spending April & May boosting my immune system w/my naturopathic doctor & will then have to go off my thyroid replacement medicine for 2 weeks prior to the first week of therapy. Any word from experience out there would be much appreciated! Thank you!

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Permalink Reply by Lauren a.k.a Lau on April 18, 2008 at 5:34pm: Hey Laura,

I just got out of the hospital yesterday- I got rid of my thyroid so I can undergo the fun of rai. Check out the group, Crazy, Sexy Butterflies- the thyroid chickies are there. I know a few have already gone through it and others like me are soon to take it. (Mine is due for the first week in June...ick).

I would totally stress going to your naturopath and boosting your immunity. Oh and lower your stress levels- I practiced meditation and deep breathing and after a 5 hour surgery I was up and walking around my room... gotta love meditation...ah!

<3 Lauren; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Laura on April 18, 2008 at 5:54pm: Thanks so much for your reply! I will def join that group. I will be having my RAI mid June, so you're not alone! I keep falling asleep during meditation but I am doing yoga almost everyday which I absolutely love. Thanks again! Why did you have the thyroid removed?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Lauren a.k.a Lau on April 18, 2008 at 7:05pm: I have thyroid cancer too. The first surgery I had was in November '07 and the tumor appeared to be benign, but after surgery it was later found to be cancer. So I went back in to remove the rest of my thyroid.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Michelle on April 18, 2008 at 5:38pm: Hi Laura! I had thyroid cancer but did not get RAI... I only had a partial thyroidectomy as my nodule was small (1.3cm). On the groups page here you will find a group called Crazy Sexy Butterflies, all the thyroid cancer peeps - you should join and post there too as there will definitely be someone who can talk about their experiences with RAI.

That is great you are doing the immune system stuff - my naturopath really helped me with that too (before my surgery). It has really made a difference in how I feel.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Laura on April 18, 2008 at 5:57pm: Thanks for your feedback & I will definately join the butterflies! You're fortunate you don't need the RAI. I will fly to the butterflies now.. thx again!; ▶ Reply to This