# petscan after rai



## Squishee (Jul 16, 2012)

Hi everyone. I took my rai (the lowest dose) for stage T1 papillary cancer on may 2nd. I went back one week later on the 9th for my petscan. When he went over it with me he could see that it had not spread to any of my organs or anywhere else in my body. But the rai was still doing its thing on my thyroid so he can't tell if it gets all of it until the next petscan and he told me I have to come back in 10 months and do the lid again and do my next petscan. But I'm just wondering, shouldn't they check sooner than 10 months? They removed 11 lymph nodes 6 of which were cancerous. I'm nervous and here it is 2.5 months later and I'm thinking this is still in the back of my mind because I'm having panic attacks so badly. I can barely function. I'm scared and I want to know officially if it is completely out of me. Also how often are you supposed to get a petscan after thyroid cancer survey for cancer? Once a year? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

The RAI works for months after receiving your therapy dose, so the common protocol is to wait a year and the repeat your scan.

Since you have to get a traced dose of radioactive iodine for the san to be effective, I was told that they try to limit the amount of scans in a 12 month period, if possible. That, and thyroid cancer grows REALLY slowly...so you should be just fine!


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

I was told that the RAI continues working for up to 12 months (I believe that was an exaggeration, honestly, but it does keep working for several months). The standard protocol at my hospital is yearly scans until you are clear for 3 years in a row. After that, I don't know what the plan is--maybe 5 years from that last scan?


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## Squishee (Jul 16, 2012)

I'm having such a hard time with all of this. I just want to know. I've been having terrible panic attacks and horrible thoughts since all of this. Everyone wants to put me on an antidepressant but I just don't want to. I've been on synthroid since my surgery in january
And this is getting out of control. I don't know if its suppressed emotions from everything or my synthroid dose. I'm a.smidge above normal...maybe that's a smidge too high for me. Or if I am.just plain going crazy and I am just one of those people that has to be on an antidepressant forever. No offense to anyone who is - I just never thought of myself as a person like that. My anxiety and panic symptoms coincide exactly with hyperthyroid symptoms and eventhough they say my numbers a little above normal, what is normal for one person isn't normal for every person. I don't know what's what anymore and I'm feeling very hopeless.


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## Squishee (Jul 16, 2012)

I also wanted to mention that Ive been getting random burning twinges on my neck and I was wondering if that was normal. They are short maybe a few seconds.

Also, can papillary thyroid cancer turn into anything else? Like another form of cancer?

They only took 11 lymphnodes out of my right side including my entire thyroid but nothing on the left side because they didn't see any nods.

I'm sorry I'm just having a hard time.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Ok deep breaths. 

First, it is scary! I appreciate that! I had three cancerous lymph nodes and that was a surprise to hear! But stress generally speaking, is bad for you body, so you are doing yourself a disservice. Take care of yourself, get lots of sleep, eat right and exercise...it's the very best you can do. If you remember to live and not let the cancer rule your world, I suspect you'll be surprised at how quickly the year will pass and the time for your scan will arrive.

Second, if it does come back, you'll likely receive another therapy dose. No big deal. Yes, it's a pain in the neck (no pun intended), but it's not big deal either. Follow up surgery does occasionally take place, but very, very rarely.

Does thyroid cancer sometimes turn into other cancers? It can spread to other organs but that takes years of nit decades. If they didn't see anything else on your scan, I can't imagine it is in the realm of possibilities that you have a different cancer now.

When were you latest labs taken? Do you have the results and ranges? It's very possible you are too hyper and need some kind of adjustment.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Oh, and also, a number of us, myself included, had lots of weird sensations in our necks for months after the surgery. I do believe thats par for the course for neck surgery. But if you ever have a question, call your surgeon.


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