June 10, 2022 . If it doesnt go away then you have your answer, and if it does go away then you also have your answer. Well since this journey has began Ive lost almost all of my hair and gained a ton of weight. A swollen or tender neck and feeling flushed. Over the next 5 years I gained another 10 lbs. The risk of developing a secondary malignancy due to radioactive iodine therapy . Your thyroid gland absorbs nearly all of the iodine in your body. Im having my RAI tomorrow, and my oncologist said I could go back to work right after. That may not be the best decision, but I was becoming very depressed. Findings from a study of patients who received radioactive iodine (RAI) treatment for hyperthyroidism show an association between the dose of treatment . American Thyroid Association. Tips for Eating and Cooking While on a Low Iodine Diet. Information for patients administered radioactive iodine (I-131). 2 Capsules of Thyroid Adrenal Reset Complex daily https://www.restartmed.com/product/thyroid-adrenal-reset-complex/ Your article is quite interesting. This ThyCa has kicked my Gluteus Maximus but good! It doesn't matter where those cancerous cells might be. Want to know why I'm so passionate about these topics? In this procedure, you are intentionally given Iodide, I-131, which emits radiation. RAI is a form of radioactive nuclear medication that permanently destroys thyroid tissue. If you havent already then you would probably want to make sure it isnt your other hormones causing these issues. Is there specialist out there that can look at your overall health history and help you get a regime that is right in regard to everything that is going on with you, i.e. I have been asked to transport a friend who is having Radioactive Iodine treatment both the day of and a couple days later for her followup scan. But over the past month I see my weight dropping a half to a pound daily. The radioactive iodine uptake test (RAIU) is also known as a thyroid uptake. The majority of radioactive iodine, therefore, will be absorbed by any remaining thyroid cells. So, if I go to bed earlier, I have to set my alarm clock to get up to take the damn pill, then have a hard time to get back to sleep, then just when I do fall into slumber, its time to get up and going for the day, and take a list of other meds, and monitor VS and glucose readings. However, it affects only the body part that is being treated with radiation. I am concerned. Thank you, I had RAI treatment 21 April 2017 dose was 400 MBq ( United Kingdom) I was diagnosed Graves disease 2008 my thyroid levels wasnt massively high I refused rai treatment 2011 contunie Antithyroid medication treatment almost 8 years ! Unfortunately, the best way to prevent weight gain after RAI is to go into the procedure at a normal weight. I had RAI 20 plus years, I am 56 and my numbers are good. 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. Your Doctor will be able to help determine how much of your gland was destroyed. The connection between your weight gain and hyperthyroidism is explained here: https://www.restartmed.com/methimazole-weight-gain/. I had this feeling when I went into surgery last Tuesday, but shrugged it off as just my fears in over time. If you need to add red tint to your hair, then using carrot juice is one of the easiest ways to do it. olive oil, vegetable oils and nut oils. I have been diagnosed with Mitral Valve Prolapse, asthma, arthritis, allergies, MCS, auto-immune thyroid disease, etc. Hello, not sure if this post is still active. No ill effects have been noted in the children born to parents who received radioactive iodine in the past. Is it 10 days? They have already said I would need to take the radiation iodine treatment. I was wondering can I color my hair at a salon. Radiation can be measured around your body and I-131 is present in your skin oil and sweat. It targets VEGFR, BRAF, and RET tyrosine kinase and inhibits the proliferation and angiogenesis of cancer cells. You can find my recommendations on how to manage hair growth/hair loss with thyroid disease in this detailed guide: https://www.restartmed.com/thyroid-hair-loss/. So, if papillary or follicular thyroid cancer has spread to any other part of the body, we can still use this therapy to find and destroy it. Thank You. You can get by this side effect by simply banking some of your sperm prior to your procedure and then using that sperm at a later date with procedures such as intrauterine insemination. About 25 years ago they killed my thyroid with radioactive iodine. 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. 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. Hives. I was experiencing heart palpations, diffuclty breathing while lying down, weight gain. You get it in liquid or pill form. #1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22914564, #2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5413587/, #3. https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/thy.2010.0090, #4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5455212/, #5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28545679, #6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3336179/, #7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4851449/, #8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18832945. #2. Iodine is essential for proper function of the thyroid gland, which uses it to make the thyroid hormones. This can delay subsequent use of radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy because the iodine can compete for uptake. One doctor wants a monitor of pulse five times daily, hes concerned about para thyroid damage. My throat is killing me and outside of my neck is swollen. depression, brain fog and other symptoms for years now. You wouldnt want to use a steroid on it unless you know what it is. IM HAVING A HARD ENOUGH TIME WITH WHAT I TAKE NOW! ordinary table salt and sea salt. Does Taking Thyroid Medication Cause High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)? With that in mind, lets jump into what you should expect after your procedure. The I-131 leaves your body through your urine primarily. First off, why am I so tired? Rarely, people can feel pain in their neck. I used to be bubbly, and interactive with people. Avoid sleeping in the same bed with a pregnant woman, infant, or child for a period of six to 23 days. They wanted to give me more RAI IV for test, but I refused and I know I would have died had they done that. So, do your research, make sure RAI treatment is right for you. I can barely eat . 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. 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. I dont feel like I have gone back hyper after being off my meds for 4 weeks. Serum folate levels was :17.1(2.0-18.7)b12 vitamin levels was :565 (197-771)ferritin levels was :175.9(30-400)red cell count was :4.87(4.25-5.77)white cell count was :5.6(4.5-13.0) I dont understand how this happened sir ? For more details, see our Privacy Policy. is this a side effect of this proceedure. This is of particular concern because this can lead to internal uptake with the radioactive iodine then accumulating in their thyroids. Call (800) 542-1123 or visit www.labtechinc.com to learn more about protecting your home against radioactive iodine. Five years later I was diagnosed with a severe case of Graves and the doctor said RAI was the best course of action and convinced me of that. Once your thyroid is destroyed, it will no longer work exactly as it used to. Can you tell me about when I will start medication, or should I be tested first? Sleep apart from adults by at least six feet (a separate bedroom is recommended) and avoid sexual activity. All my life my hair was thin and fine. 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. So when you take radioactive iodine your body will automatically take it up and store it in the thyroid gland. Take care in washing, treating and grooming your hair. Therefore, it may be found in varying amounts in all food and beverages. My question is even though my thyroid is dead, should the T3 and T4 level be tested as well? 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. I would actually think about taking chances with the cancer instead of gaining weight. I am on my own taking more precautions, and going at this as a Haz Mat Tech, Yes, Im that too, as I am a volunteer fire fighter/EMT/ and wear many other hats as well as Haz Mat Tech and am certified in Decon operations. (former Osteopathic Physician). My supplements can help but they will not take the place of thyroid medications like levothyroxine. 3 days after that I started to become sick after I ate an unable to sleep. I was exercising and my nutrition intake is organic most fruits, vegetables, meets grass fed etc. This is an FDA and EMA approved drug used for the treatment of thyroid cancer refractory to radioactive iodine treatment, renal cell carcinoma, and hepatocellular carcinoma. You can drive yourself, have someone pick you up and take you home, or take a taxi or private car. Restoring your metabolism will have more to do with your dose of thyroid medication than anything else. 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. fresh bread. Radioactive iodine treatment is a type of radiotherapy is used to destroy the cells in the thyroid gland, reducing the amount of hormones it can produce. So, now my doctor told me a list of things to expect over the next while. Radioactive iodine therapy is a systemic and targeted treatment. Although caffeine-containing shampoos are popular they are not useful. My Dr. stated that my MTHFH enzyme is blocked indicating a genitic issue. Endocrine Today | A 25-year-old woman was referred for radioactive iodine remnant ablation for multifocal micropapillary thyroid carcinoma. ", Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. 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. My hair is the one and only thing about my looks that is considered beauty. 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. 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, its worth knowing about. But, if I was being honest, I think that most people should not rely on the possibility of restoring much thyroid function after their procedure. Hi Dr. Childs, I am on NP with an additional Synthroid to balance me out. I know I shouldnt be so vain, but honestly I am on this. Since then I have suffered most every day with severe chemical sensitivity. You might need contrast when you are having an X-ray, CT, MRI, or ultrasound exam. . You are very welcome, I hope you find the information helpful! 2023 Dotdash Media, Inc. All rights reserved, Mary Shomon is a writer and hormonal health and thyroid advocate. The symptoms of hyperthyroidism presented themselves very quickly and I was very sick when I had the ablation. Personally I doubt that what you describe is RAI-related because it is ongoing and (in my experience) reversible and because iodine does not have an obvious connection with hair follicles, whereas thyroid axis hormones . 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. I am a female, and Im 60 years old, soon to be 61. Warm shades on cool undertones can make you look washed out or dull. Can I dye my hair? I have been battling back and forth with weight gain and hair loss, mild More important than how the procedure works is how it will affect you afterward. Fact sheet: guidelines for patients receiving radioiodine I-131 treatment. A high uptake of radioactive iodine suggests Graves' disease. And, if you destroy your thyroid gland, it turns out that that may have consequences on your metabolism. The most common reason for RAI is the autoimmune condition known as Graves disease (6). And Ive become Flat with my emotions now. You can omit the leptin resistance rx if weight isnt an issue (but it tends to be something that many RAI patients struggle with). Theres 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. The average thyroid patient gains about 15 to 20 pounds after RAI/thyroidectomy and this weight is more pronounced if the thyroid patient was overweight prior to the procedure. Theres no way to tell if your eye symptoms are related to your thyroid without first trying to optimize your TSH (which should be your next step). These are just a few of the questions that I want to answer in this article. 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. Some people, however, may have further trouble after their treatment and suffer from weight gain, hypothyroid symptoms, and other issues. Cats can receive a second treatment, if necessary. Hi , I just had ROI treatment done a little over a week ago . 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. 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 . Reply. Welcome to my website! Or longer After your treatment, you won't be able to go home using public transportation, such as buses, the subway, trains, or a plane. It turns out that thyroid hormone is actually necessary to not only thrive in life but also to survive. 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. Doctors use nuclear medicine to diagnose, evaluate, and treat . Results were. One of the more surprising aspects of getting RAI done is the fact that you are quite literally radioactive after your procedure. If you drive home after your appointment and there's another . Iodine is found naturally in some foods and is also added to salt that is labeled as "iodized". Iodine, an essential mineral, may affect hair health and hair growth through its effects on thyroid function. I'm Dr. Westin Childs. I dont have any definitive results/reports as yet, however, I do have that gut feeling. Have you ever heard of this before? They said I have HYPERthyroidism but she said I have a HIGH metabolism which doesnt make sense?! Radioactive iodine may also be helpful for people with certain types of thyroid cancer. my husband had the iodine radiation, for Graves disease. No. Initially, before treatment I went to a renowned clinic due to having double vision. People who do have hyperthyroidism tend to have a fast metabolism, but the treatment for hyperthyroidism (the medication you are taking) slows down the metabolism dramatically which leads to weight gain. . They also found that nearly 1 third of all patients (31.2%) moved into the overweight or obese category from a lower weight category (based on BMI charts by the CDC).