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 . 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). MY DOCTORS ADVICE ME TO STAY UNTIL MARCH OR APRIL FOR FURTHER CHECK UP.. Its probably a good idea to stay close to your doctor until your dose of thyroid medication is optimized. Can you use hair dye before radioactive iodine treatment? But if you're having radiation to the head and neck area and experience hair loss, it's best to wait a few months after your hair has grown back. Will destroying your thyroid gland have long-term consequences? https://www.restartmed.com/product/t3-conversion-booster/ However, all of these symptoms are also part of the menopause for which I now take HRT. Ten things to consider before having radioactive iodine - TPAUK 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. IM HAVING A HARD ENOUGH TIME WITH WHAT I TAKE NOW! Hyperthyroidism is a condition where your body produces too much thyroid hormone so the treatment is to destroy your thyroid gland and stop that production. Restoring your metabolism will have more to do with your dose of thyroid medication than anything else. 20 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. In this procedure, you are intentionally given Iodide, I-131, which emits radiation. Men should sit down when urinating. My last blood test shows TSH of 0.02 and I have been asked to go for a follow up test. People may take RAI . If you havent already then you would probably want to make sure it isnt your other hormones causing these issues. No, you won't lose your hair after a radioactive iodine treatment. It sounds like you are not being treated adequately. If you are unable to get ahold of them then it may be necessary to go to the ER. I saw 2 eye professionals. The good news is that not every single person who gets RAI will necessarily gain weight. As I said earlier not everyone will necessarily need thyroid medication after they ablate their thyroid. Is there anything I can do to protect myself as I am driving her. Hives. 8PM HS snack and VS and glucose readings. Prior to that, I always weighed in the 125-130 lb range (normal for my height). I have been diagnosed with Mitral Valve Prolapse, asthma, arthritis, allergies, MCS, auto-immune thyroid disease, etc. 2 capsules of T3 Conversion Booster daily (important if you take T4 only medication!) 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. 8.1, Because I began feeling very unhealthy this week further blood tests were done. Do you lose your hair with radioactive iodine treatment? - FindaTopDoc I have AFib and concerned for my heart about going into the obese stage. Please help me what to do with this. I had RAI back in 2010 For Thyroid nodules And I have been on hormone replacement ever since I get my blood tested every 3 months And Im either too high or too low So I keep getting switched from a 112 To a dose of 125 This is been going on for several year several years so now my doctor has me switch every other day Between the 2 doses to see if this will stabilize my levels My problem is the weight gain That came after the RAI treatment treatment.. 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. Any advice . Thank you! I am 70 years old and I am beginning to worry. I had my RAI 3weeks ago and they did not gave me a pros and con what to expect after. 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. It has to do with how important your thyroid is in regulating your metabolism and your weight. OR IT WILL BE GIVE ME PROBLEM? For this reason, its ideal to try and lose weight prior to the procedure as opposed to after. Can Hashimotos Be Reversed? The researchers found that the proportion of overweight people increased from 9.6% to 18.5% (almost double) and the proportion of obese patients increased from 6.4% to 21% (almost quadruple) (4). I have since been on a roller coaster ride with the levels fluctuating up and down and not sure why. not the treatment of choice for them. About 25 years ago they killed my thyroid with radioactive iodine. Shower once a day to rinse away the leftover radioiodine, but make sure to scrub the shower well after using it. Reply. General Information. But it does increase your risk of weight gain if you have the procedure by about 2 to 3 times. Radioactive Iodine Therapy for Thyroid Nodules & Cancers How to Lighten Hair Dyed Too Dark? 9 Methods That Work Read our, An Overview of Thyroid Disease Treatments, The Low-Iodine Diet for Radioactive Iodine Treatment, Society of Nuclear Medicine Procedure Guidelines (PDF), Practice Recommendations of the American Thyroid Association (PDF). 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. Iodine-131 (I-131) is radioactive. Can You Get Everything Your Thyroid Needs From Food? I feel more like a ping pong ball being bounced back and forth! How to Avoid The Dangerous Side Effects of Radioactive Iodine Treatment Findings from a study of patients who received radioactive iodine (RAI) treatment for hyperthyroidism show an association between the dose of treatment . Mary Shomon is a writer and hormonal health and thyroid advocate. The combination you would want to try if you are post RAI is as follows: Thyroid Daily Essentials 1 packet each day https://www.restartmed.com/product/thyroid-daily-essentials-thyroid-multivitamin/ It sounds like you are being underdosed based on your TSH level. Endocrine Today | A 25-year-old woman was referred for radioactive iodine remnant ablation for multifocal micropapillary thyroid carcinoma. Thyroid Scan and Uptake - Radiologyinfo.org Im 60 years old, so its not like Ive got a full life ahead of me, not a big deal. You usually take radioactive iodine as a capsule that you swallow. This keeps the radioactivity from destroying other cells in your body and only allows for the destruction of your thyroid gland. It is a good idea to increase your fluid intake after an imaging exam involving an iodine-based contrast material to help remove the contrast material from your body. I underwent RAI 14 years ago for Graves disease. I would like to try some of your supplements, but not sure which ones I should be looking at. My symptoms include very dry skin, heart problems, severe pain, muscle problems, joint issues, sometimes brain fog, hair is brittle and dry, constipation, stomach issues, basically nothing is right since the treatment. 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. Please help! Free T3. Iodine, an essential mineral, may affect hair health and hair growth through its effects on thyroid function. Radioactive iodine therapy is a type of internal radiotherapy treatment for thyroid cancer. Contrast Dye - Side Effects and What You Should Know 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. Symptoms of a moderate or severe reaction that require urgent medical care include: Severe vomiting. Then too, my annual eye exam with dilation is due now, that appointment is upcoming, as well as further dental with my regular dentist now that I have the one impacted and rotted tooth extracted. It is a measurement of thyroid function, but does not involve imaging. A single injection is given subcutaneously (i.e. Not everyone gains weight after RAI, if thats what you mean by treatment but if you are going to, it will start within 4-6 weeks of the procedure and may continue for several months. Hair that is not being treated directly with radiation can be dyed. Take care in washing, treating and grooming your hair. I have expressed my symptoms to the dr and she did a panel revealing my TSH to be 3.687. Iodine (chemical symbol I) is a chemical element. Your doctor should monitor you for symptoms of hypothyroidism after RAI treatment. This means avoiding public transportation, hotels, carpools, and in some cases, your workplace. Radioactive Iodine (Radioiodine) Therapy for Thyroid Cancer U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Its definitely possible it just takes more time and the weight loss is slower. Its normal in the sense that ALL post RAI patients will become hypothyroid but abnormal in the sense that you should NOT feel poorly if you are treated properly. can i color my hair after radioactive iodine. One thing I didnt see in your article is the correlation of Thyroid to Diabetes and CTS. Most thyroid patients who receive RAI treatment eventually end up hypothyroid and will need to take thyroid hormone replacement drugs indefinitely. Receiving intravenous iodinated contrast (iodine "dye") may also cause hyperthyroidism. That may not be the best decision, but I was becoming very depressed. I feel good, but still struggling with tiredness and some weight gain (some weight gain due to post menopause).