I have no thyroid, am on 75mcg T4 and 15mcg T3. I know they inject dye which has iodine into you to do the scan, am I right in saying that you shouldn't have iodine if you have a thyroid problem or are on thyroid medication? I have been reading that the iodine can stay in your body for up to 8 weeks, can this cause thyrotoxicosis/thyroid storm? Once it's in your body, how can you monitor you thyroid levels, and if your levels are too high, what can you do?
Hoping one of you knowledgeable members can advise.
Thanks.
Written by
blondpalomino
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
If you don't have a thyroid, iodine is not a problem. It's when excess iodine gets into the thyroid and either suppresses it or stimulates it that levels get upset. Iodine is not the same as thyroid hormone. It is just one of the ingredients of thyroid hormone. If you don't have a thyroid gland there's nothing to transform that iodine into hormone. So, don't worry.
What other products were you thinking of? You still don't want to over-dose on iodine. And without a thyroid making thyroid hormones, you need less iodine, not more. I was only talking about the CT scan which is a one-off and temporary ingestion of iodine.
I have a thyroid and have had a CT scan with iodine as contrast. It was fine, but I had already decided that the need for the contrast was more important than not having iodine. The good thing is that further scans, once they know what they're looking at, or for, or watching, do not usually need the contrast. Good luck!
I had a CT scan for nasal polyps and didn’t have any contrast. I think it depends on what they’re looking for whether or not it’s needed. My granddaughter had contrast injected for a kidney problem because they had to monitor how they were functioning which meant that the flow of blood through the kidneys had to show up clearly.
No thyroid here and two CT scans in the bag with the contrast dye and no problems. As others say, if you have no thyroid then iodine is not going to affect you.
Just interested why you are having the CT? I have Primary Follicular Lymphoma alongside Primary Thyroid Cancer, which is a really rare combination.
I'm having it because I had 2 times of post menopausal bleeding, a year apart.I had an ultrasound, which was o.k. but because the lining was 4.3 against their limit of 4 they tried to do a hysteroscopy, but couldn't get the camera in as the cervix was too tight. To be honest, I think it is not really needed at this stage, first they said they would see if I had any more bleeding and do an ultrasound again in 2 months time,then changed their mind. I had an ultrasound 7 months ago and the lining was very thin and nothing to get a sample of.I just thought I read somewhere that you should not have iodine if you were taking thyroxine.
IF you are unsure about the iodine for the contrast, there are other contrast mediums, which they do not like using as they are more expensive. Just say you react to iodine and would it be possible to use something else.
Ask them the pros and cons as one type could show them a lot more than the non iodine one.
Had a few CT scans with injections"Feel all Warm makes a change" for clots in lungs and last one with dye showed nodules in lungs so now have to wait 3 months for another to see if cancerous!
Diverging from the original question but - oscarbravo that is the reason why I have an annual CT scan now. The nodule they found didn't alter during the first two years, but it did in the third year, then the fourth year it didn't. It's nerve-wracking each time I get the scan, but because it has altered once they're continuing to monitor annually. May I suggest that even if yours hasn't altered, you still continue to get regular scans for a while. Good luck with yours
Don't know yet plus that is the trouble with them they never tell you anything treated like a Child left to play with toys while they talk over your head!
Yes that's how I've felt. I ask questions which are usually turned back at me. Sometimes I get a shrug of the shoulders. It doesn't make for much confidence, does it!
i have still got a thyroid, and take levo. (autoimmune hypo)i had a CT with iodine contrast a few yrs ago ,. and had a thyroid blood test a month later. my blood results seemed unaffected.
They did warn me it would feel unnervingly like you'd wet yourself when they inject it...and it did
The nurse also told me to be sure to drink lots of water for the next few days to help get rid of it from my system.
At the time i didn't know about any potential issues with the contrast and thyroid, so didn't ask about an alternative.. but was told that without the contrast they might not see what they were looking for.
I had a CT scan with iodine and 2 years on my thyroid still hasn't recovered. If there is another test you can have to avoid a CT scan I would 100 percent recommend it. I wouldn't want anybody to have the problems I am having.
I'm wondering now because I had a C.T. scan of my sinuses a few years before I developed Hashimotos,so perhaps that could have caused it, as my head would have been in the scanner. Was reading that the iodine intake of the scan is 90 times the daily recommended intake.
The CT scan sent my thyroid into shock and I suffered severe thyroiditis. I was unable to take my thyroid medication for months as the pain was severe and the amount of iodine in my system from the scan meant that my thyroid results were normal. I would ask not to have the dye as there are other options. Good luck and hope all goes well.
Thanks.I'll try to see if they can do it without Iodine. Sorry for your problems.I don't have a thyroid, but it isn't any easier, so think carefully if they say they need to remove it.
Not to scare you, but to inform you. My chiropractor told me to never have a CT scan because they are the equivalent of hundreds of x-rays and hundreds of times the radiation of a regular x-ray. This is very bad for the thyroid which would nit be your concern with no thyroid, but do you really want all that radiation in your body?She recommends only allowing an MRI which does not use radiation.
I am allergic to the iodine in scans anyway, so I can't have any with contrast.
Thanks! having had one MRI scan I would have to be knocked out to have another one, I was having a panic attack! For the time we have agreed I will have another ultrasound scan in a couple of months.
MRI scans are not the the slightest bit dangerous - they use magnetism not X-Rays. CT scans are like having X-rays which are much more powerful than ordinary X-rays.
Just an anecdote that you should bear in mind if you have a CT scan.
Some years ago, my mother had a lung X-Ray (not a CT scan or MRI) because of a long-lasting and extremely severe cough. They did what they usually do - they used the absolute minimum radiation they thought they could get away with. After the X-Ray they said "Good news, Mrs X, your lungs are absolutely fine."
About five or six weeks later my mother was admitted to hospital because she was so ill. She was given an MRI scan because of the severity of her cough. After it they said, "We're very sorry Mrs X, but you have advanced lung cancer. "
When people panic about X-Rays and CT scans I really think modern medicine is perfectly well aware of the dangers of excessive radiation from CT scans and X-Rays, and I think, if anything, there is a danger that they err on the side of caution and don't find what might be there to be found.
There can be dangers from X-rays and CT scans but don't over-hype those dangers in your own head. If you want to know the truth about something you might have to take a risk.
Since the issue of radiation from scans has been brought up, I thought I'd mention that University of Toronto researchers developed an antioxidant protocol to prevent x-ray induced-DNA damage. Obviously you'd need to know in advance you're having the scan in order to take the supplements. If you're interested in the study...
Here's a reference to it in an article aimed at patients. It includes a chart showing the relative amounts of radiation exposure from various imaging procedures.
Hi I had a ct scan last night... The question was asked by the scanner.. She asked if I had a thyroid problem, I said yes and I'm under active.. To which she replied good beause you can't have this dye contrast if you are over active.. Due to medication... So if in doubt call the ct up..
good that you were asked the question, hopefully everyone is being asked it before a scan. At the moment I have agreed with the doctor that I will have another ultrasound in 2 months time and see what the situation is like then.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
I have an overactive thyroid looking for answers
Hyperthyroid and TED - Is Thyroidectomy the only answer?
which is the r best iodine test?
Iodine test: blood or urine?
