Re: 200 mCi as outpatient !

[Guest guest]

My personal opinion is that it is disgusting that hospitals now allow

people who have had over 30mci RAI out, immediately after receiving

their dose. Thankfully where I live (in Toronto, Canada) they still

keep patients in isolation (although that may change here too). I

spent 3 nights in the hospital isolation room after both my 150mci and

220mci doses. No visits, not even from nurses or those delivering

meals. My husband came by the door once a day to bring a newspaper

and wave through the window on my door. On the forth day after my

220mci dose, the tech came in to measure me in the morning. I still

wasn't under the 30mci measure, so I stayed a few more hours until I

was. I sat in the third row of seats in our van for the ride home and

then spent another week in isolation at home.

Is it really worth the monetary savings to expose so many people

including vulnerable children? Why do they bother delivering the RAI

liquid or pill to the patient in a lead container and then send the

patient home? Shouldn't the patient also be in a lead container for

the trip home?

Rita

tt Feb '99 pap ca

RAI Apr '99 150mci

RAI May '00 220mci

> While we were discussing Vern's options yesterday, the endo

mentioned

> that up to 200 mCi RAI is done as outpatient. Did not seem

concerned

> that the pt. might ride for 2 hours or more next to a driver on the

> trip home. Vern said, " i'm not taking a dose that would endanger my

> wife! " Thankfully, endo agreed 300 was a better dose for him.

> However, he is scheduled for only a two day stay, so it looks like

he

> will still be glowing pretty good when he is discharged.

>

> If the weather is bad we'll be riding side by side in a 4wd pickup

on

> the trip home. Otherwise he'll be in the back seat of our little

> Ford Contour. I already take synthroid, could this kill off what

> little thyroid function I have left?

[Guest guest]

Good morning!

I had to have my RAI inpatient isolation.

I had my first one a year ago.

I feel I was exposed as a fetus to I-131 and I would really hate to be the

cause of a baby to go through what I have so I think the safety issue is

important. Afterall I was only diagnosed 47 years after exposure. I have a

120 mile drive to get home if I was outpatient I could contaminate our

border patrol agents and my husband could glow. lol Now when I would get

home I would not be a bother to anything other than my cows that are not

that friendly.

I have sent everything to the surgeon in Houston so hopefully he will call

me this week and set a surgery date. I wanted to camp out in his office but

then I did some thinking and remembered that after he did my bi-lateral neck

dissection I paid him cash and he went on vacation. He could have had

another me, (without insurance paying cash), last week and vacationing this

week and I would have to camp out in his hallway. The building has an

elevator that talks! But I am sure after a few days of playing on the

elevator I would be bored. Where I live I have to drive 120 miles to find a

building over two stories to play on elevators and none of them talk.

I hope ya'll have a nice day.

Gloria

Ranch

Gloria &

Re: 200 mCi as outpatient !

> My personal opinion is that it is disgusting that hospitals now allow

> people who have had over 30mci RAI out, immediately after receiving

> their dose. Thankfully where I live (in Toronto, Canada) they still

> keep patients in isolation (although that may change here too). I

> spent 3 nights in the hospital isolation room after both my 150mci and

> 220mci doses. No visits, not even from nurses or those delivering

> meals. My husband came by the door once a day to bring a newspaper

> and wave through the window on my door. On the forth day after my

> 220mci dose, the tech came in to measure me in the morning. I still

> wasn't under the 30mci measure, so I stayed a few more hours until I

> was. I sat in the third row of seats in our van for the ride home and

> then spent another week in isolation at home.

> Is it really worth the monetary savings to expose so many people

> including vulnerable children? Why do they bother delivering the RAI

> liquid or pill to the patient in a lead container and then send the

> patient home? Shouldn't the patient also be in a lead container for

> the trip home?

>

>

> Rita

> tt Feb '99 pap ca

> RAI Apr '99 150mci

> RAI May '00 220mci

>

>

>

> > While we were discussing Vern's options yesterday, the endo

> mentioned

> > that up to 200 mCi RAI is done as outpatient. Did not seem

> concerned

> > that the pt. might ride for 2 hours or more next to a driver on the

> > trip home. Vern said, " i'm not taking a dose that would endanger my

> > wife! " Thankfully, endo agreed 300 was a better dose for him.

> > However, he is scheduled for only a two day stay, so it looks like

> he

> > will still be glowing pretty good when he is discharged.

> >

> > If the weather is bad we'll be riding side by side in a 4wd pickup

> on

> > the trip home. Otherwise he'll be in the back seat of our little

> > Ford Contour. I already take synthroid, could this kill off what

> > little thyroid function I have left?

>

>

>

> For more information regarding thyroid cancer visit www.thyca.org. If you

do not wish to belong to this group, you may UNSUBSCRIBE by sending a blank

email to thyca-unsubscribe

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I'm a fan of the larger dose and isolation, don't get me wrong. My

health care provider covers it and my doctor and the nuclear staff

schedule it accordingly.

But when I consider that the ONLY alternative for some of these folks

is the apparently useless 30mci outpatient option (per their insurance

or common practice), I am a bit less outraged and believe it is

vitally important that people be well advised about how to safely

quarantine themselves and protect others.

If I were faced with only the 30mci option, I would be thankful that I

had the option of a larger dose. All we can ask is that people get

MUCH BETTER INFORMATION than I fear they are. That's how we can all

help!

Just my opinion.

Judy Minnesota

48

dx 2/99 papillary tt 4/99 RAI (156) 7/99

botched followup

radical right dissection 4/00

surgery for lymph nodes (various) 8/01

surgery scheduled again 9/27

RAI (dose unknown) in my future

Levothroid .175

> > While we were discussing Vern's options yesterday, the endo

> mentioned

> > that up to 200 mCi RAI is done as outpatient. Did not seem

> concerned

> > that the pt. might ride for 2 hours or more next to a driver on

the

> > trip home. Vern said, " i'm not taking a dose that would endanger

my

> > wife! " Thankfully, endo agreed 300 was a better dose for him.

> > However, he is scheduled for only a two day stay, so it looks like

> he

> > will still be glowing pretty good when he is discharged.

> >

> > If the weather is bad we'll be riding side by side in a 4wd pickup

> on

> > the trip home. Otherwise he'll be in the back seat of our little

> > Ford Contour. I already take synthroid, could this kill off what

> > little thyroid function I have left?

[Guest guest]

I hear you Rita...I'm pretty angry that I'm having 150mCi and going home...I'll

be in the third seat in the van too and isolated to my second floor until my

scan...two days later. As much as I wasn't looking forward to being in the

hospital in isolation...I'd rather have that than even taking the chance of

exposing my kids. I mean...how do I keep them away, especially when they know

mommy's in the house. I think this is going to be hard!

Amy

Re: 200 mCi as outpatient !

My personal opinion is that it is disgusting that hospitals now allow

people who have had over 30mci RAI out, immediately after receiving

their dose. Thankfully where I live (in Toronto, Canada) they still

keep patients in isolation (although that may change here too). I

spent 3 nights in the hospital isolation room after both my 150mci and

220mci doses. No visits, not even from nurses or those delivering

meals. My husband came by the door once a day to bring a newspaper

and wave through the window on my door. On the forth day after my

220mci dose, the tech came in to measure me in the morning. I still

wasn't under the 30mci measure, so I stayed a few more hours until I

was. I sat in the third row of seats in our van for the ride home and

then spent another week in isolation at home.

Is it really worth the monetary savings to expose so many people

including vulnerable children? Why do they bother delivering the RAI

liquid or pill to the patient in a lead container and then send the

patient home? Shouldn't the patient also be in a lead container for

the trip home?

Rita

tt Feb '99 pap ca

RAI Apr '99 150mci

RAI May '00 220mci

> While we were discussing Vern's options yesterday, the endo

mentioned

> that up to 200 mCi RAI is done as outpatient. Did not seem

concerned

> that the pt. might ride for 2 hours or more next to a driver on the

> trip home. Vern said, " i'm not taking a dose that would endanger my

> wife! " Thankfully, endo agreed 300 was a better dose for him.

> However, he is scheduled for only a two day stay, so it looks like

he

> will still be glowing pretty good when he is discharged.

>

> If the weather is bad we'll be riding side by side in a 4wd pickup

on

> the trip home. Otherwise he'll be in the back seat of our little

> Ford Contour. I already take synthroid, could this kill off what

> little thyroid function I have left?

[Guest guest]

I know how you feel, I was given 150mCi just this past Monday. I have

been home ever since, my husband and two sons have moved out of the

house until Sunday. Like you, I am afraid to touch anything in my

house fearful that it will effect them when they return. The funny

thing is they told me I could go back to work today- " IF " I stayed at

least 6 feet away from everyone in my office. Needless to say I

didn't go to work today.

> > While we were discussing Vern's options yesterday, the endo

> mentioned

> > that up to 200 mCi RAI is done as outpatient. Did not seem

> concerned

> > that the pt. might ride for 2 hours or more next to a driver on

the

> > trip home. Vern said, " i'm not taking a dose that would

endanger my

> > wife! " Thankfully, endo agreed 300 was a better dose for him.

> > However, he is scheduled for only a two day stay, so it looks

like

> he

> > will still be glowing pretty good when he is discharged.

> >

> > If the weather is bad we'll be riding side by side in a 4wd

pickup

> on

> > the trip home. Otherwise he'll be in the back seat of our

little

> > Ford Contour. I already take synthroid, could this kill off

what

> > little thyroid function I have left?

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi,

I'm sorry, I don't know your name, but wanted to tell you that you're

doing the right thing. Wearing surgical gloves would help a lot, as then you

wouldn't have to worry about what you touch.

I had 200mCi Wednesday morning and was released from the hospital this

afternoon, and they were very strict. Only doctors and RNs were allowed in

my room, and they wore badges which I think keep track of how much radiation

they are exposed to when in the room. They can only be in there a certain

amount of minutes a day. All wear surgical gloves, and I wore them too, the

whole time, so I wouldn't have to worry about touching things. I was able to

used my laptop, read books, etc., and bring them home, mostly because I live

alone and no one else will be touching my things or exposed to them in any

way.

I was not allowed to go home until my reading was the same as it would

be if I had had a 29.9mCi dose or less. Isolation is not a law any more in

Connecticut, but the Nuc Med. Dr. told me that more and more of his

colleagues are going back to keeping people, as they realize that the

difficulties in following all the rules at home are just too much for people

to deal with. So that was encouraging to hear.

This was my third dose of 200mCi and my third isolation. I hate being

cooped up like that, but wouldn't do it any other way. I am off the LID now,

and will begin my Synthroid and Cytomel tomorrow morning, so I am a happy

thycan tonight!!

Good Luck to all of you who are having RAI now or are preparing for it.

Carolyn-NY

mrnd 4cm lymph node-pap., 8/99

TT 0.2cm in isthmus, fol/pap., 9/99

mets to neck and lungs

RAI 200 mCi, 12/99

RAI 29.9 mCi (due to lab error on Tg) 8/00

RAI 200 mCi, 1/01

Thyrogen scan 7/27/01 clean (Tg 943)

RAI 200 mCi, 9/19/01

current recurrence in neck 1cm

Suppressed Tg down from 96 in 1/00 to 29 in 7/01

Synthroid .15 TSH .01

From:    keefurr@...

Reply-to:    Thyca

To:    Thyca

<<I know how you feel, I was given 150mCi just this past Monday. I have

been home ever since, my husband and two sons have moved out of the

house until Sunday. Like you, I am afraid to touch anything in my

house fearful that it will effect them when they return.  The funny

thing is they told me I could go back to work today- " IF " I stayed at

least 6 feet away from everyone in my office.  Needless to say I

didn't go to work today.>>