It can be an iodine-based material, barium-s ulfate, gadolinium, or saline and air mixture that can be swallowed or injected intravenously. After Your Radioactive Iodine Treatment Getting home. 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. Now they are suggesting a second treatment at a higher dose. Not only can doctors NOT find a thyroid replacement that works for me due to side affects, Ive lost 70% of my hair and have to wear wig, Ive gained more weight than ever before in my life, Im constantly fatigued, in pain, moody, still have a very fast heart rate between 110-130, anxiety (like Im still hyperthyroid, but Im not.) Iodine-131 (I-131) is radioactive. 20 yrs ago. I has RIT approx. who gave me 150 of Synthyroid. Graves' disease is an autoimmune disease that leads to overactivity of the thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism). Because of PTC, I had a total thyroidectomy two weeks ago and now on Levo. Information for patients administered radioactive iodine (I-131). Although caffeine-containing shampoos are popular they are not useful. But what if you only destroy 30 to 40% of your gland function? If you are unable to get ahold of them then it may be necessary to go to the ER. Most of the radioiodine in your body will come out through the urine and stool. Youll still need to get those but the supplements can be used in addition to them. Because it changes how you should be thinking about your medical condition, it changes the types of natural treatment options that may be available to you, and it changes your treatment. It seems though that people who are already overweight BEFORE their procedure probably have the worst outcome and tend to gain the most weight compared to others. If you dont have thyroid hormone at all then you risk the chance of coma and death. I can barely eat . Im hoping I still have some thyroid function based on the fact that he kept lowering my dose of levothyroxine and I can just take your supplements and see some weight loss and feel a bit better. Any suggestions? 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. They ran many tests including an cerebral angiogram to check for a brain tumor which I doubted. Contact: NCI Press Office. There is a paucity of literature on the minimum interval between contrast administration and RAI therapy. How will I know if I am producing my own thyroxine? I HAD MY RAI LAST SEPTEMBER 12, NOW IM ALREADY 2 MONTHS AFYER MY RAI. A swollen or tender neck and feeling flushed. So, now my doctor told me a list of things to expect over the next while. I would say many of your symptoms are unusual but this article highlights some of the routine side effects that may be experienced. What are you concerned about? I tend to have a high heart rate when I exercise it goes up to 130 righ away then may go as high as 174 at harder workouts. About 25 years ago they killed my thyroid with radioactive iodine. I dont have any definitive results/reports as yet, however, I do have that gut feeling. Radioactive iodine is created when the unstable atoms of radioactivity is piggybacked onto iodine so it will be absorbed by the body. Many clinical studies have also confirmed that weight gain after RAI is a real risk. You may gain weight after you undergo radioactive iodine treatment. to covid weight, but now the hair loss! Memory loss. <0.01 But my surgeon palpated three nodules and pathology report confirmed PTC, so a completion surgery was scheduled and performed this past April, and that lobe also showed cancer nodules on pathology report as well as some tissue purposely left because some cancer nodules had invaded my vocal chords. More important than how the procedure works is how it will affect you afterward. Iodine is used in the care and feeding of animals and as a stabilizer and/or safety element in food processing. Hello Dr .Child We know that that still leaves lots of options if your heart isn't already set on a color. and I'm proud to say that over 80,000+ people have used them over the last 6 years. Radioactive iodine treatment. But over the past month I see my weight dropping a half to a pound daily. Learn which foods you should avoid if you have thyroid disease of any type. In earlier forms of Iodine contrast, people with Myasthenia gravis faced an increased chance of exacerbation of the disease. The problem is that once you destroy your thyroid gland you are no longer considered to be hyperthyroid. What is your life going to be like after radioactive iodine treatment? A small portion of radioactivity will be found in your saliva and sweat. Thyroid hormone regulates the metabolic rate of an animal. 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. My last blood test shows TSH of 0.02 and I have been asked to go for a follow up test. If you need to add red tint to your hair, then using carrot juice is one of the easiest ways to do it. The short answer to this is no taking iodine supplements will have little to no effect on your hair growth. Thank you and God bless! This content is strictly the opinion of Dr. Westin Childs and is for educational and information purposes only. My hair has been a part of me for many years, it is waist length, and Im wondering if having it cut off and sent to make a wig for myself would be best or just wait and see if I do in fact loose my hair. Call (800) 542-1123 or visit www.labtechinc.com to learn more about protecting your home against radioactive iodine. My exercise routine has been reduced because of back injuries and arthritis. Can you tell me about when I will start medication, or should I be tested first? Verywell Health's content is for informational and educational purposes only. The iodine is taken into the thyroid gland and incorporated into thyroxine. Rinse your hair with warm water and shampoo it. To lighten hair dyed that is too dark with vitamin c powder, mix together 1 tablespoon of vitamin c powder with 1/2 cup of water. I am going in for radioactive iodine treatment next week and wanted to ask what the best diet plan is that can stop me gaining more weight and help me to reduce my bmi. I have since been on a roller coaster ride with the levels fluctuating up and down and not sure why. They do this by either stopping your oral thyroid medication or giving you thyrogen. I have been diagnosed with Mitral Valve Prolapse, asthma, arthritis, allergies, MCS, auto-immune thyroid disease, etc. To help prevent thyroid problems that may cause hair problems, it's important to get sufficient dietary . Radioactive iodine is a procedure that is often used to treat hyperthyroidism. Before you or any family members have RAI treatment, it is strongly recommended that you read up on post-RAI guidelines and speak with your healthcare providers about how they should be applied to you. This comes in the form of a simple hormone medication that you can take each and every day to help normalize your thyroid hormone levels. I was put on Levothyroxine 175, then when I met my endocrinologist, by that time TSH levels had dropped some so Levothyroxine down to 137. The connection between your weight gain and hyperthyroidism is explained here: https://www.restartmed.com/methimazole-weight-gain/. the tests after 3 weeks showed my TSH to be 12.920 and now she wants to increase the meds to 175. You can read more about my own personal health journey and why I am so passionate about what I do. I would actually think about taking chances with the cancer instead of gaining weight. I ordered the dutch test so have those results but I cannot read it and I am not sure what it all means. My only option for help is the ER which is somewhere I dont want to go with all the crap a going around. Its even more important to test free thyroid hormone levels if you no longer have a thyroid gland. I had severe fatigue, sweats etc and they did labs and said my count was high 5.4 and referred me to a civilian provider. It sounds like you are not being treated adequately. Thyroid Ultrasound: A thyroid gland impacted by Graves' disease is often enlarged and may have increased blood flow; both of these elements can be visualized by thyroid ultrasound. I was originally on Synthroid for a while and as I got older my body changes and T3 was required for optimal levels. How can I speed up a metabolism if I dont have a thyroid anymore because of the RAI? I am gaining weight! I had radiation treatment for my thyroid 5 days ago to shut down my thyroid. Thank you! I had the motto: Ive never met a stranger, they are just the friends I havent met yet. Now, I would rather not talk to anyone, and if Im forced to, I keep it to bare minimum. 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. People may take RAI . Hi Dr. Childs, They have already said I would need to take the radiation iodine treatment. Radioactive iodine therapy is a systemic and targeted treatment. 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.. Can I dye my hair? This was published id a study by dr brunelli fro. (former Osteopathic Physician). 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/. Iodine and Hair Loss. 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. 08 July, 2011. Flush the toilet twice after using it and wipe it thoroughly to properly get rid of radioactive fluids. Pls.can u explain about this. The permanency can be seen as a benefit as patients condition will become stable and symptoms can be more easily controlled. My problem now is my hair loss and I cant help get rid of this problem. I was tested in 6 weeks and my thyroid numbers were still high so I was not tested again until Feb. 2019. Any idea Sir ? No, you won't lose your hair after a radioactive iodine treatment. Here is my story: A year ago I felt a bump on the right side of my neck, so on a routine follow up visit with my PCP for diabetes, I mentioned it to him. In some radiation emergencies, usually nuclear power plant accidents, radioactive iodine may be released into the environment and enter the body through breathing or eating it. 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 ? I am now living in the Midwest originally from Iowa. 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. My hair is the one and only thing about my looks that is considered beauty. Affected cats produce too much thyroid hormone. Our website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Contrast distinguishes, or "contrasts," between organs, tissues, bones, or blood vessels during your imaging exam. P.S. My weight seems to be of no concern to him as long as my blood work looks okay. I have expressed my symptoms to the dr and she did a panel revealing my TSH to be 3.687. Its definitely possible it just takes more time and the weight loss is slower. Too much of this hormone can lead to [] Is there anything I can do to protect myself as I am driving her. Instead of working to actively reduce thyroid function in your body (which is what the treatment for hyperthyroidism is), you may want to start focusing on how to optimize what little thyroid function you have left. 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. June 7, 2022 . I dont want to go back to him but no one else will see me without a referral since Im still considered his patient. Severe reactions occur in 0.04% to 0.02% of people receiving contrast, with a death rate of one person in every 170,000. Leave a Comment Cancel Reply . If I have all of these symptoms and have had levels increase so much, is it worth seeing another dr due to my history or do you think this is normal? However, all of these symptoms are also part of the menopause for which I now take HRT. Many thanks in advance for any help. Restoring your metabolism will have more to do with your dose of thyroid medication than anything else. It does have effect : Radioactive dyes containing iodine of the iodide type can cause permanent thyroid damage and cancer. Reds that lean more violet or pink than red are also your best bet. Welcome to my website! I dont have another drs appointment till after the holidays. Im at the point now where I told all the doctors for my medical team, and team being the operative word here, that Im not going to offer anymore feelings of what Im going threw, or feeling, Im not going to ask anything, nothing, you all have my lab reports and other diagnostics, y all can figure it out for yourselves! They said it was You can get recommended amounts of iodine by eating a variety of foods, including the following: Fish (such as cod and tuna), seaweed, shrimp, and other seafood, which are generally rich in iodine. Some people also feel flushed. I go to great lengths to help my users better understand their health; however, the content you see here is not a substitute for medical advice. You get it in liquid or pill form. It is worth pointing out, however, that some other tissues can take up the radioactive iodine such as the beta cells in your pancreas (2) though it isnt clear how much damage exists (if any) in these other cells. This distinction is actually quite important. Hi,I have awhile to have enough hair to dye.I also have another 4wks. He also told me something about an injection of something, as well as being on some sort of thyroid hormone replacement therapy for the remainder of my life. 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. #4. OR IT WILL BE GIVE ME PROBLEM? Hi, doctor, I am in a lot of pain I stay cold 100 percent of the time with body aches sleepless nights. The interesting part was the B12 level was normal at 737 but methylmalonic acid slightly high(319) and homocysteine at 13.9. 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. If you are a man, just be sure to consider this before you get your operation. 5. You can obviously survive after RAI (otherwise they wouldnt do the procedure) but I want to teach you how to thrive afterward. I have AFib and concerned for my heart about going into the obese stage. If so, what are you struggling with? Because of this, people who undergo RAI (meaning those who destroy their thyroid gland) need some type of thyroid hormone replacement. I feel more like a ping pong ball being bounced back and forth! 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. She enjoys giving lectures and writing articles for both the lay public and medical audiences. I have been tested and my doctor says that Im right where I need to be. The symptoms of hyperthyroidism presented themselves very quickly and I was very sick when I had the ablation. I had radiation iodine therapy in late September. This shouldnt stop you from trying natural therapies (as long as they are relatively inexpensive and not harmful) but you should have reasonable expectations as you do so. 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. What medications (if any) will you need to be on? I have been on bioidentical hormone replacement therapy for 3 years now and feel somewhat better. 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. 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. And how can I persuade my GP to think about more than a TSH reading? I had a miscarriage about a year after the RAI treatment. So I had the ablation without much research on my own, and now Im at the highest weight of my life and miserable. Hello, not sure if this post is still active. Certain 'hair supplements' should be avoided as they may contain iodine or interfere with levothyroxine . So far I feel strong and as I did before. Please help me what to do with this. Im a nurse, and tend to over think things. However, I havent been placed on any med after treatment what is your professional opinion. I had a partial thyroidectomy a week ago, (Right lobectomy) With this my Dr. noticed hard bumps in the tissue, and sent to pathology and cancer was found. Now that you are considered to be hypothyroid there is a world of potential therapies, supplements, regimens, and protocols that are available to you. 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. I had RAI treatment 4 weeks ago 29.9 mci due to hyperthyroid hot noduals. Then I get up at 7AM and during that first hour get my daily weight after I void and empty my bladder, and strip down for a true body weight. I have my thyroid ablated about 20 so years ago. It targets VEGFR, BRAF, and RET tyrosine kinase and inhibits the proliferation and angiogenesis of cancer cells. The I-131 leaves your body through your urine primarily. Difficulty breathing. Therefore, it may be found in varying amounts in all food and beverages. Hair follicles, which can influence hair shaft structure, length, and color, are known to respond to hormones including TSH. Fact sheet: guidelines for patients receiving radioiodine I-131 treatment. Hyperthyroidism, or an overactive thyroid, is a common disease of older cats. I am in a gym 3 days a week I do water therapy/aerobics 3 days a week and I still cant lose weight I try to eat a low calorie Healthy diet Mostly either paleo or keto and no matter what I do I still cant lose the belly fat. Im having my RAI tomorrow, and my oncologist said I could go back to work right after. I have the symptoms of hypo not hyper, is she wrong? Since the science is inexact there are two ways of approaching the treatment. 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. Lowered heart rate. So, I need to have an exercise program, vitamin and minerals that may help, food intake regulated to progress to increasing bone mass and weight loss. 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. Tips for Eating and Cooking While on a Low Iodine Diet. Hopefully, you're now a lot closer to figuring out what color you should dye your hair. Some people, however, may have further trouble after their treatment and suffer from weight gain, hypothyroid symptoms, and other issues. can i color my hair after radioactive iodine. The real concern with radiation exposure to others in your family has more to do with them coming into contact with actual contamination. If you destroy the entire gland then you will definitely need to be on thyroid medication. MY QUESTION IS AM I ABLE TO WORK ABROAD WITH THIS. As I am not a doctor, my specific question is why does the level of levothyroxine I require change if my thyroid was destroyed? hisc hose nozzle parts. In the mean time, Im feeling worse about myself than with this original post. I know they are going to try to drop me further. This is probably not what you want to hear, especially if this is a procedure that is necessary for your health, but its still important to know about it. Unfortunately, the best way to prevent weight gain after RAI is to go into the procedure at a normal weight. Additionally, there is also a hypersensitivity reaction. Radioactive iodine treatment is a therapy that your veterinary surgeon may recommend if your cat is diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. American Thyroid Association. Im worried more about loosing my hair than my life. I dont see such good numbers. My endocrinologist said RAI didnt work I need surgery or second RAI treatment my other hormone results was :FSH 5.3(1.5-12.4)LH:8.8(1.7-8.6) Dr. Yash Khanna answered. So I have graves disease but was only diagnosed because I was actually gaining weight. Yes I took the radation iodine pill five days ago what can I take for itchy skin I got some cortisone will that help. Family Medicine 59 years experience. I am 67 years old and just wonder how many years I may have either way. #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. 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. The study followed people for 26 years after two or more treatments. It has to do with how important your thyroid is in regulating your metabolism and your weight. Will it . 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). You may also experience nausea and vomiting, as well as a decrease in appetite.