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.
Contents
- 1 How long do you stay in the hospital after radioactive iodine treatment?
- 2 Is radioactive iodine treatment painful?
- 3 What happens during radioactive iodine treatment?
- 4 What happens after thyroid radiation treatment?
- 5 Do you lose hair with radioactive iodine?
- 6 Can I prepare food after radioactive iodine treatment?
- 7 Will I gain weight after radioactive iodine treatment?
- 8 How long does it take to feel better after radioactive iodine?
- 9 Can your thyroid come back after radioactive iodine?
- 10 Where do you stay after radioactive iodine treatment?
- 11 Do you have to isolate after radiation therapy?
- 12 What is the side effects of radioactive iodine?
- 13 Can radioactive iodine cause other cancers?
- 14 Does radioactive iodine shorten your life?
- 15 What is a full body scan after radioactive iodine?
How long do you stay in the hospital after radioactive iodine treatment?
Most people are in the hospital for 1 night. Your doctor will tell you if you need to stay longer. You’ll have another whole-body scan several days after your treatment. This helps your doctor see where the dose of radioactive iodine was taken up in your body.
Is radioactive iodine treatment painful?
Radioactive iodine treatment can make your neck swell up or hurt. Nausea or vomiting, which is usually mild.
What happens during radioactive iodine treatment?
Radioactive iodine enters your bloodstream and is taken up by any thyroid- like cells. The radioactivity destroys the cancer cells. The radioactive iodine gives off radiation nearby and destroys the cancer cells over time.
What happens after thyroid radiation treatment?
A swollen or tender neck and feeling flushed 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.
Do you lose hair with radioactive iodine?
Radioactive iodine does not produce hair loss. Nevertheless, hair loss can be associated with changing levels of thyroid hormone, and may be experienced by some patients with hypo or hyperthyroidism.
Can I prepare food after radioactive iodine treatment?
Rinse the sink and tub thoroughly after using them. Use separate eating utensils or disposable eating utensils. Wash eating utensils separately for one week. Do not prepare food for others.
Will I gain weight after radioactive iodine treatment?
They undergo treated with antithyroid drugs or with medication plus radioactive iodine treatment (RAI). Following treatment for hyperthyroidism, patients will observe a steady weight gain despite not changes in their eating or exercise.
How long does it take to feel better after radioactive iodine?
In most cases, improvement may be noted by 4-8 weeks after administration of the radioactive iodine, but in more severe cases, it can take longer. Depending on the type of hyperthyroidism present, and other mitigating factors, the time to “feeling normal” can vary considerably, from 1-12 months.
Can your thyroid come back after radioactive iodine?
In almost all cases, your thyroid hormone levels will return to normal or below normal after radioactive iodine treatment. This may take 8 to 12 weeks or longer. If your thyroid hormone level does not go down after 6 months, you may need another dose of radioactive iodine.
Where do you stay after radioactive iodine treatment?
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.
Do you have to isolate after radiation therapy?
The radiation travels a very short distance, so the effects are mostly to the tumor. However, you may have to limit contact with other people for up to one week after treatment.
What is 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.
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 is a full body scan after radioactive iodine?
After the radioactive iodine treatment, a whole body scan (post-RAI WBS) is done to identify any thyroid cancer that has spread outside the thyroid bed (ie become metastatic).
