RAI Questions

[dscoochie]

I go in for RAI on Friday - yikes!  

I was hoping that you "experienced" ones could help me be better prepared for what to expect.  Just a general summary of what you felt (physically and emotionally) and any tips that you could provide me with would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks so much!!!

Despina

[bobeugene]

I am scheduled for a Thur. a.m. scan. Actually the second time around as the first was two years ago and it dictated ablation and I never showed up. I had little to no information the 1st time and my Dr. offered little more this time around. Thank God for this website. I am doing this as a preventative measure suggested by my cardiologist who is afraid of the possible palpitations and long term effects of hyper on my congestive heart failure problem which is under control. I am very skeptical of the entire process with respect to the possible long term side effects. I am early seventies and question whether this is a necessary excercise given my age. I had a unecessary gaul bladder removal which has left me really paranoid.  My first clue was weight loss of fifteen lbs. ten years ago and a scan at that time was negative for Hyper. And then two years ago it raised its ugly head once again with some additional symptoms like insomnia, irritability, and more weight loss. Tested positive at that time I guess (?) I don't know enough to question authority on this. I guess that is my primary question: how do I confirm the necessity for ablation ? What are the appropriate numbers ? I havn't seen my blood results either...............help

[dscoochie]

Thank you all for your responses!  

RAI is tomorrow morning, and I am terrified, but know this is for the best.  

Say little prayers for me please!

I'll post my experience when I get out!

Despina

[amela321]

I scheduled my RAI to coincide with my daughter's school trip to Scotland.  I will have been away from her for two weeks which is plenty of time.   I sure miss her!!

[blksapphire]

I tried to post this last night, but my computer died. Its starting to act like my thyroid.
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I had RAI due to hot nodule.

No diet beforehand no nothing. I learned of the side effects from this website. Some of the  side effects were given from the endo dr, but not in full detail as this site did.  I was in isolation for a week at home.

Before you get the treatment. Go to the store and purchase:

1) Lots of water.  You will need lots of water to flush the radiation out.
2) purchase some magazines or book/puzzles that you won't mind throwing out when finished.
3) Buy some plastic to cover your mattress.
4) put your remote(s) in plastic zip lock bags ( cover before treatment)
5) buy some lemon drops to help with the salivary glands
6) buy paper plates, forks,  spoons and cups (do not use household utensils)
7) wash your clothes separate from everyone else.
8) buy  some liquid soap for your bathroom and only "you" to use.  throw it away after insolation period.
9) when in isolation, please flush the toilet 2-3 times after each use
10) stay away from babies and pregnant women.
11) bring a couple of trash bags in your room

After you collect your items.  bring everything in the room in which you will be isolated before the treatment.  This way you will not have to come into contact with anyone.

I don’t know how many millicurie of RAI you will get and how long they will want you in isolation, but I received 18 millicurie and the put me on 7 days isolation and an extra 3 days away from pregnant women and babies

I hope this helps.

Take care

Terri

[dscoochie]

Thank you all so much.

I plan to read and rest during my four days in the hospital.  Hopefully I'm not too nauseous.  I also plan to drink water and eat sour candies as often as possible.

I will miss my boys so very much, though, and cry just thinking about being away from them.  How long did you all stay away from your children?

[amela321]

I just had 175mCi of RAI on Monday.  I was in the hospital in isolation for 2 days, able to come home late the second day.  I've been pretty much isolated in my bedroom or on my deck ever since.  The RAI itself wasn't bad at all....slight nausea.  The LID has been very blah, but most of all it was being soooooooooooo hypo (TSH a week ago over 100) that has about done me in.  Though I've read many places that docs let their patients go back on Synthroid 48 hours after RAI, mine insisted on waiting a week...until after I have my post-ablation scan tomorrow to go back on mine.  I'm DYING for Synthroid and I'm DYING for dairy products!  

The isolation hasn't been horrible for the most part because being so hypo I'm sleeping a lot anyway (3rd RAI so no thyrogen for me) but my husband and I are very "touchy/feely" people and so that's been difficult.  He's been incredibly supportive however.

The first thing I'm going to do after my scan at 10am tomorrow is to take my Synthroid (half normal dose) and then go get a large Oreo Blizzard from Dairy Queen.

Much good luck to you.  When you get down, remember "this too shall pass."  That helped me through!

[shannon828]

Hey girl!  I will be thinking of you this weekend!  This is truly the toughest part of the Thyca treatment experience.  The stupid LID and the RAI are the worst part.  Once you are done with that, you'll be on the other side of this whole thing.

What dose are you getting?  I had 75mci and was VERY sick the day of the treatment dose.  Starts with bad nausea and ended up throwing up a few times that day/night.  The next day I felt better and I slowly started to feel better and better each day.  

I saw my daughter for a few hours after the third day, but stayed away from home for 7 days total.  That part was hard, but I wasn't feeling so great, so it was good to have the time to myself actually.  By the end of day three, I was pretty over the isolation thing, but I tried to make the most of it by meditating, journaling and other things I rarely have time to do.  I am three months post treatment and feeling great.  I feel better than I did with a thyroid.  I always hoped I would be able to say that, but I really and truly do!  I wish the same for you :)

All the best, time to light up those last bits of thyroid tissue and GET RID OF 'EM!

[K2kids]

I hated the LID more than anything. Went into the hospital for noon took the pills at 12:30 they scanned my radiation level told me to drink and left me alone until dinner. I drank and sucked on some sour candy until dinner, ate likea  trooper than that was it. Down hill from there, the nausea was so horrible that I couldn't drink anything without it coming up. I was so sick, didn't sleep well and couldn't wait till someone came to see me in the morning. They had to order me meds to calm my stomach down so I could drink more and go home. I also had the infection in my glands and to this day still have problems with infections. But remember not everyone is the same. I wish you good luck and things will get better from here? Take care. K

[stella5349]

I had RAI due to Graves.

No diet beforehand no nothing. I was told of no side effects so I went in blind.

I found it pretty hard right after the theraph- instantly within hours I had the worse sore throat I ever had. and my chest burned.

......... no one told my to DRINK WATER AND KEEP SALIVA GLANDS MOIST WITH LEMON DROPS. so I developed a saliva gland infection a week later - my ducks were plugged.

I was in hypohell within two weeks and waited 6 weeks to get on meds for hypothyroidism.

Needless to say I was in agony.

I think  my RAI he// story is out of the ordinary (at least I hope so)

make sure you ask questions..... any you have.

Drink lots of water and eat lemon drops all day long.  Take a multi vit C also - detox the rest of the body - they say it doesn't go to other parts -- well that is hogwash!

[kipland]

Here's how mine worked.  One week before, I went on the low iodine diet.  I felt horrible because I hadn't had any meds after my TT six weeks prior and was extremely hypo.

The whole RAI process took 4 days.  A tracer dose was given the first day, then a neck scan and and whole body scan.  The following day, I believe I had two body scans.  The third day, I had another scan - then they determined my treatment dosage.  I had my treatment dose and was only in isolation for 2 days, because it was a low dose.  I went back on the following Monday for another whole body scan.

Like I said, I felt pretty sick because of being so hypo.  The nausea was horrible, and my feet and legs ached pretty bad.  However, I started taking the Levoxyl 24 hours after my treatment dose and felt much better a week later.

Good luck to you.  Just one more thing you can muddle through and put behind you.  I know how you're feeling.  It doesn't seem like it was that long ago that I was in your shoes.  I hope all goes well!  Keep us posted, okay?

Lori