He is now smelling smoke, all the time. My doctor has changed my meds 5 times I was doing better if my medication was a little on the high sideI had started to lose wait, had more energy & the best ever NO SWEATS, but she said no, WHY! The amount Radioactive iodine (often abbreviated RAI) is a therapy used to treat hyperthyroidism and thyroid cancer. 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. General Information. Anecdotally, youve probably already heard stories about people gaining weight after their procedure. But Im not a pretty woman, rather plane, and frumpy. So when you take radioactive iodine your body will automatically take it up and store it in the thyroid gland. I am 70 years old and I am beginning to worry. IM HAVING A HARD ENOUGH TIME WITH WHAT I TAKE NOW! Neck tenderness and swelling. Any advice . Reply. I was tested in 6 weeks and my thyroid numbers were still high so I was not tested again until Feb. 2019. 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. As it turned out, my fears, or premonitions were right. If you destroy the entire gland then you will definitely need to be on thyroid medication. 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. SHBG :43 (16-55) I guess that is my main question because I am willing to do the hard work even if it takes a long time. Rinse your hair with warm water and shampoo it. Prior to my RAI my level was .03. You can obviously survive after RAI (otherwise they wouldnt do the procedure) but I want to teach you how to thrive afterward. Because it is entirely possible to only destroy a portion of your thyroid gland and not the entire gland. I welcome Barbara Lougheed, author of the book Tired Thyroid: From Hyper to Hypo to Healing - Breaking the TSH Rule. If you dont have thyroid hormone at all then you risk the chance of coma and death. I have been on bioidentical hormone replacement therapy for 3 years now and feel somewhat better. can i color my hair after radioactive iodine. Radioactive iodine may also affect a woman's ovaries, and some women may have irregular periods for up to a year after treatment. Since then I have suffered most every day with severe chemical sensitivity. If below 100 I will consider a snack of some nuts or piece of fresh fruit. Homocysteine down to 11.5, methlymalonic acid down to 257. Do not share any towels, razors, toothbrushes, cups, spoons, forks, or dishes. How can I speed up a metabolism if I dont have a thyroid anymore because of the RAI? 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. For more details, see our Privacy Policy. I forgot to mention, I was on nature Throid and changed to NP thyroid because of the dosage I need. #3. 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. A small portion of radioactivity will be found in your saliva and sweat. He may be the one with that piece of paper that says he can prescribe and administer that damned pill, but I have a gut feeling hes too cavalier about it all. Is it 10 days? At that time my numbers were so low I was experiencing eye problems. Although hair dying can be an artifact on the postablation . If you have any thoughts, I would appreciate those. Can You Eat Soy If You Have a Thyroid Condition? 240-760-6600. best army base in germany is dr abraham wagner married is dr abraham wagner married The problem is that once you destroy your thyroid gland you are no longer considered to be hyperthyroid. And I cry at the drop of a hat now too. It does have effect : Radioactive dyes containing iodine of the iodide type can cause permanent thyroid damage and cancer. 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. Since the science is inexact there are two ways of approaching the treatment. Yup, the pain and numbness Dx CTS, that was put on the back burner for a while, as it wasnt all that troublesome at the moment. By looking at markers such as your TSH, free t3, and free t4 you can get an idea as to what is actually going on. Total testosterone was :10.47(7.60-32) low If a person with a health thyroid intakes the I131, it will damage their . I had RAI about 15 years ago and yes I have gained weight, less energy & I sweat a lot(buckets) doing nothing I am concerned. 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. Hi Eat breakfast. Symptoms of a moderate or severe reaction that require urgent medical care include: Severe vomiting. I was originally on Synthroid for a while and as I got older my body changes and T3 was required for optimal levels. To hide grays, try rhubarb root in two cups of water, simmer, strain, and pour over hair. and my being a nurse, Im researching and learning all I can. For most people, this means that you can expect to live at 80-90% of your 'normal'. 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. Hives. My question is what if I do radiation while my thyroid isnt hyperactive? Some allergic reactions can cause severe anaphylaxis, but this . I had RAI 20 plus years, I am 56 and my numbers are good. Sleep apart from adults by at least six feet (a separate bedroom is recommended) and avoid sexual activity. The only other condition that causes heat intolerance that comes to mind is menopause and perimenopause. 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. Radioactive iodine treatment. Strange I know. I had RAI 1 month ago. Please help! My only option for help is the ER which is somewhere I dont want to go with all the crap a going around. Now, yesterday and today I had my Thyrogen injections, and tomorrow I go get my I 131 RAI pill and on home isolation for the following 7 days, and then my whole body scan. They are planning radioactive iodine in the future. Our website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If possible, its always ideal to try and normalize your weight BEFORE the procedure. 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. The radioactive iodine uptake test (RAIU) is also known as a thyroid uptake. 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. 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. 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. depression, brain fog and other symptoms for years now. Fact sheet: guidelines for patients receiving radioiodine I-131 treatment. Its not vain at all! 3 weeks after I was taken off of PTU. Foods to Avoid if you Have Thyroid Problems: Ive found that these 10 foods cause the most problems for thyroid patients. 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. Flush the toilet two times after each use. The best course of action is to contact the doctor that was responsible for your procedure and let them know about your symptoms. of radiation.But I wonder after that if I can dye my hair.Unforuntly it is coming back completly gray.I will be thankful to have hair.But I don,t look good with gray either.I know some people do.Someone said they thought you had to wait a year.I hope their wrong.Thanks for your replys. How will I know if I am producing my own thyroxine? I hope this post is still active. I have my EMG the end of the month and take things from there. It is what it is. Family Medicine 59 years experience. I am in the military, stationed in Fl. And to key to getting there is to understand what happens to your body after this procedure and how it influences your thyroid function. 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. But it does increase your risk of weight gain if you have the procedure by about 2 to 3 times. Can You Get Everything Your Thyroid Needs From Food? By Mary Shomon To help prevent thyroid problems that may cause hair problems, it's important to get sufficient dietary . 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). ordinary table salt and sea salt. I feel more like a ping pong ball being bounced back and forth! Be particularly careful around infants and children, who are especially at risk for exposure complications. 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. I have a quick question. When they injected RAI contrast dye through an IV for the test, I went in shock and they stopped the testing until later that day. Calculating the half life of radiation, it will be a couple months before I can be around nursing home residents and pregnant women, and each and every nursing home has several pregnant women on each unit and each shift. With a regime as this, its no wonder for depression, no sleep! LH :4.12(1.70-8.60) Then, also there is the womens health portion of all this, and so I had my annual, and a polyp was found on my cervix, it was a rather large one, and thankfully no cancer cells on that, my PAP Im waiting for results. I eat three meals with three snack times. Its even more important to test free thyroid hormone levels if you no longer have a thyroid gland. Thyroid Hormone Resistance: What is it & How to Diagnose it. I am 67 years old and just wonder how many years I may have either way. No. The I-131 leaves your body through your urine primarily. So for the last 6 mos Ive had to take Levothroxine. They said it was I was experiencing heart palpations, diffuclty breathing while lying down, weight gain. Um, Im a night shift nurse on a dementia unit in a nursing home, would you want me taking care of your loved one and have the brain fog, the jitteriness, the irritableness, and depression? So, I ate what I could and left the rest. The good news is that you can fairly easily identify these symptoms and you can order tests to determine how well your thyroid is functioning. I have since been on a roller coaster ride with the levels fluctuating up and down and not sure why. Thank you my RAI, i have rough horsey voice also for a month . I would say many of your symptoms are unusual but this article highlights some of the routine side effects that may be experienced. It can also help to diagnose and treat some other cancers and conditions. My entire life has been turned upside down. I read your list of vitamins all NINE of them, and the only thing I could think of is NO! Will it . Get my free thyroid downloads, resources, and PDFs here. Memory loss. Now I cant stand the heat and I used to go to the beach all the time. If it was, then you will most likely need to start thyroid medication relatively soon (within the next days to weeks). 5 years ago I had intense radiation treatment for breast cancer and was told to avoid X-Rays, Cat Scan, unless absolutely necessary. This is more common if you still had a large part of your thyroid gland when you have radioactive iodine treatment. The other 20% may require additional testing and the use of other thyroid medications which contain T3 thyroid hormone. This means avoiding public transportation, hotels, carpools, and in some cases, your workplace. Since then, each year various GPs have looked at my thyroid function test results, focused solely on the low TSH reading and have now reduced my levothyroxine down to 100 despite my arguments to the contrary. Very small amounts of iodine may also be taken up transiently by . You can read more about my own personal health journey and why I am so passionate about what I do. Not to mention the radiation! If you need to add red tint to your hair, then using carrot juice is one of the easiest ways to do it. Another problem Ive faced is I ask one doctor about this or that feeling Im having and I get told that doctor doesnt deal with that have to tell the other doctor, I tell the other doctor and they tell me I have to tell another doctor because they dont deal with that issue. 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. However, I havent been placed on any med after treatment what is your professional opinion. Any help will be appreciated. Because of this, people who undergo RAI (meaning those who destroy their thyroid gland) need some type of thyroid hormone replacement. Muscle pain or weakness. 12 noon, lunch and VS with glucose readings. I have Hypothyroid Mom readers struggling with hypothyroidism now since treatment for their Graves' with radioactive iodine (RAI) or thyroidectomy. If you fit into this category then you may not need to use thyroid medication afterward. Contrast distinguishes, or "contrasts," between organs, tissues, bones, or blood vessels during your imaging exam. 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. Society of Nuclear Medicine & Molecular Imaging. You can opt-out at any time. You get it in liquid or pill form. My last blood test shows TSH of 0.02 and I have been asked to go for a follow up test. Any suggestions? My Dr. stated that my MTHFH enzyme is blocked indicating a genitic issue. They said I have HYPERthyroidism but she said I have a HIGH metabolism which doesnt make sense?! Its the working hard for absolutely nothing that I dont want to do! Im worried more about loosing my hair than my life. Hair that is not being treated directly with radiation can be dyed. Iodine and Hair Loss. One study looked at 157 people and tracked them both before and after their procedure. Graves' disease is an autoimmune disease that leads to overactivity of the thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism). She is the author of "The Thyroid Diet Revolution. All my life my hair was thin and fine. The presence of any of these symptoms AFTER your procedure (especially if you didnt have them prior to your procedure) may be an early indication that your thyroid medication is not optimized. My TSH is very low but my free T3 indicates my body isnt using T3. When we are deficient in this nutrient, the health of our hair is affected, leading to hair weakness or even total hair loss. My problem now is my hair loss and I cant help get rid of this problem. Is there anything I can do to protect myself as I am driving her. 20 yrs ago. 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. Dont let this be of major concern to you, though, because in most cases these symptoms can be managed. This can delay subsequent use of radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy because the iodine can compete for uptake. I expect to be back to probably about 60 to maybe 70% and that is pushing it. Most people who get radioactive iodine treatment do so because they are considered to be hyperthyroid (sometimes people get RAI for thyroid cancer (5) but most people get it for hyperthyroidism). My health is anything but wonderful. My hair is the one and only thing about my looks that is considered beauty. The radiation comes from a radioactive substance called iodine-131. She enjoys giving lectures and writing articles for both the lay public and medical audiences. My biggest fear is loosing my hair, my identity as a woman. Affected cats produce too much thyroid hormone. If you are a man, just be sure to consider this before you get your operation. what is the normal amount of time a person needs to be off thyroid supplemental medication before the radioactive iodine treatment is done? In regards to diets that can help, please see this article: https://www.restartmed.com/hypothyroidism-diet/. olive oil, vegetable oils and nut oils. So, when I get up at Midnight unless I stay up that late, I get a full set of VS plus my glucose readings, and take my Levothyroxine. I ordered the dutch test so have those results but I cannot read it and I am not sure what it all means. The radiation will pass out of your body through your urine within days. This content is strictly the opinion of Dr. Westin Childs and is for educational and information purposes only. Some people also feel flushed. Then she said I would have to have iodine radiation if these pills didnt work. Does Taking Thyroid Medication Cause High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)? Along with a pain and numbness in my right hand. 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. (I also bought a digital scale to get the most accurate weight) Then my full set of VS and glucose readings. I work hard at it. Thank you and God bless! Theres a higher risk that the cancer comes back but its also a way to preserve some thyroid function. Prior to that, I always weighed in the 125-130 lb range (normal for my height). Now that you are considered to be hypothyroid there is a world of potential therapies, supplements, regimens, and protocols that are available to you. Welcome to my website! A better option might be to try just a partial thyroidectomy or to take out just the half of the thyroid with the cancer. Thank Sharon. Both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism cause intolerance to heat and cold respectively, so that isnt uncommon but what is uncommon is to experience those symptoms after RAI. Dr. Yash Khanna answered. I would actually think about taking chances with the cancer instead of gaining weight. Its definitely possible it just takes more time and the weight loss is slower. This distinction is actually quite important. I have been tested and my doctor says that Im right where I need to be. They have already said I would need to take the radiation iodine treatment. Hi, doctor, I am in a lot of pain I stay cold 100 percent of the time with body aches sleepless nights. I eat all organic. We know that that still leaves lots of options if your heart isn't already set on a color. Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone. I had severe and sudden weight loss along with many other troubling symptoms. As I am not a doctor, my specific question is why does the level of levothyroxine I require change if my thyroid was destroyed? All rights reserved. A thyroid scan is a type of nuclear medicine imaging. Iodine is essential for proper function of the thyroid gland, which uses it to make the thyroid hormones. They are basically useless here, Ive been to two, and I am actually SCARED for the first time in my life. I had RAI treatment 4 weeks ago 29.9 mci due to hyperthyroid hot noduals. Your thyroid gland absorbs nearly all of the iodine in your body. In your case, these would be best: https://www.restartmed.com/product/thyroidectomy-rai-bundle/. Prior to discovering the bump, I had reversed my Diabetes and had consistent HA1C readings of 5 or lower. And in addition to going back to surgery for the left lobectomy, to expect to be on the Radioactive Iodine therapy. I don't practice medicine anymore and instead specialize in helping people like YOU who have thyroid problems, hormone imbalances, and weight loss resistance. I HAD MY RAI LAST SEPTEMBER 12, NOW IM ALREADY 2 MONTHS AFYER MY RAI. Also learn more about our which will minimize the contamination in your home's isolation room. This is usually put into pill form for patients to ingest. 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. Learn which foods you should avoid if you have thyroid disease of any type. This keeps the radioactivity from destroying other cells in your body and only allows for the destruction of your thyroid gland. can i color my hair after radioactive iodinesvetlana invitational 2022 Consultation Request a Free Consultation Now. I had RAI treatment year 2010, and now I am taking levothyroxine for my hormonal replacement since I am considered as hypothyroid patient. Take care in washing, treating and grooming your hair. Endocrine Today | A 25-year-old woman was referred for radioactive iodine remnant ablation for multifocal micropapillary thyroid carcinoma. What type of cancer is treated with radioactive iodine? The most common side effect of radioactive iodine treatment immediately after it's been administered is that you will feel very tired for the first few days after the treatment. I have tried everything and it is frustrating. I have been battling back and forth with weight gain and hair loss, mild How is this happening? What Is a Radioactive Iodine Uptake Test? 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. It really depends on whether or not your entire thyroid gland was destroyed. can i color my hair after radioactive iodinehtml5 interactive animation. Recently also diagnosed with B12 deficiency and had exhibited most of the symptoms! You wouldnt want to use a steroid on it unless you know what it is. However, all of these symptoms are also part of the menopause for which I now take HRT. Need better symptom control? It is a measurement of thyroid function, but does not involve imaging. Too much of this hormone can lead to [] If you have questions regarding your health you should seek qualified information from a medical professional or your doctor. Any idea Sir ? 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 ? Hyperthyroidism, or an overactive thyroid, is a common disease of older cats. 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. Doctors made me think it was my only option at the time. Be wary of home-use products, and use recommended professional products for dye, highlights and conditioning. They wanted to give me more RAI IV for test, but I refused and I know I would have died had they done that. It targets VEGFR, BRAF, and RET tyrosine kinase and inhibits the proliferation and angiogenesis of cancer cells. Claim Your Free eBook Now. I love to write and share what I've learned over the years. What should I do after this treatment to restore my metabolic functioning and gut biome? Yes, radiation therapy causes hair loss. For my surgery in April, I had a double whammy because a week prior to my surgery I had a molar tooth extracted with surgical dental sedation, and was still on a soft diet, so that was easy, they supplied me with baby food pureed fruits the entire time I was in the hospital. Initially, before treatment I went to a renowned clinic due to having double vision. And if the color is hash on the . Thank you. Radioactive iodine may also be helpful for people with certain types of thyroid cancer. Please see these articles which explain why weight loss is so difficult after thyroid removal or RAI: https://www.restartmed.com/levothyroxine-thyroidectomy-patients/ They all tell me Thyroid Cancer is the easy cancer. 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. I feel horrible. Iodine-131 (I-131) is radioactive. Gadolinium-based Contrast Material. I had my RAI 3weeks ago and they did not gave me a pros and con what to expect after. Thanks look forward, Yes! 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 had a miscarriage about a year after the RAI treatment. After you get the dose, the scanner checks your entire body for signs of radioactivity. Radioactive Iodine. I know some people contribute this What medications (if any) will you need to be on? It sounds like you are not being treated adequately. Thank you! The connection between your weight gain and hyperthyroidism is explained here: https://www.restartmed.com/methimazole-weight-gain/. Abnormal menstrual cycles. My blood work prior was Prior to radioactive iodine treatment, doctors create a hypothyroid state in your body. I dont feel like I have gone back hyper after being off my meds for 4 weeks. I moved doctors in 2016 and my new GP immediately put my dosage down to 125 despite my protestations that I felt absolutely fine on 150. Researchers estimated a 12% increased risk for death from breast cancer and a 5% increased risk for death from . 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). Catnip works for lighter colors. Im so confused my gp has no explanation my hair is falling out I dont eat anything only 3oranges a day and pure fruit juice now I have moderate atrophy on my pancreas and I cant get into a specialist for 1-2 years ., can h explain whats really going on, Please see this article for more information on managing hair loss with thyroid problems: https://www.restartmed.com/thyroid-hair-loss/. MY QUESTION IS AM I ABLE TO WORK ABROAD WITH THIS. The trip will be about 45 minutes each way. 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 .