Re: Has anyone had permanent salivary gland damage after RAI?

[Guest guest]

bbh765 wrote:

> I had my RAI in February and 6 months later my salivary glands swelled

> up and quit working. They've been like this for 2 months (and it's

> getting kind of old). Now I'm afraid this is permanent. Can anyone

> give me any insight?

Hi, -

I'm sorry you're having this problem :-(

The good news is that it's not likely to be permanent, but should dissipate over

the next months. The bad news is that you're likely to have the problem again

if you ever need another RAI treatment (or

possibly even a scan dose).

Are you able to find any relief?

If not, you may want to try some of the suggestions in

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Thyca/messages/12573

Please keep us posted.

NYC

[Guest guest]

> I had my RAI in February and 6 months later my salivary glands

swelled

> up and quit working. They've been like this for 2 months (and it's

> getting kind of old). Now I'm afraid this is permanent. Can anyone

> give me any insight?

>

>

Hey ,

I too am sorry you're dealing with this; I too have a somewhat

similar problem: My RAI was last October (almost a year ago), and for

3-4 months I had swelling and some tenderness, but the weird thing is

this past August, and then again this month, my saliva glands have

swollen up and become very painful: just like the mumps. The doctors

told me it wasn't residual RAI, but I have read that RAI can damage

the saliva ducts causing this condition (saliodentis? something like

that) where the glands (or gland) swell, become painfully hard, and

even more so when you eat. It was terrible. But, both times it lasted

only 3-4 days and then went away. So, I don't know if I'm destined to

deal with this always, or what. Anyhow....... I hope yours goes away

soon, but there may be a chance it could recur later on, like mine. I

make it through by taking Ibuprofen, and sticking ice packs on my

cheeks.........the cold really feels good.

Good Luck.

Jana

TT 09-02 (metastatic papillary)

RAI 230mci 10-02

Follow up Scan to come very soon

[Guest guest]

-Dear ,

I have had the same problems too. I does go away. Unfortunately, it

has returned a few times for me. My advice (and my doctors) is to not

eat food that will make you salivate first during your meal. He

suggested that I wash my mouth with warm water before I eat to get

the salivary glands moving before I dig into that juicy burger! Warm

compresses also helped as well as advil when it got really bad. You

should also massage the gland from the jaw line up past your ear,

into your cheek. This helps to stimulate the gland as well. My doctor

said if it hurts, you are doing it right.

Good luck to you.

, N.Y.

-- In Thyca , " bbh765 " wrote:

> I had my RAI in February and 6 months later my salivary glands

swelled

> up and quit working. They've been like this for 2 months (and it's

> getting kind of old). Now I'm afraid this is permanent. Can anyone

> give me any insight?

>

>

[Guest guest]

,

I have had two RAI's for a cumulative of just a snich over 300 mCi.

My submandibular salivary glands (under the ears) are always little

golf balls. They can hurt, they can zing but they're always hard.

My endo explained that there are two phases, acute and chronic. I

have just finished with my " acute " i.e. pain and suffering and a

TON of Advil. I am now square in the middle of the chronic phase and

aside from a bit of angst at the damage caused there is no need for

ibuprofen. From what I have read this seems to be a highly

individualized reaction to the RAI.

I hope yours quite down and soften up,

Shelagh

> I had my RAI in February and 6 months later my salivary glands

swelled

> up and quit working. They've been like this for 2 months (and it's

> getting kind of old). Now I'm afraid this is permanent. Can anyone

> give me any insight?

>

>

[Guest guest]

BRENDA:

I'M IN THE SAME SITUATION,BUT IN MY CASE I GOT ONLY ONE GLAND WORKING.MY ENDO

SAID IT'S PERMANENT BUT THERE ARE SOME TREATMENT TOO.THEY SAID I HAVE TO WAIT

AND SEE WHAT TO DO.

I THINK YOU SHOULD ASK THEM FOR AN ALTERNATIVE.EVERY CASE IS DIFERENT SO BETTER

ASK.

GOOD LUCK,

MARIELA.

bbh765 bbh765@...> wrote:

I had my RAI in February and 6 months later my salivary glands swelled

up and quit working. They've been like this for 2 months (and it's

getting kind of old). Now I'm afraid this is permanent. Can anyone

give me any insight?