Hi everyone,

I went to the walk in yesterday and the covering doctor, who recently moved to Canada from California suggested that I question why my doctor wants to do surgery instead of just giving me the pill (I'm guessing this is radio iodine) to destroy the thyroid. She said that she couldn't even see a goiter on me.

The referral has been made to the surgeon but I'm still waiting for the appoiment date. I'm confused now….aside from the beautiful scar that will be left on my neck if I decide on surgery…the pill just sounds so much easier.

I feel like these doctors just play guessing games with those of us suffering from this terrible disease.

Any ideas?????

Hello.

I personally like the surgical option better. I'm afraid of the radiation. Also, I have read that the pill (RAI) can increase eye problems. I have had very itchy eyes in the past and I feel like they get puffy at times so therefore another reason why I prefer the surgical option. There are pros and cons with all 3 options (Rx, RAI, surgery) so informing ourselves on all three is a plus. Our Drs. have their reasons as to why they prefer one option over the other so ask your Dr. why he/she prefers surgery over RAI and medication (methimazole, tapazole, etc). My Dr. seems to like RAI because, as you stated, it is easier in some regards. At the end it is you and your Dr. together who will need to make the decision.

I'm still learning so I'm hoping that someone more knowledgeable than me will come in soon and give you more input.

I'm on Methimazole at the moment in hopes that I can achieve remission at some point in the future. So far Methimazole seems to be working. If Methimazole doesn't work for some reason as we move forward, I would like to go with surgery.

Wish you the best with your decision and treatment.
Caro

Hello - This is a very personal decision that you need to make after doing your research and consulting with your doctor.

You might also keep an eye on the post from merchildofgod, who asked a similar question. This was my response:

…keep in mind that all three options have risks and benefits, so you definitely want to be comfortable with your choice. The “treatment options” thread in the announcements section of this forum has some good resources that compare the different options. You can also use the “Search Posts” feature in the top right-hand corner of the screen to search for “RAI”, “Radioiodine”, “Surgery”, “Thyroidectomy”, etc..

Take care!

One thing I've learned is that there is no real “better” bc everyone is so individual. Do your research, take into consideration your particular circumstances as far as your hormone levels, life circumstances, age, health, talk with your doctor then go with your “gut”. That's the best advice I can give. I chose surgery for many reasons including that it just felt like the right option for me. My doctor supported me, but did not recommend it. He preferred RAI. I have 4 children including a 10 month old baby that I'm breastfeeding. I homeschool and didn't want to be away from my family or have to stop breastfeeding. I also wasn't comfortable with RAI for whatever reason, so I found an excellent surgeon and had a complication free surgery. That is most important- finding the best surgeon you can find. I wasn't 100% comfortable with the first one I saw, so I was fortunate that my mom (who worked in the OR for almost 20 years) knew a great surgeon. She even asked her friend (anesthesiologist) to do my surgery as well! I was very, very fortunate. It is a big step, so you have to be confident in your choice; the one that is right for you and that your doctor supports (for example, if you're hyper and can't get normalized, surgery probably isn't your best choice due to the risks of thyroid storm). Good luck!!!

I agree with the previous posts, especially finding the best surgeon available to you. My surgeon made a relatively small incision, and I don't even notice where I had a scar when I shave every morning.

Thanks for responding everyone. I have an appointment with the surgeon on the 15th. I still haven't decided which procedure to go with but I'm leaning more towards the surgery because I also suffer from TED, I too have heard that the pill may cause my eyes to flare up even more. I'm not sure what that would do to me since everyday is a blurr as if I'm looking through a glass filled with fingerprints.

I'll keep researching