Today I learned

TIL how gas pumps turn themselves off.

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I used to work for a thyroid doctor. He told me that if you have to have cancer, thyroid cancer is the third best choice, after the two non-melanoma skin cancers. Itā€™s the only cancer for which we literally have a magic bullet that kills all the cancer cells with minimal damage to the rest of the body. Thyroid cells concentrate radioactive iodine, and if you take a swig of it, you can kill every thyroid cell in your body, including the cancerous ones, and then it washes out of you (and decays) before it does much else. Itā€™s a nuisance to lack a thyroid, but the only thing it does is create thyroid hormone, which you can replace orally.

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Thyroid problems run in my family - pretty much all the older generation have to take synthroid.

I havenā€™t run into trouble (yet) w/ thyroid, but I wouldnā€™t be surprised if I do.

I usually use that as an example when I teach students about radioactivity and half lives etc. Itā€™s amazing that it works so well.

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Yeah, so my mom did the radioactive iodine and the bad stuff (donā€™t know if itā€™s cancerous) grew back.

:frowning:

So is it time for thyroid removal? :frowning:

We sisters think yes, especially after my sisterā€™s recent results. Not sure when her appointment is, but itā€™s coming up.

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Mine too. Pain in the ass. Synthroid is the only med Iā€™m on, unlike most of my peers who seem to be on some combination of c-pap, HPB and cholesterol meds. I really donā€™t like being tied to a medication for the rest of my life.
Plus it comes with fun symptoms like leg cramps severe enough to put me on the floor in pain in the middle of the night occassionally.

That sucks!!! Do you notice a specific link between taking/not taking the Synthroid and your leg cramps?

My only symptoms are fatigue and the inability to maintain a ā€œhealthyā€ weight. And I canā€™t blame it only on my thyroid. Right now I have a sleep deficit and Iā€™m off my multivitamin with iron. Gotta head to the store and get some Flintstones today.

I hope the leg cramps go away with the meds.

No. The cramps come and go. Been a few months thankfully. But now Iā€™m getting a bit of restless leg syndrome which seems to be tied to thyroid.

Look at us geezers discussing our body breakdowns.

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:meep:

We all turn into our patents eventually.

:grimacing:

At least im funnier than both of them. :grimacing:

What did you invent?

Happened with The Fly

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Parents. :man_facepalming:

I had an onion on my belt, which was the style at the time.

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Your wrong.

um, you have not met my parents.

arachibutyrophobia: Fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of oneā€™s mouth

mrs f has the restless leg thing. very bothersome