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877337 tn?1249844450

Radio Active Iodine Treatment - would you have it?

Would you have Radio Active Iodine Treatment if your Endro said that was the best option?  
29 Responses
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1636387 tn?1300239749
Ive had hyperthroidism n Graves Disease for about 8 years, and I'm a wreck. I feel like I have no control over my body. my eyes are bad, my neck looks like a have a huge adams apple, which is crazy cause I'm a girl, i feel like my legs are so weak i have problems walking upstairs, my skin is so bad, my hair is falling out, everyday I feel like I'm gonna have a heart attack, I am on propolanol 9 pills aday, I am an emotional wreck as well, I feel like I'm starting to to get depressed and my husband doesnt understand, i can't sleep, people think im on drugs cause I talk a mile a minute, I'm always shaky. These are just some of my symptoms. I was very young when i found out I had these problems n never took care of it, I have 4 kids so they were always more important then me. Now 8 years later I'm finally getting it taken care of, i realized that if I dont take care of it Im proably going to die.So Tomorrow i go in for RAI. My endo said I dont have time for surgery, he is rushing me in for RAI!! My question is am i going to feel better after? I am so sick of feeling like this everyday, Am I making the right decision to listen to my endo?
Helpful - 0
877337 tn?1249844450
Hello Reylyn,
My first Endo recommended that I have the RAI.  I am glad that I didn't.  After about 8 months of anti thyroid meds, I appear to be in remission.  It was a personal choice for me.  I do not know how long you have been battling your Graves or what your situation is.  But, don't have RAI just because a doctor says hypo is easier to treat than hyper.

Now, regarding your questions.  The research that I came upon when considering the RAI stated that a person was not to be near another person for more than  a couple of minutes; not to eat from the same cookware or dinnerware; not to sleep in the same bed ... etc. for 5 to 7 days.  I'll provide some links for you to read for yourself.  The best thing to do is educate yourself and ask your doctor.

http://www.thyroid.org/patients/patient_brochures/radioactive.html

http://www.endocrinologist.com/Radioactive.html

http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?PG=radioiodine

http://www.mythyroid.com/iodinehyper.html

I hope this will help.  
Jamie
Helpful - 0
1205037 tn?1292004236
hi, i am so glad to find this forum =)
i will be getting RAI this March for my graves disease.
the thing is, i live in cayman islands, we don't have an Endo here and so i need to fly to Miami to do the RAI
when i booked an appointment with and Endo in Miami, he was not sure about travel restrictions - probably because his previous patients don't need to fly back somewhere like i do.
if someone can help with my questions i would really really appreciate it:
1. i definitely will be staying in a hotel before and after RAI - not sure if its safe for the next user of the room though im planning to take all precautions like buying plastic bed cover and cleaning the room by myself
2. i consider staying at the hospital (even if the insurance will not cover)but im not sure if the hospital will actually let you stay =)
3. i will be alone after the RAI treatment - my husband will be flying back to Cayman - no reason for him to stay in Miami if he should be staying away from me - i can't drive and will have to take taxi back to hotel - more reason to stay admitted in the hospital
4. how long before i could fly back to cayman? its just a one hour flight but then i'm afraid of exposure to other people
thanks again. God Bless everyone.
regards,
Reylyn
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in August, and have had a total thyroidectomy. I was put on thyroid pills immediately. I just came out of the hospital today after a 48 hour stay having the RAI treatment. I went off the synthroid pills 5 weeks ago. I didn't feel as bad as my doctor had warned me I would feel. Just a little more tired.  Two weeks prior to the RAI treatment I had to go on a low iodine diet. I thought it would be horrible, but it really wasn't.  The hardest part was the preparation of the food, reading every label in the grocery store. I ate very well, probably better than I had in years, because I had to cook for myself.  I made a huge pot of meat sauce, and left off the salt but used a salt substitute.  I put a small amount of milk in my coffee only once a day, and talked myself into likeing black coffee. Other than that, I ate steak, lamb chops, chicken, potatoes, veggies and a salad. What is so bad about that??? So far, I am feeling fine after the treatment but I did only have it 2 days ago.
I was told not to go to a movie, to a shopping mall or to a restaurant for at least a week, mainly so that I don't end up near a pregnant woman or small child.  I was told I can see people but to stay 3 feet from them and for no more than 15 minutes at a time. Wash my clothes separately, but I live alone.  Do not see my grandchildren for at least another week. That's all. I know someone who did it at home, because their dose of radioactive iodine was lower. She has 3 young children. She stayed in her bedroom and someone else helped care for them.  I am not sorry that I did this RAI at all. I have a very well respected surgeon and endocrinologist, and if they suggested it, then I did it.
I restarted eating anything I want to today. I was nervous about being hypothyroid, but, like I said, it was fine.  

Helpful - 0
558632 tn?1303471125
sent you a personal note as well. but exceeded 800 characters so here is the end of what i was going to put in there

going to beg doc for RAI in June when i go, have to wait until august to have it, another employee is out having hip replacement surgery and have to wait until she gets back. Job is in jeopardy due to cutbacks and wage cuts (we have already had one wage cut) so dont' dare be out for 3 days until we have the other girl back, if we want to stay open we have to get the work done, I am working 50 hours weeks and that is killing me. no time to exercise anyways. i am beat when i get home and have to do the mommy, wifey things, then in bed by 8:30. sad....

will let you know when i have it, thanks for the support.

kim
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I never gained one kilogram after RAI....I gained it all BEFORE RAI being on Carbimazole.And I gained 16kgs before RAI by going from hyper to hypo every 2 weeks on a rollercoaster ride of he//.
So please dont think that if you have RAI that you will automatically gain weight as thats not true in every case.
I did find though that once my levels started to level out and my TSH get under 3.0, that I started to lose weight and its only recently (after a bout of flu) that my T4 med has been increased to 62.5mcg everyday instead of the usual 62.5mcg for times a week and 50mcg on the other three days.
I used to spend more time on the treadmill than I did doing the housework and gained weight!
I gave up on the treadmill.....went back to fulltime work, drank water like a goldfish and thats what I think helped me lose the weight.
prior to dx I was 55kgs, then shot up to 71kgs in 3 months!
Now a year after RAI, I am just over 60kgs.
I dont carry as much fluid as I did prior to RAI (thats one thing I did notice) and am a lot happier in myself not being on the ATD rollercoaster.
Sometimes we get to the stage where we feel enough is enough.
I know I did.
And dont think you are ranting here.....we are all here to support and be supported (me included) so post whatever you want and if you ever feel you want any info on RAI, myself and many others here can help you with your questions about RAI and 'afterwards'.
All the best:)
Helpful - 0
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