USA Today article on the safety of I-131 RAI Therapy !

[ChitChatNine]

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2007-11-18-thyroid-cover_N.htm

It's a year old but very very interesting.

[Smilerdeb]

lol...I am in and out until the internet is on as using boyfriends wireless dongle at present.
Plus took a day out from Bevs yesterday and went to the country to recharge my batteries with the country air.
Did me the world of good.....8.30am and Ive only just woken up! lol
I'm usually awake at 5.30am.
Thanx anyway :)

[hope4thegoodstuff]

They advised me to wash everything like three times and then run the washer with nothing in it...My RAI was to have a half life of 16 days.

SmilerDebs back...I'm seeing her name in here quite often today.  : )

[Smilerdeb]

Here in Australia...the hospital arranges to pick up all radioactive materials that have been stored in a separate outside bin.
I guess they do this more for safety than anything.
I slept on a blow up airbed and disposed of my pj's afterwards in the bin that was provided.
I kept no clothing whatsoever after RAI.
I lived in Pj's for 5 days and ate off everything disposable.

[hope4thegoodstuff]

Not to cause more concern, but I thought plastic would not stop gamma radiation.  I thought we had to be lead lined.  : )

[utahmomma]

Good article.  Many people, however, forget their pets and the danger of exposure to the pets.

I still have my ugly sheets stored in a plastic bag for the next time I need another RAI scan.  :-)

Utah

[hope4thegoodstuff]

Gotcha, thanks.

[ChitChatNine]

Secondary refers to "others" around the patient .. like second hand smoke.

[Smilerdeb]

The most truest statement in that article would have to be.............

"What floored me," she says, "is that not only was I radioactive, I was all alone."

It is the isolation that is the killer...not the I-131.
It was the lonliness days of my life and also the scariest as I felt like a leper for a week after having it done.


If I ever had to have it done again......I would have it done in a heartbeat.
It saved my life.

[hope4thegoodstuff]

What is that?

[stella5349]

I wish the article would have addressed more on Secondary RAI hypothyroidism when exposed to it.

[hope4thegoodstuff]

There I go...picturing myself as a cartoon character with that mushroom cloud hanging over my head...lol....they nailed how people feel when they are on that stuff....glad to have it over with and hope I don't have to do it again...

[ChitChatNine]

I put it up in our Health Pages:

http://www.medhelp.org/health_pages/Thyroid-Disorders/Is-I-131-RAI-Safe-for-Thyroid-Cancer/show/1001?cid=62