To decrease the spread of radioactivity: If possible, use a separate bathroom. Answer (1 of 9): I have direct experience with this question because my wife had radioactive iodine treatment for her thyroid cancer and she was supposed to stay away from me and our parrots for 3 days until the radioactive iodine dissipated from her system. Sleep apart from adults by at least six feet (a separate bedroom is recommended) and avoid sexual activity. If this occurs, it is usually goes away as the body heals. My health is anything but wonderful. I dont feel like I have gone back hyper after being off my meds for 4 weeks. (I also bought a digital scale to get the most accurate weight) Then my full set of VS and glucose readings. Why have millions of patients been treated with Radioactive Iodine Take care in washing, treating and grooming your hair. They are basically useless here, Ive been to two, and I am actually SCARED for the first time in my life. Radioactive iodine may also be helpful for people with certain types of thyroid cancer. I cant find anything suggesting these are expected symptoms after RAI. What do you recommend? So is there any possible way to lose weight after the Radioactive iodone treatment or is it pretty much an absolute lost cause? I had RAI about 39 years ago and every year Im tested for my TSH level which always seems to be in the normal range. My exercise routine has been reduced because of back injuries and arthritis. One of the more surprising aspects of getting RAI done is the fact that you are quite literally radioactive after your procedure. Because of this, people may experience symptoms that may lead them to want to restore whatever thyroid function they can. So, when I get up at Midnight unless I stay up that late, I get a full set of VS plus my glucose readings, and take my Levothyroxine. The issue now is that I have no refills on the levothyroxine and have not had any blood work in about 2 years. She is the author of "The Thyroid Diet Revolution. Society of Nuclear Medicine & Molecular Imaging. My last blood test shows TSH of 0.02 and I have been asked to go for a follow up test. I eat all organic. You get it in liquid or pill form. This is my own journey with battling cancer and by any means not meant to scare or offend anyone, but to get my story out. I also noticed my left leg larger than my right, so I do a daily measurement at mid calf before I eat or drink anything. Rinse your hair with warm water and shampoo it. I have expressed my symptoms to the dr and she did a panel revealing my TSH to be 3.687. what is the normal amount of time a person needs to be off thyroid supplemental medication before the radioactive iodine treatment is done? You should have your thyroid lab levels tested to see if you need medication. The next person to tell me how easy this cancer is, Im going to pull their toenails out threw their nostrils then tie them in a knot out their but hole. It seems though that people who are already overweight BEFORE their procedure probably have the worst outcome and tend to gain the most weight compared to others. In regards to your question, its normal to feel terrible if your TSH is so high, but its not normal for your doctor to try and not optimize this level. Consuming excess iodine: If you're at risk for hyperthyroidism and consume too much iodine (through your diet or medications), it can cause your thyroid to produce more thyroid hormone. Leave a Comment Cancel Reply . The symptoms of hyperthyroidism presented themselves very quickly and I was very sick when I had the ablation. False Positive Radioiodine Post-ablation Scan in Scalp Region in A You can omit the leptin resistance rx if weight isnt an issue (but it tends to be something that many RAI patients struggle with). Radioactive iodine for thyroid cancer | Macmillan Cancer Support Wash your clothes and dishes separately from your family's so you don't contaminate their belongings. To lighten hair dyed that is too dark with vitamin c powder, mix together 1 tablespoon of vitamin c powder with 1/2 cup of water. 2023 Dotdash Media, Inc. All rights reserved, Mary Shomon is a writer and hormonal health and thyroid advocate. Another doctor wants my temp and glucose readings, temp shes ok with once or twice during the day. TSH. Eat breakfast. No one said it could be from my low thyroid, but I found clinical trials that mentioned it was rare but could affect eyes and should be treated aggressively. The risk of developing a secondary malignancy due to radioactive iodine therapy . Doctors use nuclear medicine to diagnose, evaluate, and treat . You're given a drink or capsule that contains iodine and a low dose of radiation, which is . I am on NP with an additional Synthroid to balance me out. I am a female, and Im 60 years old, soon to be 61. For example, uranium has thirty-seven different isotopes, including uranium-235 and uranium-238. Catnip works for lighter colors. Whatever touches your skin will pick up a small amount of radiation. Several of my siblings make fun of me and say I am hiding but dont even know what Graves disease is and I was not around them and did not share my health issues until recently with them. The radiation comes from a radioactive substance called iodine-131. You wouldnt want to use a steroid on it unless you know what it is. I had RAI 20 plus years, I am 56 and my numbers are good. Im so confused my gp has no explanation my hair is falling out I dont eat anything only 3oranges a day and pure fruit juice now I have moderate atrophy on my pancreas and I cant get into a specialist for 1-2 years ., can h explain whats really going on, Please see this article for more information on managing hair loss with thyroid problems: https://www.restartmed.com/thyroid-hair-loss/. Since I was at the office a week ago complaining about what PTU was doing to my body I feel nervous about calling the endocrinologist again. Here are some ways to minimize radiation risks to other people (and pets) after you have had RAI treatment: Your healthcare provider will give you specific guidelines regarding how long various restrictions should remain in place in order to protect those around you. I am feeling all the emotions you described, depression is a big one, but all anyone is interested in is giving me another pill to make me happy again. I have battled my weight since I was a child, I had dropped from 400 pounds to 210 about six years prior, and was afraid all my efforts would be lost now. Potassium iodide (KI) is a type of iodine that is not radioactive and can be used to help block one type of radioactive material, radioactive iodine (I-131), from being absorbed by the thyroid. NOT GOING TO TAKE MORE PILLS! Some on the list I cant take to begin with, iron is one, when I take it, no matter how strict I am about taking it so many hours before or after other meds and meals, I still puke it up about fifteen to twenty minutes after taking it. Unfortunately, the best way to prevent weight gain after RAI is to go into the procedure at a normal weight. You wont be able to sleep next to people, go to work, prepare food for others, go into public places, fly on an airplane, ride a bus, share utensils with others, sit on a public toilet, and so on for about 1 week (3). This is usually put into pill form for patients to ingest. However, I havent been placed on any med after treatment what is your professional opinion. and my being a nurse, Im researching and learning all I can. Very small amounts of radioactive iodine may be absorbed by your salivary glands, and the lining of your stomach, which may cause side effects such as a sore throat or hoarseness. Prior to my RAI my level was .03. Muscle pain or weakness. Doctors tell cancer patients that the thyroid is the only tissue which takes up iodine, thus making this a safe form of cancer treatment that will not . Is this normal? I have to take my Levothyroxine at midnight, as in the morning it causes me to have a jitteriness and brain fog, that is bothersome, and to have it in the time frame away from other meds and meals, midnight is the only option. Radioactive iodine. What should I do after this treatment to restore my metabolic functioning and gut biome? No social life, have to check VS and glucose readings so often. To keep my glucose readings at or below 120, the desired reading by my PCP and endocrinologist, I am strict to my vegan/plant based diet, and consume 600 to 800 calories per day. Your hair should be colored before a BK treatment. Radioactive iodine is a procedure that is often used to treat hyperthyroidism. I had a lot of hair loss right after my thyroidectomy. Prior to discovering the bump, I had reversed my Diabetes and had consistent HA1C readings of 5 or lower. How to Clean After Radioactive Iodine Treatment - wikiHow Will my house retain radioactivity after a therapy dose? 08 July, 2011. People may take RAI . Does Taking Thyroid Medication Cause High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)? My only option for help is the ER which is somewhere I dont want to go with all the crap a going around. A better option might be to try just a partial thyroidectomy or to take out just the half of the thyroid with the cancer. After your treatment, you won't be able to go home using public transportation, such as buses, the subway, trains, or a plane. I had RAI treatment done 10 years ago. While you cant control this side effect 100%, you can do your best to mitigate (or reduce) any weight gain by going into your procedure at a normal and healthy weight. Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA) and Thyroid Health: Is it Safe to Use? All my life my hair was thin and fine. If you destroy the entire gland then you will definitely need to be on thyroid medication. Read More. I was exercising and my nutrition intake is organic most fruits, vegetables, meets grass fed etc. 2022 Dr. Westin Childs | Thyroid & Health Supplements That Work Built withGeneratePress and powered by Kinsta. You may gain weight after you undergo radioactive iodine treatment. Where should you stay after radioactive iodine treatment? There are 37 known isotopes isotopesA form of an element that has the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons in the nucleus, giving it a different atomic mass. Hyperthyroidism: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment & Medication These are the questions that I want to focus on today and hopefully answer many of the current questions that you already have. Iodine is essential for proper function of the thyroid gland, which uses it to make the thyroid hormones. Then she said I would have to have iodine radiation if these pills didnt work. Drugs That Induce Hair Color Changes - Owlcation So, fast forward to February of this year, all blood tests were negative for signs of cancer, so no fine needle biopsy was done, and at that point it was just a simple goiter, and was supposed to simply have a partial right side lobectomy, and after a couple weeks return to work and life goes on. Some allergic reactions can cause severe anaphylaxis, but this . can i color my hair after radioactive iodine #3. The amount of iodine taken up by your thyroid is then measured. And in addition to going back to surgery for the left lobectomy, to expect to be on the Radioactive Iodine therapy. https://www.restartmed.com/weight-loss-after-thyroid-removal/, Hello I had the rai treatment 33 years ago and I have never felt good since then , more recent they ultrasound my thyroid gland and the lady who did the ultrasound kinda freaked out saying to me where is your thyroid gland hat did they do it it, I was in the hospital with pancreatitisNo dr has told me there could be a reason for getting pancreatitis with hypothyroid and how can my blood tests say my thyroid is producing hormones and is low which means high . Some people, however, may have further trouble after their treatment and suffer from weight gain, hypothyroid symptoms, and other issues. In most reports, the side effects include contrast dye allergy reactions, hyperthyroidism, and contrast-induced nephropathy accumulation of metformin. As so many of you, I too was very unaware of the many causes of having your thyroid removed can have on a person, or the underlying affects that can be caused by the I-131 RAI "therapeutic" radioactive iodine treatment. What type of cancer is treated with radioactive iodine? FSH was :4.33(1.50-12.40) Thinning hair. So, now my doctor told me a list of things to expect over the next while. I had a miscarriage about a year after the RAI treatment. By Mary Shomon The recommended timeframes are based on the size of the dosage you are receiving, so discuss the specifics with your healthcare provider prior to treatment. If you are unable to get ahold of them then it may be necessary to go to the ER. I have been tested and my doctor says that Im right where I need to be. I had my RAI 3weeks ago and they did not gave me a pros and con what to expect after. Potassium Iodide (KI) | Radiation Emergencies | NCEH | CDC I know they are going to try to drop me further. Hi This is more common if you still had a large part of your thyroid gland when you have radioactive iodine treatment. It was also noted my B/P was sometimes Hypertensive, and my glucose readings were starting to climb. U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. By looking at markers such as your TSH, free t3, and free t4 you can get an idea as to what is actually going on. I ordered the dutch test so have those results but I cannot read it and I am not sure what it all means. After rai treatment I had blood test results was :freet4 was 13.3pmol/L (11-23)free t3 was 4.30pmol/L it was normal (3.1-6.8) I was happy and I had another blood test 26 July 2017 and results was TSH was 0.01 (0.35-4.94) freet3 was 16.32 pmol/L (never ever high like this before) (3.1-6.8) my freet4 was 46.3 pmol/L (11-23) I was shocked how this happened after RAI treatment Sir ? can i color my hair after radioactive iodinehtml5 interactive animation. Iodine is a mineral that your thyroid uses to create thyroid hormone. It probably wont be an issue if you left but you wouldnt want to find yourself in a situation where you are unable to get your thyroid medication and your symptoms are poorly controlled. 240-760-6600. Not only can doctors NOT find a thyroid replacement that works for me due to side affects, Ive lost 70% of my hair and have to wear wig, Ive gained more weight than ever before in my life, Im constantly fatigued, in pain, moody, still have a very fast heart rate between 110-130, anxiety (like Im still hyperthyroid, but Im not.) Will you be able to lead a normal life? Since then, each year various GPs have looked at my thyroid function test results, focused solely on the low TSH reading and have now reduced my levothyroxine down to 100 despite my arguments to the contrary. I expect to be back to probably about 60 to maybe 70% and that is pushing it. Its not just that I cant stand the heat I get overheated so fast that I have to get in the AC or I feel like Im gonna pass out. It is what it is. Recently also diagnosed with B12 deficiency and had exhibited most of the symptoms! A large study found an increase in some cancer types in people who had radioactive iodine treatment for hyperthyroidism compared with the general population. Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. They do this by either stopping your oral thyroid medication or giving you thyrogen. One thing I didnt see in your article is the correlation of Thyroid to Diabetes and CTS. Now the top of my hair is thick and fine and the back of my hair is thick and curly it has a little bit of wire feeling to it. This is an extension of what weve already discussed but its worth spending some time on this specific point. No. Can You Get Everything Your Thyroid Needs From Food? Affected cats produce too much thyroid hormone. 4. Although hair dying can be an artifact on the postablation . So, I need to have an exercise program, vitamin and minerals that may help, food intake regulated to progress to increasing bone mass and weight loss. Will you be able to maintain your current weight? They all tell me Thyroid Cancer is the easy cancer. Hi,I have awhile to have enough hair to dye.I also have another 4wks. Is it healing and producing its own thyroxine now? Can I dye my hair? Post-therapy whole-body scan with abnormal radioactive iodine - Healio I am in the military, stationed in Fl. My endocrinologist said he never heard someone like that after RAI, but i asked my cousin who is a family doctor back home that you will expect that will happened to you. At that time my numbers were so low I was experiencing eye problems. 8PM HS snack and VS and glucose readings. They ran many tests including an cerebral angiogram to check for a brain tumor which I doubted. Radioactive iodine may also affect a woman's ovaries, and some women may have irregular periods for up to a year after treatment. Calculating the half life of radiation, it will be a couple months before I can be around nursing home residents and pregnant women, and each and every nursing home has several pregnant women on each unit and each shift.