Back To "Normal" Neurosis.....

Okay, yes, I admit it ... I am a bit neurotic.  I have finished RAI and the 3 days of intensive seclusion and am heading into the 4 days of "careful"... how will I ever be able to be "normal" again at the end of the week?  Hug my kids without worrying that I'm radiating them????  sleep next to my husband without worry for him.  if you've been through this PLEASE reply.

 

thanks 

All you can do is believe what your medical team tells you.  It seems to match everything I've found online.  They say that the majority of the radioactivity is out of your system within the first 48 hours.  It also depends on the dosage you received.  The first thing I did was get a big hug from my husband.  Then I walked away.  Just being with my family again was good enough for me; same room!!  I refrained from kissing and sex for a good week.  I was nervous after that but my husband felt confident.  I couldn't wait to hug my daughter!! :)  I tried to stay away from other people for a good week and even found myself being careful for a few days after.  When cooking, I used gloves just to be safe.  I'm told it wasn't necessary.    The nuclear medicine staff said I was fine after the week and should go back to normal.  So I trusted them and I did.  I behaved like it never happened.  Except for the fact that I lost my taste buds exactly one week after RAI.  Just when I went off of the LID!  Bummer!!!

 

On 6/2/2008 tink2002 wrote:

Okay, yes, I admit it ... I am a bit neurotic.  I have finished RAI and the 3 days of intensive seclusion and am heading into the 4 days of "careful"... how will I ever be able to be "normal" again at the end of the week?  Hug my kids without worrying that I'm radiating them????  sleep next to my husband without worry for him.  if you've been through this PLEASE reply.

 

thanks 

Hi!  Believe your endo and the nuclear med people.  The majority of the RAI is out of your system in 48 hours.  In addition, maybe this piece of info will help.  I quizzed the nuclear med doc who did my RAI extensively with the same fears and she told me that everything they have us do is precautionary...if "they" were that worried about our endangering our families, or anyone else for that matter, we'd be quarantined in the hospital...and they quit doing that some time ago with this treatment.  Think about the liability involved-you just have to believe that if the hospital/docs were risking lawsuit you'd be in a lead box in the hospital!  :O)  I think the biggest concern is babies/young children and folks you would spend alot of time in close contact with during the first few days.  If you've taken all the reasonable precautions outlined, I wouldn't worry about this too much.       SUE