Radiation?

[Breez1]

I have been on 100 synthroid since my thyroidectomy in 2012 for papillary cancer. i keep gaining weight and last week my throglobulin was up. My dr. wants to retest in 3 months but says the next steps would be an iodine scan and then radiation. Is there anyone that has had this done? and how are you feeling now?

[Jomo19]

Hi I'm in the same boat as you , 5years ago I had the operation about two years ago my levels were up and I had to have radio iodine treatment, I suffer no ill effect, I, asked the specialist when I would be given the all clear and he told me never, and the the cancer could return at any time, that's why we have regular checks,three weeks ago I was told my levels were up again, I waiting for a scan to find out what happens next, if it means another three days in isolation, I'm not bothered, as long as I've alive, that's what counts,

[LAHs in reply to Jomo19]

I think it was a bit mean of your doc to say that the cancer could return at any time, if s/he removed all of the cells of your thyroid the cancer would not be thyroid cancer. I was told after 7 years that I was all clear - but I could tell I was still OK because I felt great.

[Breez1 in reply to Jomo19]

How far up was your thyroglobulin and how many times did you have to test up before the radio iodine treatment?

[Hidden]

RAI is nothing to be afraid of. You do need to be isolated for several days especially from babies and small children. I felt a little fatigued and had this awful metallic taste in my mouth hence a loss of appetite. My levels would not go down 3 months after my total thyroidectomy so I had the RAI. Following that my surgeon prescribed 300mcg of Synthroid. That was 15 years ago. I am now down to 100 mcg and doing well and I have had 4 follow up scans in that time. Check out thyca.org for some good information. Get a copy of all of your blood work and keep a journal - I wish I had. You are your best advocate.

[Breez1 in reply to Hidden]

What ist it like to be on 300 mcg of synthroid?

[LAHs]

My two cents worth: I echo sunnisue's advice. Don't worry about the RAI scan, the worst part is starving yourself of medication just before the scan, you get to feel very tired and "woozy". It is a very large machine and it travels up and down your body picking up any cells which are radiating (due to any thyroid cells which have taken up the (radioactive) iodine. The closest thing I can relate it to is a bone density scan, or you can think about it as a whole body X-ray.

I do not know anything about radiation afterwards, as a result of the scan I did not show any remaining cells.