Nicola - I can so relate to your brother's gf. I wonder how many poor undiagnosed/misdiagnosed/undertreated thyroid patients are out there? I'm trying to figure out how to go navk to work in a practice setting where I could devote myself to these patients.
SP1 - Tips for your cousin: - yes, she will likely be hypothyroid after. They use higher doses to treat cancer than they do Graves dz. - the goal after treatment with cancer patients is to keep any remaining thyroid tissue suppressed by giving them high doses of thyroid hormone. This should also prevent the weight gain that Graves patients commonly get after RAI. - she should ask for blood tests to check her levels whenever she feels bad after the RAI - don't wait 6 weeks if she feels crummy at 4 weeks, for instance. Those first few months after RAI can be rocky. - there's a good discussion board on thyroid diseases at healthboards.com and a fair number of thyroid cancer patients there.
