Ten things to consider before having radioactive iodine treatment (RAI) 1. It’s permanent; once you take the iodine capsule there is no changing your mind. The permanency can be seen as a... 2. Since the science is inexact there are two ways of approaching the treatment. Some hospitals carry out a ...
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What should I consider before having radioactive iodine treatment (RAI)?
Ten things to consider before having radioactive iodine treatment (RAI) 1 It’s permanent; once you take the iodine capsule there is no changing your mind. 2 Since the science is inexact there are two ways of approaching the treatment. 3 Treatment can cause thyroid storm as the dying gland "dumps"... 4 For up to 4-8 weeks after dosage,...
What to expect after radioactive iodine treatment?
What To Expect After Radioactive Iodine Treatment 1 You're going to be radioactive (for a few days) 2 You may gain weight. 3 You will need to (most likely) be on medication. 4 You may experience other thyroid symptoms. 5 You should consider yourself "hypothyroid" 6 Men may have short-term infertility afterward.
Is radioactive iodine treatment an inpatient or outpatient procedure?
Ana Maria Kausel, MD, is a double board-certified endocrinologist affiliated with Mount Sinai St. Luke's/Mount Sinai West in New York City. If radioactive iodine treatment (RAI) is recommended as part of your treatment for Graves’ disease, hyperthyroidism, or thyroid cancer, you will most likely be given it as an outpatient.
What are the risks of radioactive iodine treatment?
Because the radioactive iodine used (known as iodine 131) may expose those around you to the effects of radiation (and theoretically negatively affect their thyroid glands), you will be given guidelines on how to prevent such exposure.
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...•
How do you prepare for radioiodine therapy?
You'll need to follow a low-iodine diet for at least 1 week before you start treatment. A low-iodine diet will make your radioactive iodine therapy more effective. If you have too much iodine in your diet, it can stop the thyroid cells from taking up the radioactive iodine.
What is the most common complication of radioiodine therapy?
Risks and side effectsNeck tenderness and swelling.Nausea and vomiting.Swelling and tenderness of the salivary glands.Dry mouth.Taste changes.
Do you have to quarantine after taking radioactive iodine?
Depending on state regulations, patients may have to stay isolated in the hospital for about 24 hours to avoid exposing other people to radiation, especially if there are young children living in the same home.
How long is isolation after radioactive iodine?
Sleep alone for 7 days unless otherwise instructed by your doctor. Avoid kissing and physical contact with others, and maintain a distance of at least 3 feet from women who are pregnant and children under 18 years old.
How will I feel after radioactive iodine?
Some people may have a feeling of tightness or swelling in their neck for a few days after treatment. This is more common if you still had a large part of your thyroid gland when you have radioactive iodine treatment. Some people also feel flushed. Rarely, people can feel pain in their neck.
Will I gain weight after radioactive iodine treatment?
Treatment of hyperthyroidism with RAI or anti-thyroid medications is associated with an increased risk of gaining weight and even developing obesity. This risk is slightly higher with RAI therapy compared to medications.
Where do you stay after radioactive iodine treatment?
The iodine-131 will wash out in the laundry....To decrease the radiation dose to others:You should sleep in a separate bed. ... Remain in your home for the first four days.Do not hold young children or spend much time near a pregnant woman.Family members should stay about six feet or more from you.More items...•
Does radioactive iodine treatment 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.
Do I have to stay in hospital for radioactive iodine?
Having radioactive iodine treatment for thyroid cancer. Radioactive iodine treatment takes place in the hospital. You usually stay there for a few days until your radiation levels have fallen to a safe level. You will be looked after in a single room, where you stay alone.
What are the side effects of radioactive iodine?
What are the side effects of radioactive iodine?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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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 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.
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.
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 ...
How long should you wait to breastfeed after radioiodine?
You must stop breastfeeding before you can be treated with radioiodine. If possible, you should stop breastfeeding for 6 weeks prior to treatment. You should not resume breastfeeding after treatment for your current child, but you may safely breastfeed babies you may have in the future.
What is radioiodine used for?
What is radioiodine? Radioiodine (sodium I-131) is a form of radiation therapy that has been used for many years to treat thyroid conditions. It is safe and effective but requires you to observe certain precautions to decrease the small amount of radiation that other people may receive from your body and bodily fluids.
How long does radioiodine stay in your system?
Radioiodine stays in your body for only a short time. Most of the radioiodine that does not go to thyroid tissue will be eliminated from your body during the first few days after treatment. Radioiodine leaves your body primarily through your urine, but very small amounts can be found in your saliva, sweat and bowel movements.
How can radiation exposure be reduced?
Radiation exposure to other people can be reduced by keeping a reasonable distance between yourself and others and keeping the time you are close to others to a minimum. Your doctor should review the following instructions with you and answer all of your questions.
How long does it take to get off low iodine?
There are requirements for low-iodine diets that you have to be on for a couple weeks and they can often take some time before they are gotten right. If they are not done perfectly, the treatments can actually become less effective as a result.
Is iodine therapy bad for cancer?
Head and neck cancers and colorectal cancers are both potential consequences of this radioactive iodine therapy. This is something that not enough people are educated on, and is frankly a risk when you go with this type of treatment.
Can radioactive iodine cause heart problems?
Radioactive iodine therapy can actually cause damage to these glands dotting the sides of your thyroid. When they are not working correctly, they actually have the potential to stop your heart, so it is important to consider the potential damage and consequences of hurting your parathyroid glands when you undergo this form of treatment.
When is the next radioactive iodine treatment?
Ana Maria Kausel, MD. on July 20, 2020. If you are going to have radioactive iodine treatment for your thyroid disease, you will have to prepare in advance by following a low-iodine diet.
What is radioactive iodine?
Radioactive iodine is taken as a pill to permanently reduce your thyroid gland activity. There are a few different thyroid conditions that may be treated with radioactive iodine therapy, including several types of thyroid cancer as well as some kinds of benign (noncancerous) hyperthyroidism. 2.
Can you use red dye on food?
Foods and medications may be processed with iodine-containing Red Dye #3 (erythrosine). Your doctor or pharmacist can tell you if any of your regular medications contain iodine, in which case you may need to change to a different prescription before and throughout your radioactive iodine treatment.
Can you eat salt on a low iodine diet?
Many lament about the need to cut out salt, but know that it's fine to use non-iodized salt if you desire. Foods you can eat while on a low-iodine diet include: Non-iodized salt.
Is molasses a good source of iodine?
Blackstrap molasses ( unsulfured molasses is fine) Salt is the most common source of iodine, but low iodine has nothing to do with sodium, which is also found in salt. While you are on your low-iodine diet, sodium is fine, as long as it's from other sources.
Is radioactive iodine good for thyroid?
Radioactive iodine treatment can be a very effective method of addressing thyroid disease. The process requires a good deal of planning and preparation on your part, between following a low-iodine diet, adjusting some of your medications ahead of time, and so on.
How to avoid radiation?
Here are some ways to minimize radiation risks to other people (and pets) after you have had RAI treatment: 1 Stay at least six feet away from other people, including members of the public, family members, and co-workers, for three to 11 days. This means avoiding public transportation, hotels, carpools, and in some cases, your workplace. 2 Sleep apart from adults by at least six feet (a separate bedroom is recommended) and avoid sexual activity. 3 Avoid sleeping in the same bed with a pregnant woman, infant, or child for a period of six to 23 days. According to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, infants and children should ideally stay outside the home for the recommended period. 1 4 To protect family pets, do not sleep with them for up to 21 days.
How to minimize radiation risks?
Keep Your Distance. Here are some ways to minimize radiation risks to other people (and pets) after you have had RAI treatment: Stay at least six feet away from other people, including members of the public, family members, and co-workers, for three to 11 days. This means avoiding public transportation, hotels, carpools, and in some cases, ...
Does iodine affect thyroid?
Because the radioactive iodine used (known as iodine 131) may expose those around you to the effects of radiation (and theoretically negatively affect their thyroid glands), you will be given guidelines on how to prevent such exposure. Laura Porter / Verywell.
Can you hospitalize after a RAI?
It is not common in the United States to hospitalize patients after RAI, but if you are receiving a particularly high dosage of iodine 131 and have no way to protect children or babies, it may be an option. A Low-Iodine Diet Can Make Radioactive Iodine Treatment More Effective.
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.
How long does it take for a RAI to fade?
The good news is that this radioactivity does fade over a short period of time (usually 5 to 7 days) but the bad news is that you need to stay under certain precautions during this time.
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.
