Calling those who went through RAI

[loonette]

Hi,
I just went through a TT on July 20, 2009 for a pretty huge goiter with a follicular lesion on the left.  Pathology report indicates a papillary carcinoma Stage 2 on the left lobe.  Needless to say I was glad it was nothing worse.  I will be going to have RAI in September after meeting with my endo.  She told me that I would be administered the RAI by her and not have to be hospitalized.  She did not tell me the dose.  Perhaps it is smaller, but everything I have researched says that you will be in isolation for at least 1-2 days in a hospital.  Personally, I would prefer that than to risk my family's health and my sanity.  There are so many precautions and you have to stay away from people anyway.  Please tell me what your experience has been.  I know some are on an outpatient basis because of the small dose as in hyperthyroidism, but for cancer?  I would love to have some more insight into this procedure.  Thanks in advance!

[loonette]

I forgot to mention, my endo has put me on Cytomel twice a day for 4 weeks instead of going off thyroid medication for the whole time.  Then, I will go on the LID with no meds.  Is this similar to your situation?

[stella5349]

I had RAI for Graves and not cancer - but I believe it is the same RAI for both.

Either way RAI does isolate you for a time depending on the dosages used.

Insurance companies have a big pull on if you stay in the hospitol and if you take care of yourself at home.

It's not necessarily protocal to stay in the hospitol - but if you go home you must follow the instruction sheet to the tee and even more so to make sure there is no harm to other individuals. Make sure you protect yourself too. Drinking lots of water and keeping your saliva flowing is critical after RAI.

The LID diet is tough and to not have meds will put you in a very horrible hypo state prior to RAI. You may want to suggest Thyrogen shots to ease the transistion when hypo. People swear by this shot when going dry to have RAI.

Thyrogen is not "talked" about to a patient often. You have to bring that up (push) more often than not  - to save yourself from hypohe//.

[Smilerdeb]

RAI is the same as for Graves and Cancer ....I-131 is used.
Also regardless of whether you have it in a hospital or isolation at home....they wil not keep you in hospital for the full 7 days.
You radiate radioactivity up to 8 weeks after RAI but are safe after usually the 3rd day.
Even so....you are still radioactive and should have no contact with pregnant women and children for 2 weeks (they do say 1 week but I did it for 2 to be safe).
There is no avoiding the isolation bit regardless of whether you come home to do it or have it done in hospital.
Persoanlly I wanted to be in my own surroundings without the 'sterile' atmostphere.
Talk to your nuclear dept. and they will give you an information sheet prior to RAI.

[loonette]

Thanks for your responses!  I asked about Thyrogen after seeing it on this forum, but my endo said that would be for testing purposes later.  For this she wanted me to go through it the "traditional way" I suppose.  

[Smilerdeb]

Its got me stumped WHY they make you hypo before RAI.......as it is a myth and fallacy that being Hypo..the Iodine will absorb better.
I was on anti-thyroid meds until 3 days before RAI and I was hypo after 5 weeks.

There was a write-up somewhere about this and I showed my Endo and thats when she kept me on the ATDS until 3 days before RAI.
But then again, I did things the other way round because of thyroid storm...I had RAI then TT.