My Dad is on his second treatment of Lu177. My concern is that we now live together and he has been instructed to stay 6 feet away from me for 3 days and from his grandchildren for 10.
How serious sis the potential radiation exposure? I’m nervous for myself and kiddos but seeing as I now live with my Dad as his primary caretaker, I need the best advice on how to keep everyone healthy and safe.
A small backstory about us: My Dad was diagnosed in 2018 with Stage 4 metastatic prostate cancer. We’ve been very grateful that he is in high spirits and doing relatively well considering living with Stage 4 cancer. All treatments have been exhausted. Now on Lu177 and therein lies our new journey.
If you made it this far, thank you for reading! Any and all advice is appreciated ❤️
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Here4Dad
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After administration, Pluvicto will quickly be excreted in the urine, and the level of residual radioactivity in the body is reported to decrease to about 30% of the original dose within 24 h of administration and to about 20% of that dose within 48 of administration
To be safe, for a week after Lu-177 therapy:
①
If a patient loses blood, that blood will be wiped up with toilet paper and flushed down the toilet.
②
When there is any potential for coming into contact with a patient’s urine or feces and when coming into contact with clothing contaminated by a patient’s urine or feces, disposable latex gloves will be worn.
③
When a patient’s bodily fluids such as blood come into contact with the hands or skin, the contaminated site will be immediately washed with soap.
④
Sexual intercourse is prohibited.
⑤
Individuals living with a patient should be separated from the patient to the extent possible. A distance of at least 1 m should be maintained. When together for a prolonged period, a distance of 2 m or more should be maintained. Contact with infants and pregnant women will be minimized.
⑥
Sleeping with someone else in the same bed will be avoided. A patient should sleep at least 2 m away. If possible, the patient should sleep in a separate room.
⑦
The patient will bathe last. After bathing, the bathtub will be cleaned and washed with a brush and cleaning agent.
⑧
Outings in public settings (e.g. public transportation, supermarket, shopping centers, movie theaters, restaurants, and sport venues) should be avoided to the extent possible.
Precautions with regard to handling laundry:
①
Clothing worn by a patient administered the labeled somatostatin analogue will be washed separately from the clothing of other individuals, and not at the same time. In addition, bed linens and undergarments soiled with blood or urine will be prepared for washing.
Precautions with regard to urination, defecation, or vomiting:
①
Male patients will urinate while seated.
②
When feces or urine soil the toilet or floor, that material will be wiped up with toilet paper and flushed down the toilet.
③
A toilet will be flushed about two times after use.
④
Hands will be washed and cleaned with soap after urination or defecation.
⑤
Hands and skin that come into contact with a patient’s bodily fluids (e.g. blood), excreta, or vomitus will be cleaned and washed with soap.
Thus is what I needed! Thank you. I was gonna stay away from the house for 3 days and sleep at a different house. Is that taking things too far or being properly precautious? I’m scared and thus far my dad is able bodied so I’m ok leaving him alone for a few days.
im a patient taking LU177. TA’s instructions mirror the info from radioligy.
I am very cautious too. I would never want to cause my family or small dog to be at risk.
After treatment, i stay alone at a hotel near the hospital for first 72 hours. And dispose of underwear daily. It is inexpensive really
Day 4 to 7 - I stay at home in guest room with separate toilet and keep 6’ distance as much as possible Day 7 to 10 I try to avoid close contact as much as I can but go back to normal
I think your idea of staying at a different house for 3 days is a extra precaution and a good idea Then keep some distance for day 3 to 10
thanks, i printed this since i might be on a LU177 trial soon I changed the strange bullet numbers that don't print (although it makes no difference other than satisfying my obsessiveness)
I assume that the same distancing applies to pets. That will be difficult, seriously. I would like to cheat on the week and can monitor my emission with a Geiger (it is actually a sophisticated scintillation monitor) counter. Anyone know what level would be considered safe or what percentage of emisssion compared to that just after treatment. I do not want to endanger my dogs but Darcy has just decided that he wants to sleep with me all night long and I do not want to have him think that he is not wanted. It took quite a while to get him comfortable with sleeping with me and my other dog all night. I guess I could swap beds with my husband since mine is the only one accessible to dogs (ladder and loft for other bedroom)
After administration, Pluvicto will quickly be excreted in the urine, and the level of residual radioactivity in the body is reported to decrease to about 30% of the original dose within 24 h of administration and to about 20% of that dose within 48 of administration
To be safe, for a week after Lu-177 therapy:
1
If a patient loses blood, that blood will be wiped up with toilet paper and flushed down the toilet.
2
When there is any potential for coming into contact with a patient’s urine or feces and when coming into contact with clothing contaminated by a patient’s urine or feces, disposable latex gloves will be worn.
3
When a patient’s bodily fluids such as blood come into contact with the hands or skin, the contaminated site will be immediately washed with soap.
4
Sexual intercourse is prohibited.
5
Individuals living with a patient should be separated from the patient to the extent possible. A distance of at least 1 m should be maintained. When together for a prolonged period, a distance of 2 m or more should be maintained. Contact with infants and pregnant women will be minimized.
6
Sleeping with someone else in the same bed will be avoided. A patient should sleep at least 2 m away. If possible, the patient should sleep in a separate room.
7
The patient will bathe last. After bathing, the bathtub will be cleaned and washed with a brush and cleaning agent.
8
Outings in public settings (e.g. public transportation, supermarket, shopping centers, movie theaters, restaurants, and sport venues) should be avoided to the extent possible.
Precautions with regard to handling laundry:
1
Clothing worn by a patient administered the labeled somatostatin analogue will be washed separately from the clothing of other individuals, and not at the same time. In addition, bed linens and undergarments soiled with blood or urine will be prepared for washing.
Precautions with regard to urination, defecation, or vomiting:
1
Male patients will urinate while seated.
2
When feces or urine soil the toilet or floor, that material will be wiped up with toilet paper and flushed down the toilet.
3
A toilet will be flushed about two times after use.
4
Hands will be washed and cleaned with soap after urination or defecation.
5
Hands and skin that come into contact with a patient’s bodily fluids (e.g. blood), excreta, or vomitus will be cleaned and washed with soap.
I have asked a similar question relative to the radioactivity danger to others after I receive Pluvicto . All the info I have received from professionals and this community all say that the radiation is at a safe level- mostly due to urinating- after about 3 days. I am wondering if you know what studies determined this or how this was derived at. Everyone seems to say the same thing, but I am trying to ascertain how these precautions were arrived at.
These are the usual radioprotective measures we explain to the primary caretaker of the prostate cancer patients.
These measures are for the benefit of the primary caretaker based on the principle of "ALARA -as low as reasonably achievable" .
Usually the exposure from Lu-177 therapy to the attendant is quite low and distance of 06 feet provides adequate protection from the radiation in this case. But that does not allow-us to deny any palliative care required by a patient.
Also we don't have the long term survival/follow-up data of such a scenario, whether this small amount of radiation exposure causes any significant harm or not. But as we say "prevention is better than cure" Keep your exposure to the minimum as necessary.
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