Hello everyone,

I am writing for my friend Kathleen, who does not have Internet access.
She is 34, short and very petite, has 5 boys, and has been diagnosed
with Grave's Disease.  I don't understand all of what I'm about to
write, but this is what I've gotten from her:

Kathleen has tried Tapozole (10 mg/day) to get her thyroid to go into
remission, but became allergic (hives) to it within 3 weeks and had to
stop.  It has been another 3 weeks since she stopped, but she still gets
hives at night which drive her crazy.  The doctor says it is because the
Tapozole is still in her liver and takes time to work its way out of the
system.

She is on high blood pressure medication - Atenol (50 mg/day) because
her average heart rate is between 112-120 bpm.  She thought might also
be allergic to the Atenol, but her doctor says she couldn't possibly be,
that it is just the Tapozole.

She heard of inorganic iodine, but her doctor says it is not an option,
and that it can make her more hyper.

Her doctor recommends radioactive iodine, between 8-10 millicuries, and
her desire is to become "eurothyroid".  She has some fears of this
treatment, mainly that it will be too strong and that she will end up
hypothyroid.

Apparently surgery is really no longer an option as she is allergic to
the medication one is supposed to take before surgery.

She also now has "geographic tongue". Anyone else had this?

Based on your experiences, does this all sound "standard"?  What side
effects might she get from the radioactive iodine?   Can anyone
recommend good doctors (or ones to stay away from) in the Northern
Virginia area?  If she could have surgery, what should she watch out
for?  I have found her lots of info from the Internet, but she still is
concerned that she doesn't know enough, and needs others' personal input
to calm her fears.

Feel free to write to me directly; the address is below. Thanks!!
--

Erica Buckley
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