During the first few days after your treatment you may have been instructed by your physician to
avoid close and prolonged contact
with infants, children, and pregnant women.
Is it safe to be around someone after radioactive iodine treatment?
You will be
advised to maintain a distance of three feet from others for several days following
radioiodine therapy. You also will need to wait several days before traveling on a prolonged automobile trip with other people. Over time, the amount of radiation in your body will diminish and eventually will go away.
How long is isolation after 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.
Can you have kids after thyroid radiation?
Currently, the American Thyroid Association recommends women to
wait at least 6 months to become pregnant
after radioactive iodine therapy.
Is radioactive iodine dangerous to others?
Radioactive iodine is a medicine that you take one time. After you swallow it, it is taken up by your thyroid gland. Depending on the dosage used, the radioactivity in the iodine destroys most or all of the tissue in your thyroid gland, but
it does not harm any other parts of your body
.
How do I clean my house after radioactive iodine treatment?
- Do not share cups, glasses, plates or eating utensils. Wash items promptly after using. …
- Do not share towels or washcloths.
- Flush the toilet twice and rinse the sink and tub after use.
- Wash your towels, bed linens, underwear, and any clothing stained with urine or sweat.
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
Is it hard to get pregnant after a thyroidectomy?
Women after a thyroidectomy are usually placed on thyroid medication, and if your thyroid hormones are improved then your chances of ovulating and getting pregnant are
significantly improved
. You may want to continue to be under close observation of an endocrinologist.
Can your thyroid start working again 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
.
Does thyroid removal shorten life expectancy?
Overall
14% of the patients had reduced life expectancy
. There was no reduction in life expectancy for those younger than age 45, but it was reduced in those older than age 45, especially in those over age 60.
Can I use my cell phone after radioactive iodine?
You will have to stay in your room for at least 1 to 2 hours after your treatment.
You can use your cell phone or watch TV to help pass the time
. You won’t be able to have visitors during this time. You may not have any side effects from the treatment right after you get it, but you may have side effects later.
Is it safe to be around someone who has had radiation treatment?
Some cancer patients who receive radiation therapy worry that their bodies will become “radioactive” after they receive radiation treatment. Their concern is that close physical contact with others could expose them to radiation. “The general answer to this concern is that
physical contact is fine
,” Snyder says.
What are the long term side effects of radioactive iodine?
Longer-term complications include
recurrent sialoadenitis associated with xerostomia, mouth pain, dental caries, pulmonary fibrosis, nasolacrimal outflow obstruction, and second primary malignancies
. This article summarizes the common complications of RAI and methods to prevent and manage these complications.
Do you gain weight after radioactive iodine treatment?
Will I Gain Weight? Radioiodine
treatments cure hyperthyroidism, lower
thyroid hormone levels, and thus cause symptoms to disappear. Weight gain is not an inevitable consequence of treatment.
What can you eat after radioactive iodine?
- Fresh fruits and fruit juices, except rhubarb, maraschino cherries (if they contain Red Dye #3), and fruit cocktail with maraschino cherries.
- Vegetables, preferably raw and fresh-cooked or frozen without salt. …
- Unsalted nuts and unsalted nut butters.
How bad is radioactive iodine?
Radioactive iodine can also be
unhealthy for
your thyroid gland. If too much radioactive iodine enters your body, the radioactive iodine will destroy your thyroid gland so that the gland will stop making hormones. Too much radioactive iodine in your body can also cause thyroid nodules or cancer.
