RAI Process

[lolabunny422]

hellooo,
i need help with the RAI . Next month I'm trying to get the full body thyroid scan + RAI.
But I don't have me endo doctor here (I'm living abroad) and the doctors here aren't very much help... so I feel like basically I have to do and know everything myself. I'm trying to remember what exactly happened last March when I had the treatment. I remember stopping my cytomel I think a week prior to the scan and of course, no iodine, etc. but I can't remember the exact details of the process of the treatment. I don't know if it's different with everybody but can you guys tell me what you did to help jog my memory? I definitely remember stopping my meds...which I'm not looking forward to at all!! (does it make a difference that I'm taking synthroid instead of cytome?? l)

[lolabunny422]

i didn't receive any list i just remember last year not being able to eat stuff like seafood or iodized or sea salt. is it for the whole month i read online that it said the last 2 weeks prior to the treatment

[utahmomma]

No calcium - sorry.  It's made up of ocean-based products (usually ground shells) and it is way too high in iodine.

Talk to your nuclear medicine department - they should have a *long* list of "do's and don't" for your diet as well as the protection you'll have to take at home when you are radiated.

[lolabunny422]

one more thing, were you allowed to take your calcium and vitamin d supplements during the month?

[lolabunny422]

ohh alright thanks for your reply, I just went to the nuclear medicine and they told me to stop taking my synthroid for a month.... it's going to be a very very very long....and tired month!

[Liz94]

The first time I had RAI I had to stop taking Synthroid for 6 weeks to go hypo. Then I did the low iodine diet for the last 14 days of that prior to the dose.  I was never given Cytomel, I went cold turkey off of everything.  The second and third time I was given thyrogen injections and did not have to stop the meds nor did I have to do the diet.