Lemons Post Rai

Hello, I was wondering if anyone knows if any new studies regarding  using lemons and salivary gland uptake have been done?  The last study I found  was in 2004/2005?  Last year when I had RAI nuclear med. dr. never mentioned using lemons as aggressively as was explained to me this year to do. Also, there was mention of giving steriods for inflamation.  Is there a change in the thinking?   LL

 

On 6/5/2008 Lois6 wrote:

Hello, I was wondering if anyone knows if any new studies regarding  using lemons and salivary gland uptake have been done?  The last study I found  was in 2004/2005?  Last year when I had RAI nuclear med. dr. never mentioned using lemons as aggressively as was explained to me this year to do. Also, there was mention of giving steriods for inflamation.  Is there a change in the thinking?   LL

 

There is a new study out that says no lemons.  Look back a few months in messages for a pretty good discussion on this exact topic.  From everything I've read and been told is that this study was inconclusive and doctors still support the lemons.  I know I did it.  I even had fresh lemonade and sucked on lemons.  I had no salivary gland issues but i did loose my taste buds.  I'm still suffering from that.

As for steroids...those were my saviour.  Right after surgery I had serious swelling inside my throat and was having problems breathing let alone eating.  I went on steroids and within hours my problems were over.  I was eating soft things within a day or so and solids within two weeks.  Thank goodness for the steroids!!

Hi

 I looked this up extensively when my husband was about to undergo RAI. I am aware of one school of thought which says lemons right away and continue for several days and another (which my husband did) is to start lemons starting 24 hours after receiving the RAI. He has done very well in the salivary gland department, thank God. The nuclear med doctor would not advocate for a particular method of doing lemon or drops...just said he was aware of the 2 schools of thought but simply said...'just do the lemons.'

 I wish there was more out there about it. In searching, I came across a lot of message boards on the subject more than anything else. Good luck.

Karen 

Hello, all. Just had RAI on Friday 5/3.  Nuclear guy told me to start lemon drops 24 hours after and continue every 2-3 hours.  Woke up the next morning with a "croupy" cough and a very congested feeling in my throat and the continued lemon drops really relieved the feeling.  Been having some everyday for a week now.....'course I'm kind of sick of them.... :)

I appreciate all your feedback.  I will try the lemons.  Even before all this, my tongue was bothered by real sour things.  I get the RAI next week, can't wait to move on. Last time it took 3-4 weeks to get my taste back.  There is a tuna hoagie with my name on it, if only for a few days.  Thanks again.

I had my RAi on 5/16. So far so good with the taste thing. I know it often happens later, but hoping that it won't. I started my real lemons about two hours after radiation pill. I probably did a double bite every hour (sorry to be graphic, but ... everytime that I urinated -- easy to remember). I figured that both my kidneys and my salivary glands were needing to flush out the radioactivity so I kept at it to purge myself of the RAI. I cut back after about three days. I sucked enough lemon to feel my salivary glands expelling saliva into my mouth. I never did the lemon drops. Not effective enough. Let's hope it worked. I love tasting food. (Although oddly I have lost my superhuman craving for sweet things since RAI). But that's probably a mental thing. Maybe I'm thinking healthier!! RedStar