Radioactive Iodine

[sarahj86]

Hi just wondered if anyone on here has had radioactive iodine for thyroid cancer?
Im due to have RAI in 2 weeks, what's the recovery like? Will it affect my thyroid levels? Im having throne injections before the treatment.

Hi OP, I've never had it but was involved in treatments a few years ago.

The intention of the treatment is to completely destroy any thyroid tissue in your body (patients I was involved with had the bulk of the thyroid removed surgically before receiving the iodine). There's no recovery from the iodine itself, you'll feel fine, although there will be effects from not having a thyroid of course.

You'll mostly just be bored I'd have thought! Make sure you've got plenty to entertain you during your hospital stay, although be aware that you may not be able to take some items back home with you (so, eg, better to take a cheap book rather than a kindle).

I know it doesn't help much but my cat had it done in January, she was on the verge of death and now she is a 19 year old bundle of playful chub, a totally new cat. Twice the size she was in January when she was a skeleton. Hopefully it will be the same for you.
I missed her while she was away for 2 weeks though.

@Spam88 thats good to know that there will be no side effects, still trying to cope with life without a thyroid 3 months later, still get tired easily.

@madcatladyforever I hope I don't end up twice the size 😳🤣

I found the hardest thing was coping on the low iodine diet for the fortnight before the radioiodine. Especially as I had to be at the hospital for several consecutive days before the admission, and given distances had to stay in a hotel...