Levothyroxine and radiotherapy.

[Reda]

Hello everybody,

I ve just opp on neck to remove the cancer tumour..n heading the radiotheray. Was facing fading up n lack of energy and weakness by a helpful medicine which is Levothyroxine...now doc asked me to stop it coz it contains Iodine not helping in radiotherap.

Tried before to stop it n feel agony in emotion energy n heart...

My question:is there a medicine not containing iodine n can replace even for while till fin radiotherapy. ..please share your experiences.

Thank you.

[Clutter]

Reda,

Patients requiring radioactive iodine ablatement (RAI) have to stop taking Levothyroxine for 4 weeks prior to RAI and follow a low iodine diet to allow their TSH to rise >30 so that the radioactive iodine is taken up. I was prescribed Liothyronine for 2 weeks after stopping Levothyroxine but was unable to take any thyroid replacement for 2 weeks prior to RAI and 4 days during quarantine until I was discharged.

Radiotherapy is external treatment so I'm not sure why Levothyroxine has to be stopped.

[Reda in reply to Clutter]

Thank you Clutte best wishes of good health

[Hidden]

Levo is a synthetic chemical and contains no iodine, it is pure T4.

You certainly should stop taking T4 before RAI and substitute T3, a fact that your doctor should be fully aware of. But it would be the hospital where you are having the RAI that would give you prescriptions for T3.

Taking the T3, which is a fast-acting chemical, rather than T4 allows the hospital to be able to monitor how effective the RAI treatment has been.

[Ruthi in reply to Hidden]

OK, just being picky! Levothyroxine does contain iodine - 4 atoms per molecule. I've not heard of it being a problem for radiotherapy - after all most people produce their own. But it is a problem if you are having radioactive iodine treament.

[Reda in reply to Ruthi]

Thank you very much Ruhi.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Ruthi]

Not picky - simply right. 😀😀😀

[Reda in reply to Hidden]

I greet ur intresting by all these details.

Thank you Panda321