
Your best options are fresh fruits and vegetables, but other recommendations include: 5
- Dried fruit
- Applesauce
- Unsalted nuts
- Unsalted peanut butter and rice cakes
- Matzoh or other unsalted crackers
- Fruit juice
- fruits and vegetables including potatoes.
- cooked green vegetables.
- meat.
- ordinary table salt and sea salt.
- fresh bread.
- rice and dries pasta.
- non dairy spreads such as Vitalite, Pure and non dairy Flora.
- olive oil, vegetable oils and nut oils.
What foods are low in iodine?
Your best options are fresh fruits and vegetables, but other recommendations include: 7
- Dried fruit
- Applesauce
- Unsalted nuts
- Unsalted peanut butter and rice cakes
- Matzoh or other unsalted crackers
- Fruit juice
- Homemade muffins
What foods should you eat during radiation treatment?
- Apples
- Apricots
- Arctic char
- Arugula
- Beans, dry
- Bell peppers
- Blackberries
- Black cumin
- Black pepper
- Blueberries
Can you smoke while on radioactive iodine treatment?
currently undergoing a low dose 30mg radioactive iodine treatment. Will the treatment have a different effect if I smoke. Thank you. ... View answer What causes pain in ribcage after receiving dose of radioactive iodine?
How do you clean after radioactive iodine treatment?
- Avoiding physical contact with other members of the household, including sleeping alone
- Flushing your toilet twice after every use
- Washing your hands frequently with decontamination soap
- Avoiding cooking for others
- Using plastic gloves to cook
- Keeping all clothing and linens separate from the rest of the household
See more

Can you eat before radioactive iodine treatment?
An empty stomach helps your body absorb the radioactive iodine. Drink only water. For 3 days after you swallow the capsule: Follow your low-iodine diet. You may resume your normal diet after 3 days.
What should I avoid before radioactive iodine treatment?
What Foods Should I Avoid Before Radioactive Iodine Treatment?Iodized salt.Dairy products like cheese, cream, yogurt, butter, and ice cream.Egg yolks, whole eggs, and foods containing whole eggs.Seafood like fish, shellfish, seaweed, and kelp.Foods that contain additives like carrageenan , agar-agar, and alginates.More items...•
What can you eat before thyroid uptake scan?
Consult your doctor before discontinuing any red colored medications. Non-iodized salt may be used as desired. This diet does not limit sodium intake in foods. Do not have anything to eat or drink 2 hours prior to your initial appointment.
Can you eat bananas on low iodine diet?
Do Bananas Have Iodine? Yes, bananas contain this element (6). Therefore, it is supremely important to calculate how much you can eat in order not to go over your daily iodine limit. One medium banana holds about 2% of the daily iodine value.
What can I eat for breakfast on a low iodine diet?
Eggs: egg whites only. Cereals and grains: oatmeal (excluding prepackaged or instant oatmeal), rice, quinoa, couscous, cornmeal, bulgur, buckwheat, plain wheat pasta or other salt-free pasta varieties. Crackers: salt-free varieties of matzo crackers, unsalted rice cakes, unsalted rice crackers.
How much water should I drink after radioactive iodine?
Drink one glass of water each hour and use the bathroom as soon as possible when you need to empty your bladder. Men should sit on the toilet while urinating to decrease splashing. Use a tissue to wipe up any urine on the toilet bowl and flush twice.
How do I prepare for a nuclear thyroid scan?
Do not eat or drink for four hours before or two hours after your thyroid test.Do not eat or drink for four hours before or two hours after your thyroid test. You may drink water.If you have any other test today where you are told not to eat or drink for a longer amount of time, please follow those instructions.
What food thyroid patient should avoid?
These foods contain goitrogens or are known irritants if consumed in large amounts: Soy-based foods: tofu, tempeh, edamame beans, soy milk, etc. Certain fruits: peaches, pears, and strawberries. Beverages: coffee, green tea, and alcohol — these beverages may irritate your thyroid gland ( 27 , 28 , 29 )
Which fruit is rich in iodine?
Prunes. Prunes are plums that have been dried. Prunes are a good vegetarian or vegan source of iodine. Five dried prunes provide 13 mcg of iodine, or about 9% of the daily value ( 6 ).
Are eggs high in iodine?
Animal sources of iodine are generally the richest sources available, and eggs are no exception. A single hard-boiled egg provides about 26 mcg of iodine.
Is cucumber high in iodine?
The majority of the Iodine was detected in vegetative parts. Average concentrations in fruits (mg I/kg fresh weight) for the 12.5 and the 125 ppm level were: 0.02 and 0.12 (cucumber), 0.01 and 0.04 (sweet pepper), 0.01 and 0.05 (round tomato), 0.03 and 0.12 (cherry tomato), respectively.
Are potatoes high in iodine?
Potatoes are a great source of iodine that is very commonly found and is cheap. When baked or cooked with its skin on a potato can supply you with 60/mcg of iodine. Any type of potatoes are fine but it is best to consume organic potatoes as they are a better source of iodine.
What foods contain iodine?
raw green vegetables such as spinach and broccoli. cakes and biscuits made with eggs or butter. milk chocolate and white chocolate. take away foods, fast foods and restaurant food as their ingredients aren't known and might contain iodine.
What hormone is used to treat radioactive iodine?
For your treatment to work, one of the hormone levels in your body needs to be high. This hormone is called thyroid stimulating hormone or TSH. A high level of TSH helps any thyroid cancer cells in the body to take up radioactive iodine.
How long does it take to stop taking thyroid hormone?
have an injection of a man-made TSH called recombinant human TSH (rhTSH) once a day for 2 days. stop taking your thyroid hormone tablets a few weeks before treatment (thyroid withdrawal) Your healthcare team will explain what you need to do and what is going to happen.
Why is radioactive iodine used for thyroid cancer?
It is a useful treatment in thyroid cancer because the thyroid gland absorbs and stores most of the iodine in your body. The thyroid gland gets iodine from certain foods and uses this to make essential thyroid hormones. Radioactive iodine is a targeted treatment. The radioactive iodine circulates throughout your body in your bloodstream.
Does iodine kill cancer cells?
Thyroid cancer cells in your body pick up the iodine. The radiation in the iodine then kills the cancer cells.
Can you stop breastfeeding while on radioactive iodine?
You should not have this treatment during pregnancy. Talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding. You will need to stop breastfeeding before you have treatment with radioactive io dine.
Does iodine kill thyroid cancer?
The radiation in the iodine then kills the cancer cells. It is only suitable for some types of thyroid cancer. It is a treatment for: It can treat the cancer even if it has spread. But even if you have one of these types of thyroid cancer, this treatment may not be necessary or suitable for you. Not all of the cancer cells take up ...
What is the purpose of radioactive iodine?
The aim of the treatment is to damage and kill the cells responsible for the hyperthyroidism. Radioactive iodine and some other radioisotopes used in Nuclear Medicine are produced during the production of nuclear energy. They are a by-product or, if you like, a useful waste product.
Why is radio iodine so effective?
One of the reasons that radio-iodine treatment is so effective is because the thyroid readily takes up iodine, which is used in thyroid hormone production. To ensure that the treatment is maximised you will be asked to avoid any foods and medicines ...
How long do you have to stay in hospital after ablative thyroid?
Patients who have what is called an ablative dose (usually for treatment of thyroid cancer) are asked to stay in hospital for three days following the treatment. This is to reduce the doses to other members of the public.
How long does it take to stop taking anti-thyroid medication?
This is usually prescribed in the beginning, for all patients, and approximately half of all patients are successfully treated with this method and can cease taking the medication after six months.
Why can't you get pregnant after radiotherapy?
Patients are advised not to become pregnant for 6 months following radio-iodine treatment. This is because the radiation that is used could potentially affect the DNA in human cells.
What are the three types of radiation?
Nuclear Medicine concerns three types of radiation: Alpha particles, which are made up of two protons and two neutrons (the material that makes up the nucleus of any atom), Beta, which is either an electron or a positron (smaller particles that form part of an atom) and Gamma, which is basically an energy wave.
Where is I131 excreted?
I131 is excreted from the body in all bodily fluids, including urine and sweat, so it is best that the first few days (when the radiation present in the body is highest) are spent in isolation at the hospital where it matters less that things will become contaminated.
How long before radioactive iodine is stopped?
Your doctor will tell you when to start and stop following a low-iodine diet. Most people start 1 to 2 weeks before their dose of radioactive iodine and stop after their radioactive iodine therapy is complete. A low-iodine diet doesn’t meet the suggested daily allowance for all nutrients.
What are some foods that contain iodate?
Carrageen. Agar. Commercial breads and bakery products that contain iodate bread conditioners (such as calcium iodate or potassium iodate) Milk (except for 1 ounce a day) and milk products (such as cheese, yogurt, and cream) Egg yolks. Most seafood (except fresh-water fish)
What is iodine used for?
Minerals are a type of nutrient your body needs to work properly. Your body uses iodine to make certain hormones, such as the hormones made by your thyroid gland.
Is sodium the same as iodine?
Not always. Sodium and iodine aren’t the same thing. Most commercial food manufacturers use non-iodized salt in their products. But, it’s hard to know for sure. It’s best to choose unsalted products in case the salt does contain iodine.
Can you stop taking iodine?
Don’t stop taking any of your medications unless your doctor tells you to. Call your doctor or nurse if you have any questions about your medications. Tell your doctor about any vitamins or supplements that you’re taking. You will need to stop taking them if they contain iodine.
Can you eat iodine before radiotherapy?
Following a low-iodine diet before getting radioactive iodine therapy can help the therapy work best. If you have too much iodine in your body during your radioactive iodine therapy, your thyroid gland might use that iodine instead of the radioactive iodine. This keeps the treatment from working as well as it should.
What foods contain iodine?
Iodized salt. Any vitamins or supplements that contain iodine (especially kelp and dulse) Milk or other dairy products including ice cream, cheese, yogurt and butter. Seafood including fish, sushi, shellfish, kelp or seaweed. Herbal supplements. Foods that contain the additive carrageen, agar-agar, alginate, or nori.
What foods can you eat with non-iodized salt?
FOODS THAT ARE OK. Non-iodized salt or non-iodized sea salt may be used as desired. Egg whites. Homemade bread made with non-iodized salt and oil (not soy!) instead of butter or milk or commercially-baked breads which do not contain iodate dough conditioners, dairy, or eggs. Fresh fruits and vegetables.
Where is iodine found?
Therefore, it may be found in varying amounts in all food and beverages.
What to do if your feet are radioactive?
Do's. DO - Wear Slippers (cheap and disposable) or thick socks at all times. Your feet perspire and will leave radioactive “footprints”. DO - Place a plastic drop cloth under your bed sheets and above your mattress pad. Wrap your pillow (under the pillow case) with plastic cooking wrap.
Can bleach cause radioactive iodine?
Dont's. DON'T - USE BLEACH or bleach containing cleaners. Bleach will cause radioactive iodine to become gaseous and may spread far and wide. DON'T - Forget to remove any drop-in toilet tank cleaners that have bleach in them. DON'T - Eat any foods with cores or bones (such as apples, fried chicken, etc.) or chew gum.
How long can you live after iodine treatment?
You can expect to live a fairly normal life after radioactive iodine treatment but your life will probably not be exactly as it was before your procedure. For most people, this means that you can expect to live at 80-90% of your 'normal'.
How long does radioactive iodine affect sperm count?
Important to men is the fact that radioactive iodine can cause short-term reductions in sperm count for up to 2 years after your procedure (8). This may or may not be important to you based on your age, your gender, and whether or not fertility is something you are interested in but, again, it's worth knowing about.
How to avoid weight gain after RAI?
Your best bet to AVOID weight gain after RAI is to go into your procedure with a normal weight and to maintain a healthy lifestyle both before and after. Just realize that you will always be in a 'sensitive' category and you will be more likely to gain weight compared to people with their thyroid intact. #3.
Can you survive after RAI?
You can obviously survive after RAI (otherwise they wouldn't do the procedure) but I want to teach you how to thrive afterward. And to key to getting there is to understand what happens to your body after this procedure and how it influences your thyroid function.
Can you take a thyroid pill every day?
There's no way for doctors to give you a pill once a day and for that pill to perform the exact same function that your thyroid gland does every minute of every day. Because of this, people may experience symptoms which may lead them to want to restore whatever thyroid function they can.
Can beta cells take up iodine?
But you probably at least know a little bit about RAI or you wouldn't be here.
Can you gain weight after radioactive iodine treatment?
You may gain weight. This is probably not what you want to hear, especially if this is a procedure that is necessary for your health, but it's still important to know about it. You may gain weight after you undergo radioactive iodine treatment.
How to get rid of radioiodine in urine?
Clean your hands thoroughly every time you use the bathroom. After you go to the bathroom, soap up and scrub your hands thoroughly, as you'll be passing the most radioiodine in your urine. Scrub for at least 20 seconds before rinsing.
How to prevent radioactive particles in the house?
1. Wash your linens and clothes separately from the rest of the household. Always wash your towels, sheets, and clothes in a different load from other household items. They may spread radioactive particles to other items in the house if you don't take this precaution.
How to clean a bathroom after a precaution period?
Clean the bathroom thoroughly. After your precaution period is up, wipe down the bathroom with disinfecting wipes. Wear gloves for the process, and then place the wipes and gloves in a designated trash bag. ...
How to keep dishes from spreading radioactive particles?
2. Wash your dishes separately from the rest of the dishes. Reserve dishes and utensils for yourself that only you use, kept away from other dishes and utensils. Also, wash these items separately from other household dishes so you don't spread radioactive particles to other items.
What to do with contaminated disposable items?
Place all contaminated disposable items in a separate trash bag. The facility where you have your treatment may give you a special bag for trash. Anything you use that's disposable, such as food plates, utensils, non-flushable cleaning wipes, and gloves, should be placed in that bag. The bag should be leak-proof.
Can you get radioactive iodine if you have thyroid cancer?
If you're being treated for hyperthyroidism or thyroid cancer, you may be given radioactive iodine or radioiodine. [1] With this treatment, it's possible to contaminate others with radiation, even though the amount of radiation you're given is fairly small.
Can radiation contaminate other people?
With this treatment, it's possible to contaminate others with radiation, even though the amount of radiation you're given is fairly small. For that reason, take precautions to clean up after yourself, particularly in the bathroom and the kitchen, and to isolate items you use from other household items.
