Hi Kathy,

Thanks for stopping by my page. Hope this comment finds you doing well!

To answer your question: I had one RAI treatment after my first surgery, but that was it. I’m not looking forward to the thyrogen shots if they’re going to put me in hypothyroid mode ugh! I’m starting a new job in 2 weeks so I can’t have anything interfering with that :( I will try to stay positive.

Thank you for the info and I’ll be visiting you again soon!

Posted on March 14, 2010 at 9:24:42 AM by kelliepie

Hi Kathy,
RE: March 2 post to Trish.
I didn’t realize you were still having side effects from RAI. I am sorry. Headaches can be quite debilitating. I hope these resolve soon.
Andra

Posted on March 7, 2010 at 6:46:31 AM by andreaj

Thanks for leaving a prayer for me!

Posted on March 3, 2010 at 2:09:29 PM by del

Hi Kathy thanks for your comment on my blog. In response the doctor and I both have talked with the insurance company she gave them all the reasons why she felt the PET scan was necessary. We were both told that my cancer did not meet their criteria and that I got lucky to have been approved for the first PET scan and that is should not have ever been approved. So I will have to get the CAT scan and go from there. I will be filing an appeal with the insurance company but you know the chances of that working out are slim.
Hugs,
Eva

Posted on January 6, 2010 at 11:29:52 AM by eva

Hi Kathy,
KHL here (Aka Kathy)
This is too funny, just scamble the initals and we could be one in the same!

Posted on October 17, 2009 at 4:11:53 PM by khl8

Thank you for your posts and good information. I had surgery 9/9/9 to remove the whole thyroid. They found 3 cancerous areas. I am now on the low iodine diet and will have the body scan next week. My problem is feeling so tired even taking a shower is a chore. Then feeling depressed because I don’t feel better and don’t have more energy. I try to be positive and “up” for friends and family but that is even more tiring. I’m glad for this venue so I can be truthful. It does help. Please forgive me if this turns out to be just rambling.

Posted on October 15, 2009 at 12:12:20 AM by just4me

Hi Kathy,
I took your advice and got a perscription for Evoxac from my doctor. What I would like to know is how long did it take to start producing saliva for you? I have been on it for three days. Every thing else is going good.
Thanks Again
Anna

Posted on October 1, 2009 at 8:47:48 AM by anna

Thank you Kathy for your thoughts and support. I really needed this today.
Take care and congrats on being a survivor.
Michelle

Posted on September 3, 2009 at 2:19:55 PM by michellecla

Kathy,
Thanks for the pointers! I will look into these with my doctor and get the Oasis mouthwash.
Hugs
Anna

Posted on August 29, 2009 at 6:03:20 PM by anna

~~~~~~~~~Hi Cheryl,

It’s great to have you posting, I’m sure I am not the only one that has missed you. Kudos to you for realizing the nasty effect that steroids have and that you are trying something to deter it. Prayers are coming your way for calmer days and dryer nights.

-Kathy~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~reply~~~~~~

Hi Kathy,

Thank you for your kind words support and your prayers. Yesterday was indeed easier but the bed wetting (LOL) wasn’t much better. I almost seems like a no thing at this point in the big picture of things.

Hugs, Cheryl

Posted on August 25, 2009 at 3:26:28 AM by cherylofoz2008

Thank you so much for your wonderful, thoughtful, and especially encouraging comment on my blog. You are totally right, and I really need to keep that in mind! I think it’s a good thing I’m starting to get angry, because I tend to be more motivated and more likely to take action then. Thanks so much for your support!

Posted on August 19, 2009 at 6:42:06 PM by slaintekt

Thank You! I will add more to my bio- where did you get your tx: have you read Life over Cancer the Block Center Program

Posted on August 18, 2009 at 7:40:15 PM by mburke

Hi Kathy,
Thanks for the lemon drops idea. I will try it. And i will also ask aobut the script. My love for water has deteriorated, so I also need a liquid plan. I was loving OJ—-but then had a vomitting episode—I guess the acid. I will check out your suggestions. thanks a bunch. My prayers and thoughts are with you as well. Be Weel Stay Strong! talk to ya soon…
Elena : )

Posted on July 18, 2009 at 5:20:33 PM by elenacuomo

Kathy, Thank you so much for that bit of info. I agree that there is not very much info about side effects and what to expect during the hypothyroid states. Like why am I not therapeutic yet, meaning my thyroid level has not been checked yet, and it has been 2 months. They did increase my dose to 200mcg of Levothyroxine without checking a level. I supposed they just want to keep me comfortable. Because I eat a lot of seafood now, I asked if I should stop, and they said no, not really. So who knows Kathy. I feel extremely lethargic all the time. All, in all it has not been that bad, and I am still managing to hold down a job, and even a once a month Army reserve duty. Aside from the scar, no one seems to notice that I have (had) cancer. I have to assume that there are still cells in my neck until the RAI is over with.
Kathy what about he weight gain, have you had much. I am so afraid to get on the scale. I keep thinking that when they get my dose therapeutic the weight might just fall off as quickly as it jumped on. what do you think, and what has been your experience. Good luck and I will keep you posted.
Take care girly,
Barbara

Posted on July 13, 2009 at 7:59:38 PM by donsaya

Thank you for taking the time to comment on my blog & thank you for the thoughts & prayers. Good luck with everything & be well I’ll keep you in my prayers as well.

Posted on July 11, 2009 at 8:53:15 PM by colleenryan

Kathy, Thank you so much for your information. It is very helpful. I am being treated at MD Anderson Hospital in Houston. I am very much interested in your recipes. I have asked my doctor about what to expect during the LID period, and I get the feeling he doesnt want me to have any preconceived notions. I need to informed so I can plan my life around this. So I keep searching. I really appreciate all the tips I can get. Thank you. My email address is donsaya@hotmail.com. Look forward to hearing from you.

Posted on July 1, 2009 at 8:26:01 PM by donsaya

Hi Barbara,

The details of “discovery” of my cancer are as follows. . . I had the flu in February. Two weeks after I finished the flu meds and should have been getting better, I still had a nasty cough, so I went back to my family physician. He thought that my bronchial tubes were still inflammed from the flu, so he gave me steroids and some cough medicine. With the steroids the cough subsided, but did not go away. Two weeks off the meds – the cough was back, nasty as ever. I would cough when I talked, when I took a breath, when I bent over, but not when I was asleep! So I went back to the family doctor (visit #3) and this time he thought maybe I was having acid reflux and that is what was causing the cough. . . so he prescribed more steroids and Nexium – and also a chest x-ray, just to make sure there was no bronchitis or pneumonia. The x-ray showed a single spot in my right lung, so he ordered me to get a CT Scan. Two days later I had that done, two days later, the results: 3 spots in the right lung, one in the left. They could not identify what there are. . . “they don’t look like cancer, but a PET Scan is recommended. So after my insurance first refused the PET Scan, the doctor fought for it, and won. So I went and had that scan, showed that the “pulmonary nodules” are most likely benign, but should be observed (rescanned) every 4-6 months to watch for any changes. . . and by the way, the thyroid “lit” up as the PET Scan uses iodine. So then I was set up to the Ears, Nose and Throat doctor/surgeon. She ordered a sonogram, which showed large and small calcification on the right side of the thyroid and a medium size place on the left. . . so then she ordered a biopsy. After two sticks the pathologist said, “The whole thyroid needs to be removed.” Then the results showed papillary cancer.

After my surgery I started taking Cytomel – which is a short acting thyroid medicine. It is taken twice a day. . . and can be stopped for ten days before having RAI. Also, I look it up and my PET Scan was done on April 9th, which was 57 days before the RAI was administered. Funny thing, until now I don’t think the endocrinologist or the nuclear doctor (the guy that gave me the RAI) ever asked about when my PET Scan was done. I know the endo had a copy of all my records, so he probably looked it up.

Oh – by the way, after my surgery and before I started the Low Iodine Diet, my cough had come back. As soon as I stopped taking the pain meds, which suppressed the cough, it was back as bad as ever. So the thought that the mass from the thyroid was pushing on the nerve in my neck was wrong. The family doctor (visit #4) then sent me to a neurologist, who found nothing wrong! But, after starting the LID (Low Iodine Diet) with stopping all dairy products and processed foods, which included my beloved trail mix the cough disappeared. I then realized (by myself) that I was having a food induced allergic reaction (coughing). All fingers pointed at either dairy products or nuts. I had found unsalted almonds at Whole Foods – ate them for two days and started coughing. . . stopped them for five and the cough was gone. So, since June 12th I have been very careful to note exactly how much dairy and or nuts I’m consuming. So, the LID was very beneficial in figuring out what was the actual cause of the cough. But if not for the cough, I wouldn’t have known I had cancer!

Regarding the diet – it sounds awful and hard, but YOU CAN DO IT! I had to go back to the endo for a non-scheduled check up due to a very rare side effect from the RAI - and I was leaving the state to go on vacation the next day. I wanted to make sure that it was ok for me to leave and be gone so soon after surgery and treatment, which ALL of my doctors worked very hard to get everything done so that I could go. My husband and I had planned it for over a year. . . and I was very determined to be well enough to go – and I did. We just got back this past Sunday! Anyway, one “fact” that the endo shared with me; he said that very few patients achieve their low iodine level in 7 days, but I did. And, the test they did to check mine was with blood, not urine. He also said that most patients gain 10-15 pounds when they go hypo-thyroid – I lost 5 pounds.

With that said, when you get ready to start the diet, PLEASE email me, I’ve got great tips, tricks and recipes so that you don’t get discouraged and bored. One tip/trick that you need to know in advance. . . make sure to get all of your ingredients (spices and basics) BEFORE you go off meds and start your diet. You have to be able to concentrate and “shop” which is really hard once you start to go hypo-thyroid. Another is, when you cook for the first 6-7 days, make enough to freeze 3 extra servings – this way you don’t have to cook at all the 2nd week, and while you are in isolation, all you are doing is reheating. This probably doesn’t make any sense now, but trust me I was so happy to NOT have to prepare food at the end of the diet time.

Enough rambling for one email, again please email me directly if you want to, I will help you out anyway I can.

-Kathy

Posted on July 1, 2009 at 5:07:41 PM by garlandkat

Kathy,
Hi, I can’t help but notice that we seem to be going through this at almost exactly the same time frame. I had my total thyroidectomy on May 8, 2009, and the RAI 131 has not been scheduled yet. I believe it is because I had a CT scan right before my surgery, and it has iodine, and so my doc wanted to wait. I was wondering why the body scan on your end. Was there spreading? I am beginning to put this to rest on my end until next month when I get a 24 hour urine to check for iodine, then the RAI 131 will be scheduled, I think. Hope to hear from you. I am curious about he scan.
Take Care,
Barbara

Posted on June 30, 2009 at 7:02:50 PM by donsaya