What ? Radioactive Iodine Treatment

[vonee]

I recently had my thyroid completely removed due to it being papillary and follicular cancer.  I understand now I have to undergo radioactive idione therapy.  Can someone explain what is involved in this type of treatment and how long do I have to be isolated?    I'm currently taking .75mg of synthyroid. Prior to the operation I was hypo.
I feel perfectly fine however I am concern about my weight.

[GravesLady]

Each Lab and each state will be different.  Your doctor or nuc Lab should give you printed instruction.  Below is just an example and might differ from your area.
  

RAI is ministered either by capsule form or liquid form which has no taste and is painless procedure. If you are given a high dose you might be hospitalized for a few days. If not, it is an outpatient at a nuc Lab or hospital nuc area.

You must be off meds plus avoid iodine foods.

The radioactive iodine that is not taken up by your thyroid is rapidly eliminated through body fluids such as urine, feces, saliva, and perspiration within 48 hours; however, double flushing of the toilet and frequent hand washing are recommended for several weeks.
Sharing food and utensils, including glasses, bottles, cans of soda, water, beer, etc., should also be avoided. For example, when the treated person is eating an ice cream cone, it should not be licked by anyone else. Dishes and eating utensils should be rinsed before being put with those of the rest of the family. Paper plates and plastic utensils should only be used if they are immediately disposed of outside the home. Cooking is fine, as long as the utensil used to taste the food while cooking is not re-used before rinsing. Laundry need not be washed separately unless the treated person has sweated heavily, such as after exercise.
I was isolated from people and pets 4 days, then another 3 days no closer than 3 feet to others.

Drinks lots of liquids, especially water, to help remove the RAI from the system

A sore throat may occur a few days after the treatment, which can be treated with acetaminophen.
Rarely, the salivary glands may swell, which is caused by the iodine and not the radioactivity. Some physicians believe that sucking hard candies for a few days can prevent this.
Mild nausea may develop for a few hours after the iodine is taken, so it is best not to eat two hours before and two hours after the iodine administration.

The amount of radiation you receive from radioiodine treatment is not dangerous, (its a matter of accumulative amounts through out life, no need to subject others to more than is necessary)
it is reasonable that no one else in the vicinity receives a dangerous amount of radiation. However, physicians make an effort to minimize all radiation exposure to every individual. This is especially important for individuals likely to be more susceptible to the potential effects of radiation such as pregnant women and tiny children.
Exposure to others is most likely to occur if a patient who has received radioactive iodine is extremely close to another individual for a prolonged period of time. Since radioiodine accumulates in the thyroid, such contact would include dancing cheek to cheek for an evening, rocking a baby on your shoulder for a long period of time, or possibly sleeping together in the same bed. For this reason most physicians suggest that patients sleep alone for two days and avoid such close contact. In addition, since a small amount of radioiodine comes out into the saliva, kissing is not recommended for two to three days after treatment. There is no hazard for pets.

Enough radioiodine is commonly given to cause an underactive thyroid within six to 12 weeks (I have heard where others have gone hypo as early as two weeks after RAI) following treatment. Once the thyroid becomes underactive, a single daily pill of thyroid hormone T4 must be taken for life.

Weight is an individual issue, meaning, how your system reacts, but it is said that, "there might be a 10 to 15 lb. gain" from being hypothyroid, regardless of what treatment.  

Hopes this helps.  Like I said, each Lab and each state is different.  Ask for printed instruction - yours might not be as strict as mine were.

Good Luck.

[hawkfan]

I had RAI last April and was in the hospital overnight with everything in the room covered.  They dropped my food off at the door and no one came in. I drank tons of water to flush the RAI out of my body.  The next day they came in to see how radioactive I was.  I passed and was able to leave, but I couldn't go home because I have 2 small children.  I couldn't be around small children or pregnant women for 1 week and I had to stay an arms length from everyone for 3 more days.  The biggest problem I had with the RAI was going off my synthroid to get my TSH levels high enough to be able to take the RAI.  I will never do that again.  Going off the synthroid is the worse thing ever.  I have never felt that bad, depression, aches, just everything was horrible.  I have heard that you can take some kind of shot and that will help from these symptoms.  I'm not trying to scare you I just want you to know how low you may end up feeling.  It would probably be wise to tell someone so they can watch you carefully.

[kemi1978]

Hi there,
I just had RAI yesterday,I am surprised that u d had to stay in the hospital for sometime.How much did they give you,
I took just 15 mg and they let me go,I have a 18 m old kid that my mother is taking care of it,but tomorrow i have to pick her up and bring her to the house.I hope we will do fine.I am going to clean and wash everything in the house and try to not sleep with her and kiss her.

[Dogdancing]

in case the doc didnt tell you ....you should have NO neck contact with ANYONE for TWO WEEKS..do not let your baby touch your neck, hug your neck NOTHING for two week. I was told to sleep next to no one for 2 week and I took 10.7 mci

Kids suck up radiation like sponges!!  Really you should have 3 days total isolation from her...ask you mom to keep her another day.  Keep a 3 foot distance between you and her for a week, limited contact ..yeah no snuggling is hard, but we are talking about exposing her to needless radiation that could cause her cancer and/or damage her thyroid.

Again becasue its so important: Kids suck up radiation like sponges!!

Peace be the journey

Paja = Graves, RAI 6-5-08, omg it was hard on my kids not to snuggle with me for two weeks