what are the side effects of radioactive iodine treatment?

What are the risks of radioactive iodine therapy?

May 12, 2019 · Other side effects of radioactive iodine include: Metallic taste in the mouth: This can last for a few weeks. Nausea: This usually subsides one to two days after treatment. What happens to your body after radiation treatment?

What are the long term effects of radioactive iodine?

Side effects of radioactive iodine treatment can include: A burning sensation or tenderness in the area near the neck Nausea Swelling or tenderness to the salivary glands Temporary changes in taste Dry mouth or reduced tear production

What are the possible side effects from radioiodine?

Temporary side effects of RAI may include: Neck tenderness and swelling. Nausea. Swollen salivary glands. Loss of taste or taste change. Dry mouth/insufficient salivary production. Dry eyes. Excessive tearing from the eyes.

What to expect after radioactive iodine treatment?

Nov 13, 2020 · Side effects of RAI treatment Usually, being temporarily radioactive is the only major side effect of RAI treatment. Drinking lots of water helps the RAI treatment pass out of your body faster and also reduces the bladder’s exposure to radiation.

What are the long term side effects of radioactive iodine?

Possible long term side effects include:Ability to have children (fertility) Some women may have irregular periods after radioactive iodine treatment. ... Inflammation of the salivary glands (where spit is made) ... Tiredness. ... Dry or watery eyes. ... Lower levels of blood cells. ... Lung problems. ... Second cancers.May 24, 2021

Does radioactive iodine shorten your life?

Quality of life is worse at 6-10 years after radioactive iodine therapy of Graves' disease compared with treatment with antithyroid drugs or surgery. Quality of life is worse at 6-10 years after radioactive iodine therapy of Graves' disease compared with treatment with antithyroid drugs or surgery.

What are the risks of radioactive iodine treatment?

Risks and side effectsNeck tenderness and swelling.Nausea and vomiting.Swelling and tenderness of the salivary glands.Dry mouth.Taste changes.Mar 14, 2019

How will I feel after radioactive iodine?

Radioactive iodine treatment can make your neck swell up or hurt. Nausea or vomiting, which is usually mild. Constipation or diarrhea. Fatigue.

Can radioactive iodine cause other cancers?

Patients treated with radioactive iodine also have an increased risk of acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), stomach cancer, and salivary gland cancer.Jun 9, 2020

Is radioactive iodine harmful?

Radioactive iodine (RAI) is treatment for overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) and certain types of thyroid cancer. The term “radioactive” may sound frightening, but it is a safe, generally well-tolerated, and reliable treatment that targets thyroid cells so there is little exposure to the rest of your body's cells.Sep 8, 2020

Can radioactive iodine cause kidney problems?

The renal cast formation and tubular damage are evaluated by a pathologist in a blinded manner. Results: Ablative radioiodine-131 therapy induced renal tubular damage was significantly higher in the radioactive iodine fifth day group (RI-5) when compared with the Sham group (p=0.01) and Amifostine group (p=0.01).

How successful is radioactive iodine treatment?

Conclusion: Radioactive iodine treatment is an effective modality for definitive treatment of hyperthyroidism with long-term cure approaching 80%.

How long does it take radioactive iodine to leave the body?

Most of the radioiodine not collected by your thyroid gland will be eliminated during the first two days after your treatment. It leaves the body primarily through your urine, but very small amounts may leave in your saliva, sweat and during a bowel movement.

Does radioactive iodine make you tired?

It can create worsening fatigue. And if you've had radioactive iodine (RAI) ablation or surgery to remove your thyroid and you're not taking thyroid hormone replacement medication, you may have become hypothyroid and need treatment.Nov 11, 2021

How long do Rai side effects last?

Other side effects of radioactive iodine include: Metallic taste in the mouth: This can last for a few weeks. Nausea: This usually subsides one to two days after treatment. Swollen salivary glands: This can last for a few weeks.

Why does my mouth feel dry after iodine?

Because the salivary glands may absorb some iodine, you might have a dry mouth as well as taste and smell changes for a few weeks after treatment. Some people will have ongoing problems with swelling and pain in their salivary glands.

What are the side effects of taking paracetamol?

Ask your treatment team for medicines (e.g. paracetamol) to relieve swelling and pain. Other side effects, such as tiredness, are often caused by thyroid hormone withdrawal, but will improve when your thyroid hormone levels return to normal.

Does drinking water help with RAI?

Usually, being temporarily radioactive is the only major side effect of RAI treatment. Drinking lots of water helps the RAI treatment pass out of your body faster and also reduces the bladder’s exposure to radiation. Because the salivary glands may absorb some iodine, you might have a dry mouth as well as taste and smell changes for ...

What is the radiation used for thyroid cancer?

The radiation dose used here is much stronger than the one used in radioiodine scans, which are described in Tests for Thyroid Cancer. This treatment can be used to ablate (destroy) any thyroid tissue not removed by surgery or to treat some types of thyroid cancer that have spread to lymph nodes and other parts of the body.

How long after radiation therapy can you go home?

Depending on the dose of radioiodine used and where you are being treated, you might need to be in the hospital for a few days after treatment, staying in a special isolation room to prevent others from being exposed to radiation. Some people may not need to be hospitalized. Once you are allowed to go home after treatment, you will be given instructions on how to protect others from radiation exposure and how long you need to take these precautions. These instructions may vary slightly by treatment center. Be sure you understand the instructions before you leave the hospital.

How long should I take thyrotropin before RAI?

Another way is to get an injection (shot) of thyrotropin (Thyrogen), which can make withholding thyroid hormone for a long period of time unnecessary. This drug is given daily for 2 days, followed by RAI on the 3 rd day. Most doctors also recommend that you follow a low iodine diet for 1 or 2 weeks before treatment.

How to treat RAI?

For RAI therapy to be most effective, you must have a high level of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH or thyrotropin) in the blood. This hormone is what makes thyroid tissue (and cancer cells) take up radioactive iodine. If your thyroid has been removed, there are a couple of ways to raise TSH levels before being treated with RAI: 1 One way is to stop taking thyroid hormone pills for several weeks. This causes very low thyroid hormone levels (hypothyroidism), which makes the pituitary gland to release more TSH. This intentional hypothyroidism is temporary, but it often causes symptoms like tiredness, depression, weight gain, constipation, muscle aches, and reduced concentration. 2 Another way is to get an injection (shot) of thyrotropin (Thyrogen), which can make withholding thyroid hormone for a long period of time unnecessary. This drug is given daily for 2 days, followed by RAI on the 3 rd day.

Can you use rai for thyroid cancer?

Discuss your risks and benefits of RAI therapy with your doctor. Radioactive iodine therapy cannot be used to treat anaplastic (undifferentiated) and medullary thyroid carcinomas because these types of cancer do not take up iodine.

Can radiation cause irregular periods?

Radioactive iodine may also affect a woman’ s ovaries, and some women may have irregular periods for up to a year after treatment.

Does radioactive iodine help with thyroid cancer?

Radioactive iodine therapy helps people live longer if they have papillary or follicular thyroid cancer (differentiated thyroid cancer) that has spread to the neck or other body parts, and it is now standard practice in such cases. But the benefits of RAI therapy are less clear for people with small cancers of the thyroid gland ...