Radioactive Iodine Treatment for Thyroid Disease
In the U.S., radioactive iodine (RAI) treatment is the most common method of treating hyperthyroidism that results from thyroid disease. According to the Thyroid Foundation of Canada, this treatment is used on 90 percent of American patients with hyperthyroid disease (Graves' Disease), although it is also used on thyroid cancer patients and those with toxic goiters. While RAI treatment is the most widely-used treatment method in the U.S. and is purportedly a safe out-patient procedure, it is not without risks, controversy and health problems.
Other People Are Reading
-
How Does Radioactive Iodine Work?
-
Even when it's hyperfunctioning, the thryoid gland continues to take in iodine and convert it to hormones needed to perform metabolic tasks.RAI is essentially iodine that contains radioactive isotopes. When ingested orally, the hapless thyroid takes in the RAI just as it would regular iodine found in food. The radiation emitted by the RAI destroys the cells in the thyroid. RAI that doesn't collect in the thyroid is secreted from the skin and through urination. RAI treatment is very simple: The patient is given a cup of radioactive medication, drinks it and then returns home.
Post-Treatment Precautions
-
Because excess RAI is secreted through the body, certain precautions are used the first two weeks after a patient has RAI treatment. For the first day, the patient cannot work, go to public places or use public transportation. For two to three days after treatment, the patient should not ride in car with others, prepare food that is shared or stand closer than 3 feet from others. Whenever the patient uses the toilet, it should be flushed two to three times after use for up to three days after treatment. The patient should sleep in a separate bed for up to 11 days after RAI treatment. All exposure to children and pregnant women should be limited during this time as well.
-
Long-Term Problems With RAI Treatment
-
Because administering RAI is not an exact science, it is rare that just enough of the thyroid will be killed off to permit it to function normally. In 82 percent of cases, the entire gland is ablated (destroyed) regardless of the dosage amount, and the patient experiences uncontrolled hypothyroidism. Hallmark symptoms of hypothyroidism are pronounced weight gain, hair loss, extreme fatigue and excessive sleeping. This condition requires careful medical monitoring and lifelong use of thyroid hormone replacements. In many cases, the patient continues to exhibit symptoms of hypothryoidism even though blood levels indicate normal amounts of thyroid hormone in the blood. Many Graves' patients also experience more pronounced thyroid-related eye disease (TED) after RAI treatment. These health issues often come as a shock to patients who find that they have traded in one set of symptoms for another.
Other Risks
-
More extreme side-effects can also result from RAI treatment. These include permanent loss of taste; permanent lack of salivary gland function; prolonged digestive problems, including constipation and diarrea; food allergies; peeling of the skin, including the mucosa; and a weakened immune system.
Are There Alternative Treatments to RAI?
-
Yes. In fact, all of Europe, Australia and Japan favor use of oral anti-thyroid medications such as Tapazole and PTU over RAI treatment. In the U.S., anti-thyroid medication is also recommended for patients who are pregnant or who have severe Graves' Disease, and it is considered the best way to treat patients who do not wish to undergo RAI treatment. Serious health complications from long-term use of anti-thyroid drugs are very rare, occurring in only 0.1 to 0.5 percent of people.
-
