My husband has to go in for radioactive iodine treatment for thyroid cancer?

My husband has to go in for radioactive
iodine treatment for thyroid cancer?

We're told that he has to stay in the
hospital for three days while he becomes less radioactive. What are the rules?

Are visitors allowed? We heard a rumour
about radioactive suits for visitors? However I'm 7 months pregnant, and
probbaly won't be able to go in regardless.

But we don't have our appointment or
contact with any doctors until the 11th, so we're anxious to find out some info
on the situation.

Is he allowed to bring anything in with
him for entertainment? How does it work...

Answers

No, absolutely no visitors are allowed.
the Iodine used for this treatment gives off a very high amount of radiation
meant for KILLING cancer cells, hundreds if not thousands of timer higher than
the amount used in an Xray.

You should at all costs not visit him
during this treatment, and make sure the doctors say its ok to be around him
afterward. Radiation to a developing fetus can cause serious birth defects like
arm and leg deformations.

Basically what happens is that your
husband will be staying three days in a hospital room lined with 10 inch thick
lead walls to prevent any radiation from leaving the room. Iodine is a
substance that is only absorbed and used by the thyroid gland to make Thyroxine
(T4) the main thyroid hormone in your body. However, iodine is also absorbed by
thyroid cancer cells. Since the iodine is radioactive, once it is absorbed by
the cancer cells, it will began radiating them and killing them. Soem amount of
radiation is still received by other parts of the body though.

Yes, he is allowed to bring items with
him for entertainment, as long as they are not people.

The nurses will only see him a couple of
times for meals and a simple check up to avoid exposure.

Source(s):

16 year old survivor of Hodgkin's
Lymphoma cancer

Shadows a radiation oncologist once a week

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