Travel after RAI

[Guest guest]

Just heard on the local radio travel show:

While going through customs, returning from Mexico,

loud beeps went off! After many questions, they

decided he was still radio active after having had

a nuclear stress test 10 days prior to traveling!

So, another precaution after RAI ablation:

if you will be traveling soon, bring notice

from your doctor that you ingested ~ amount of

radioactive material. Hmm, one way to see if

you can be close to children/pets/mates again? ;-)

Jo in AZ

[Guest guest]

Jo in AZ,

The nuclear med clinic in the hospital I am going to said the same thing

to me. I am traveling out of state for my treatment and will be flying.

She said I will not be able to return home until my radiation levels come

down low enough or I also will set off alarms at the airport. That would be

so embarrasing!!

Blessings Friend!!

Barbra-Sue of Alaska )

" Trust in the Lord with all your heart, " Proverbs 3:5

[Guest guest]

Barbra-Sue wrote:

>

> Jo in AZ,

> The nuclear med clinic in the hospital I am going to said the same thing

> to me. I am traveling out of state for my treatment and will be flying.

> She said I will not be able to return home until my radiation levels come

> down low enough or I also will set off alarms at the airport. That would be

> so embarrasing!!

Barbara-Sue,

These are two separate issues.

Not being able to fly for a while after your treatment is important, because you

don't want to expose others to your radioactivity.

Airport radiation alarms are far more sensitive (at least they should be), and

we've had members who have set them off as much as 8 weeks after treatment.

There was even a story about someone setting off

radiation detectors at New York's Grand Central Station after having had a PET

scan (after which there are no required precautions at all).

When you are safe enough to travel, it is wise to have a letter from your doctor

explaining that you have recently had radioiodine treatment, although, according

to an article from the NY Times, " Doctors say

Police Department officials have recommended that patients carry letters from

their doctors to avoid confusion, but the police said that they had issued no

broad recommendations and that such letters would

not suffice to resolve the matter. "

BTW - out of curiosity, do you know how much RAI you'll be getting, and how long

did they say you'd need before you'd be safe to travel?

NYC

[Guest guest]

,

Thanks for the insight on traveling on airplanes after my RAI. The

hospital seemed to think I'd be safe to fly after only a few days.... I also

have to be at safe levels before I am allowed in the Mc type

house we want to stay in....it's not a Mc House.... but that's

the best description of it. I am afraid my isolation may be longer for

that reason..... I can't just go home and isolate myself in another room.

I will add that to my list that I need a note from my doc to travel. I

should be flying on military aircraft which have different security than a

regular airport....so some of it may not be an issue.

As to my dosage and such I am not sure. My situation is a bit

complicated because of distance. I am being treated here by an ENT (ear

nose and throat doc)....There is not an endo in my state. I have not yet

seen the endo or nuclear med docs that will treat me. Thankfully I feel

comfortable with my ENT and he has done this before....so while it's not his

specialty I feel he's taking good care of me.

Blessings Friend!!

Barbra-Sue of Alaska )

" Trust in the Lord with all your heart, " Proverbs 3:5

[Guest guest]

> As to my dosage and such I am not sure.

> My situation is a bit complicated because of distance.

> I am being treated here by an ENT (ear

> nose and throat doc)....There is not an endo in my state.

Actually when you go to the AACE website (American Association of

Clinical Endocrinologists) to " Find an Endo " , it does list 4 Endos

practicing General Endocrinology in Anchorage. I'm not suggesting

they are ideal for your treatment, but it might be good to have one of

them for future monitoring of your bloodwork, neck checks and any

additonal follow-up.

Marilyn

Dx in 1994, papillary w/follicular variant & lung metastases.

Positive scans in '94,'95,'96,'97,'98. 435mCi's RAI.

Clean scans '99,'00,'02,'03...the last two scans w/Thyrogen.

[Guest guest]

Barbra-Sue wrote:

> ,

> Thanks for the insight on traveling on airplanes after my RAI. The

> hospital seemed to think I'd be safe to fly after only a few days.... I also

> have to be at safe levels before I am allowed in the Mc type

> house we want to stay in....it's not a Mc House.... but that's

> the best description of it. I am afraid my isolation may be longer for

> that reason..... I can't just go home and isolate myself in another room.

I know it's hard to appreciate it now, but having the hospitalized isolation,

and what I'm guessing is a hospital affiliated facility, is really a great

thing. If only you could read some of the letters

from panicked mothers who have young children in their small homes, nowhere else

to stay, and hospitals refusing to keep them even overnight.

Interesting that they'd allow you to get on a plane after only a few days, but

require you to cool off for a few more days before allowing you to stay at this

facility. Kinda tells you something?

> I will add that to my list that I need a note from my doc to travel. I

> should be flying on military aircraft which have different security than a

> regular airport....so some of it may not be an issue.

I would imagine it will make a big difference, but it always pays to be

prepared. I'd like to think our military would think twice about allowing a

radioactive person onboard, even if they're reasonably

certain you're not a terrorist.

> As to my dosage and such I am not sure. My situation is a bit

> complicated because of distance. I am being treated here by an ENT (ear

> nose and throat doc)....There is not an endo in my state. I have not yet

> seen the endo or nuclear med docs that will treat me. Thankfully I feel

> comfortable with my ENT and he has done this before....

I must say, you guys in Alaska really do have a particularly hard time of it.

I can't imagine having to do all the traveling that you do, especially while

hypo. Then again, however beautiful your state

is, I also can't imagine living through your winters, ;-)

> while it's not his specialty I feel he's taking good care of me.

That's great. But he is undoubtedly organizing your care with the nuclear med

doc in Washington (I think you said?), and he might have some idea of what dose

they're planning to give you. Of course,

they may not know for sure until they do a pre ablative scan, assuming they'll

be doing one.

To step back on my soapbox for a moment, there is something very wrong with a

system that would allow someone to board a commercial plane a few days after an

ablative dose, meaning that person will be

spending several hours in extremely close contact with large numbers of people,

including, very possibly, children, pregnant women, and/or immune compromised

people. But I'm glad that person won't be you

:-)

NYC

[Guest guest]

Thank you Marilyn for the info on endos in Anchorage. Unfortunately I don

t live close to them either..... we are 365 miles from Anchorage (although a

tad closer than Seattle). I am also under the treatment of military

doctors so i suspect that's why they told me there were no endos in Alaska..

..they meant in the military. I'll keep it in mind, however I do not have

the freedom to choose my doctors., trade off for free medical care.

Thankfully the military is also footing the bill for my husband and I to fly

and stay in Washington for my treatment. I don't know what we would have

done this year between my daughter's medical issues and my own had we not

had the medical care we do.

Blessings Friend!!

Barbra-Sue of Alaska )

" Trust in the Lord with all your heart, " Proverbs 3:5

[Guest guest]

,

I so enjoy your posts!!

This first RAI will certainly be an adventure. I do know that I won't

be traveling for at least 8 days after my treatment. They will be doing a 7

day scan and if we time it right I will only be gone 2 weeks from my family

rather than 3. Which I am hoping....my parents have to head back to FL

whether I am home or not..... so I hope to be home.

I had to chuckle about your statement about our military.... I cringe at

commercials that advertise..... approved by military....big whoop..... they

don't always have very high standards!

I am glad I don't have to be concerned about exposing my children,

husband or dog to radiation. I actually called them in a panic because I

thought they were planning to send me to the hotel after giving me the

radiation and after reading " Your Hospital Stay " at the Thyca website..... I

don't want to expose my husband to any of that. They told me they have some

sort of machine that they will bring in to test me.... if it beeps I can not

even leave the hospital much less fly.

Yes.... my doc is coordinating with my other docs in Washington.... he

has done this often and they have a good system worked out to make this

transition easier..... at least they say so.....

All the traveling is difficult.... especially with our children

involved, my parents are coming from Florida so I can travel to Washington.

Actually trying to stay on the diet is what I am anticipating to be the most

difficult while traveling and being hypo. I will be going on a military

medivac flight...so I hope they will be somewhat familiar with my dietary

needs but from what you all have said about hospitals... I am not so sure...

.. I plan to take some things with me...just in case. Thankfully I have

a dear friend in Washington who has volunteered to make me some LID meals

and freeze them to ease our travel woes...... she also asked that I pleased

question every ingredient in her meals....as she is also concerned about

preparing foods for me that truly are appropriate. She is an angel!

I think I'd rather deal with a hundred Alaskan winters and -60 (below

zero) then deal with any of this..... not to mention summer is our reward

for our long cold winter. We backpack with our 3 kids and we've had the joy

of sleeping 100 feet from glaciers..... hiking in some of the most pristine

areas of our country.... watching for grizzlies, moose and caribou.... and

hoping they don't see us either...... I can't describe how it feels to

stroll through the river valley and see a grizzly and her cubs....truly

incredible. Can't wait to get back out there and put all of THIS behind

me!

Blessings Friend!!

Barbra-Sue of Alaska )

" Trust in the Lord with all your heart, " Proverbs 3:5

[Guest guest]

Hi Barbra-Sue in Alaska,

With proper documentation, you should still be able to travel

back home, but you WOULD set off the alarms.

Don't be embarrassed, but figure in some extra time to get

cleared through.....

Jo in AZ

>

> Jo in AZ,

> The nuclear med clinic in the hospital I am going to said the

same thing to me. I am traveling out of state for my treatment and

will be flying.

> She said I will not be able to return home until my radiation

levels come

> down low enough or I also will set off alarms at the airport. That

would be so embarrasing!!

>

>

> Blessings Friend!!

> Barbra-Sue of Alaska )

> " Trust in the Lord with all your heart, " Proverbs 3:5

[Guest guest]

> With proper documentation, you should still be able to travel

> back home, but you WOULD set off the alarms.

> Don't be embarrassed, but figure in some extra time to get

> cleared through.....

> Jo in AZ

>

> >

> > Jo in AZ,

> > The nuclear med clinic in the hospital I am going to said the

> same thing to me. I am traveling out of state for my treatment and

> will be flying.

> > She said I will not be able to return home until my radiation

> levels come

> > down low enough or I also will set off alarms at the airport.

That

> would be so embarrasing!!

> >

> >

* * * * * * * * * *

What alarms are you guys referring to? If you mean the walk-thru ones

at the security gates, I don't think you have to worry. My hubby

works for the TSA and said that if you set them of because of RAI in

your system, your biggest problem would be that you're dead anyway!

Also, a letter from God Himself won't help matters if the alarms go

off. They will just pull you aside and wand you a couple of times.

Our advice is to give yourself an extra 1/2 hour more than you

normally would for a flight. If something happens, think of it as an

interesting anecdote for this year's Christmas letter!! ;-)

Donna

/\ /\

" "

>*<

[Guest guest]

Some airports are specifically checking for radiation

in addition to the usual metal detectors we all go through now.

Dear Christmas Letter: interesting situations while undergoing

hunt for thyroid cancer............... Jo

> > > The nuclear med clinic in the hospital I am going to said

the

> > same thing to me. I am traveling out of state for my treatment

and

> > will be flying.

> > > She said I will not be able to return home until my radiation

> > levels come

> > > down low enough or I also will set off alarms at the airport.

> That would be so embarrasing!!

> > >

> > >

> * * * * * * * * * *

> What alarms are you guys referring to? If you mean the walk-thru

ones

> at the security gates, I don't think you have to worry. My hubby

> works for the TSA and said that if you set them of because of RAI

in

> your system, your biggest problem would be that you're dead anyway!

> Also, a letter from God Himself won't help matters if the alarms go

> off. They will just pull you aside and wand you a couple of times.

> Our advice is to give yourself an extra 1/2 hour more than you

> normally would for a flight. If something happens, think of it as

an

> interesting anecdote for this year's Christmas letter!! ;-)

> Donna

> /\ /\

> " "

> >*<