Multiple RAI's

[jmedavis]

I am awaiting my 5th RAI and was just wondering if others have had experiences with this many RAI's?  I'll be honest..I'm getting nervous.

[Mark Lupo, M.D.]

Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of a high cummulative (ie, add up all the doses you've had) dose of RAI.  There may be a risk of developing other types of cancers down the road.

[jmedavis]

My concern is not so much cancer down the road...it's simply the fact that it seems so hard to fight the cancer that I do have.  From the things that I have read it seems that most people only have to have 1 or 2?!

[whittie918]

The doctor told me at the nuclear meds department that RAI causes cancer but then again, we were treating cancer.  There is not many other options for Thyroid cancer other than the RAI.  I have heard folks get external beam but chemo is not affective for this.  

As far as you getting nervous.  I'm not a doctor but I'm thinking like this.  If it lights up on the scan, then its treatable with the RAI. Worry about the secondary cancer stuff when you cross that bridge.  No sense worrying about stuff that has not happened yet.   It could be worse, some folks have their cancer not respond to the iodine at all.

I have a friend who can't get treatment at all and he was told he has 5 good symptom free years left.  How many years with symptoms, dont know.  But it just shows you how slow this cancer is.

[BeachWalker]

Hi,  I have never heard of this, but then that is nothing new... it's so hard to keep up with all these new treatments. Can I ask you.. why are you getting it anyway? Do the meds pose a problem to you?