Radioactive pill and SCARED

[Tinsey99]

Has anyone taken the radioactive pill to kill your thyroid instead of surgery?

I posted this question a few weeks ago and go NO responses.  I am to go tomorrow to do it, but I am chickening out.  My worse sympton at this time is my STRESS level and emotions.  I can cry in a click of a finger.  I know this will not go away until they get me balanced in February.  I wondering if I do the surgery instead, I can get my emotions in check sooner.  I feel so sorry for my husband and daughter.  I can and AM a BI**H.

I need suggestins PLEASE

[buddemom]

I'm almost 5 years cancer free. I had a total throidectomy and the cancer was a lot bigger than they like to see.  Had RAI and was fine.  Don't be scared, nothing to it. Keep me posted

[Jenny5044]

I am scheduled for the glow pill Monday march 26, scared to dath, so afraid i will be hypo when its over. I can barely function now and I am hyper..Please send me your jurnals, thank You Jenny Hodge Mayer Az, 86333   ***@****

[Jenny5044]

I am scheduled for the glow pill Monday march 26, scared to dath, so afraid i will be hypo when its over. I can barely function now and I am hyper..Please send me your jurnals, thank You Jenny Hodge Mayer Az, 86333   ***@****

[Smilerdeb]

Please PM your email address and I will send you my journals before and after RAI.
There are too many to post here.
These will help you and also a good idea is to pop down to the Nuclear Dept. before RAI and have a chat with them along with any questions you need to ask.

All the best x

[Smilerdeb]

I am 2 1/2 years post RAI and have never looked back and never regretted it.
I was dx with Graves and Hyperthyroidism and was on anti-thyroid meds for roughly 12 months before RAI .

RAI gave me back my life but also if you are going through RAI...research all you can on it so as to know what to expect.
I waited for things to happen (glowing in the dark etc lol) and nothing happened.
The only thing I got was a hot spot on the side of the neck the first night which was relieved with a cold wet towel.
That hotness lasted about 2 hours.

I had everything disposable...plates etc and slept on an airbed in the spare room which I disposed of.
I stayed in the same house as my partner and he never went hypo.
They say an arms length away from everyone for 3 days and children and pregnant women 2 weeks.
Theres been no ill effect on my partner and I wore surgical gloves so that I didnt have to wipe every damn door handle lol.
The secret is to drink lots of water the first 3 days...pee often and suck on sour candy for the saliva glands.

I agree with Lamkins.

One more thing...have regular bloods (fortnightly) and dont let the TSH go above 10.0.
Doing this avoids a hypo crash.

RAI is overated and people treat it like Leprosy.
Its the best thing I ever did.

[lamkins514]

Hi there.  I had no problems at all with RAI (radioactive therapy).  It has been two weeks now since I had the pill.  My doctor told me that for one week, I needed to stay within about 3-4 feet away from others but if someone did manage to forget and get within that range, it would be okay - just for a few minutes.. just not a prolonged time. No hugging or sharing a bed with anyone - usual things you'd think of as being 'close'. The most important thing about RAI treatment is when you use the bathroom, clean up any spills (I used Lysol spray on the toilet seat before & after) and to flush TWICE.  Also, I used paper plates for food, plastic utensils, etc. during that time .. so I could just throw away.  They do not want you cooking or touching another's food during that time, either.  She told me that the usual way the radiative stuff comes out (what is not taken up by your thyroid, that is) is through the urine, sweat & body fluids.  Told me that I could do things normally in the house & outside as long as I kept the distance & wasn't sweating profusely on things that others would touch or 'spitting or sneezing' on things.. LOL   I am sleeping waaay better already now & feel wonderful.. not sure if it's all 'in my head' but I have felt great since then.  Praying I don't swing in the HYPOthyroid state - really would prefer staying this way & feeling this wonderful.  During my worst hyperthyroid state, I would fight to breathe if I did too much, very short of breath, felt so hyper, like all I wanted to do was 'run' miles, though I really couldn't..  my mind was so scattered and I was snappy.  I feel so much better already in just these two weeks and I'm on no medication at all at the moment.  Hoping it stays that way! :o)  
Don't worry too much - I was extremely afraid before I went in for that pill - but feel so much better right now.  God bless you and hang in there.  :o)

[Jamzy60]

I am scheduled on the 24th of Oct for this, and scared of what comes after. Plus not sure about how to handle the radioactive stuff. They told me to stay away from people for 2-3 days, mimimum of 10 ft away, do not use same bathroom, kitchen and so on. My house is not that big.  So my husband is putting me up in a hotel for 3 days.  Is this silly and overreacting?   Will this help me get back to "normal"  I cry and get emotional, can't hardly go up and down stairs, went from working out 2 hrs a day (no weight loss), to fight to get 5 minutes in, between catching my breath and starting again  1/2 hr work out takes my about 50 minutes.  Don't sleep, but more than 3-4 hrs a night, losing my hair.  So again, will this make me feel normal again, or should I start smoking again, just kidding, been smoke free for 8 months

[lamkins514]

I just had the RAI treatment for my hyperthyroid issues & hot nodule about two weeks ago.  I was extremely afraid to get it done but managed fine after it.  I had no issues at all during the treatment, felt great.  I am not sure why they say about 'half' those who take RAI become hypothyroid as I'm assuming if the RAI kills the thyroid altogether, how can it possibly function at all?  Anyway, I'm praying I do not wind up hypothyroid - if there is a chance as they say..  Also, wondering if anyone has had issues with really yellow urine after RAI?  I have had this for about two days now - just odd .. wondered if it was related at all to the RAI I took?  
Thanks so much..

[Totie]

I did the RAI as well, no problems, except it did not work, so ended up having the TT anyway a month later.

You will be fine. Make sure you ask all the questions you need to...before taking it. Ask what to expect, and what you need to do during the time it is in your system.

Good luck, you will be fine.

[skeeterknitwit]

Hi Tinsey,
I had RAI for a hot nodule 12/08.  The dose of radiation for a hot nodule is about 1/5 of what they use for thyroid cancer.  
Right now, your level of anxiety is probably through the roof.  I remember going off the anti-thyroid meds.  It feels really awful.  You can probably start them again 48 hrs. after RAI.
I hope you have someone to drive you.  I had hyper days when I didn't feel safe to drive myself.
Schedule plenty of time tomorrow.  Mine took 1 1/2 hours to do the paperwork, 1 second to swallow the pill.
I'm doing really well now on .75 Levoxyl.  I think that means that part of my thyroid is still working, but the big fat nodule is dead.  I've also had anxiety about the darn thing rising again like the phoenix from the ashes.  So my Dr. ordered an ultrasound a couple of weeks ago.  The results were - Normal thyroid tissue, no cysts, no nodules, only atrophic (shrunken, dead) tissue in the area where the nodule used to be.

So overall, the RAI was no big deal for me.  The hyper anxiety IS a big deal.  I was also told that the cost of RAI is about 10% of the cost to have surgery.

Hang in there!  Let us know how things go.

[stella5349]

I also had RAI - in 2003 - In perspective I don't think ablating the galnd with the RAI was bad - but getting regulated after taking it was horrible. and it took years for me.

You have a high emotion issue right now because your hormones are not stable. That's what causing the craziness for you.

If you take RAI - and it takes a while to regulate you - those emotions will continue until those new levels are balanced out again.

You need to way out the odds of other conditions too - if you don't get your thyroid in control of things.

I don't know the history here - or what your doctor has said - so really offering anything more than that would only be a guess.

[Smilerdeb]

I swallowed i-131 in June 2008 and since then have more than my fair share of stress but NOT to do with the RAI or ablation of it.
I would have it again if I had too.......and yes, I too was horrified of the 'RAI nightmare stories" and how people can put the fear of God into you.
As others have said..its your choice in the long run but I wouldnt hesitate to have it done again.
Read my journals on my RAI days.

[TamraW]

Risk of stomach, breast, etc cancers is slightly elevated in those who've undergone RAI for hyperthyroidism. However, the risk is only slightly higher than the control group. See below:

http://www.breastcancer.org/risk/new_research/20070604.jsp

Stress is normal for hypers, anyway. Your family should understand this.

If I had a choice, I'd do surgery, simply because cancer is a family thing, and I don't need to increase my odds. Surgery comes with its own complications, such as possible vocal cord or parathyroid damage. This risk is increased with surgeons who don't have much thyroid experience. I would only go with the best, most experienced surgeon. My mom had a partial and was back to work within the week. She had a great surgeon. Sometimes, it may take a few months to regulate levels after surgery, but from what I understand, the doc doesn't start you out at the smallest dose.

In the end, the choice should be yours. Everyone is different.

Best of luck to you.

:) Tamra

[mattsmom34]

I have not had the radioactive pill however I can relate to your stress and emotions. I too cry easily. I think we all fear what we don't know. Please have your treatment tomorrow. Waiting longer will just add to your stress.  If you can handle motherhood you can handle anything! Be strong, think positive and hang in there.