# WARNING - RAI & sun exposure



## 911*

Hi there,
Having just returned from the doctor I thought it important to post this message to anyone out there who has just had, or is likely to have RAI.

I had RAI last Wednesday. On Saturday I sat in the sun. I am a regular sun worshipper (not fanatical with sun beds) but always take care in the sun. Anyway on Saturday I used sun cream but despite this I ended up getting severely burnt.:mad: I have never, ever burnt like this in the sun before. I put this down to the RAI and set about minimising the sunburn with lots of aftersun cream and moisturiser. The sting of the sunburn went by Monday and I just had the thought of the peeling to look forward to. Yesterday (Wednesday) I started peeling on my back and it feels like someone is holding a red hot iron to my back.  The pain is unbearable and as a man was embarrassed to find myself crying with the pain. Not only that but the skin is coming away in large sheets and is very thick and crusty, leaving red raw skin beneath it. In places it is even bleeding. 

I visited my doctor this afternoon and she informed me that any medical treatment that involves radiation can affect your skin's sensitivity to the sun and that I should have been told this when I had RAI. All she can do for me now is give me pain killers but has advised me to stay out of the sun as much as possible, wear a hat and use as high a factor sun cream as I can find.

Why wasn't I told about this side effect??? Has anyone else suffered like this??? 

If you are going to have RAI please, please, please stay out of the sun and avoid this excruciating pain that is so debilitating.

regards,
911*


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## NastyHashi

They certainly should have told to you.....staying out of the sun after RAI is a pretty well known issue.....even crummy docs will usually mention it.....its up there with drinking lots of water and staying away from kids for a few days afterwards.....hope you feel better soon.


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## GD Women

WOW! Thanks for posting your experience, but sorry about the burn and pain. I am a sun worshiper too. I can't remember if they told me about the sun and I certainly would not have associated the two. But I had my RAI just after summer when all my summer sun activities ended. I did have a heck of a tan though.

Here is some info. to keep in mind when out in the sun. Hope the links take.

*Chemicals in sunscreens may disrupt thyroid hormones:*UV-absorbing chemicals used in sunscreens may disturb production of thyroid hormone, according to new work being presented at the European Congress of Endocrinology in Glasgow. German researchers looked at rats exposed to the UV-absorbing chemicals 4MBC (also used in some anti-aging creams) and benzophenone 2 (BP2). They found that after treating the rats with 4MBC for 5 days, the levels of thyroid stimulating hormone were significantly raised (with the other main t...)
Read More: http://www.innovations-report.de/html/berichte/biowissenschaften_chemie/bericht-57403.html

*Chemicals In Sunscreens May Disrupt Thyroid Hormones*UV-absorbing chemicals used in sunscreens may disturb production of thyroid hormone, according to new work being presented at the European Congress of Endocrinology in Glasgow. German researchers.....
Read More: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=40861

I just hurt thinking about you. I hope you have a speedy and painless as possible, recovery.


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## Mal Deeley

911 I feel sorry for you, we all in the UK know that when the sun comes out it makes us feel good and we need to go out in it.

I hope you get better soon.

I also suffer from Discoid Lupus and have been warned to stay out of the sun and wear the highest factor sun cream available. a good factor 50 but its like putting emulsion paint on your skin!

Does anyone know if these chemicals in suncream is used in all or some products, I am going to be working on an airfield in Jul for 2 weeks and that gets really hot and I dont want to get seriously burnt or affect my chances of the RAI working.

Mal


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## GD Women

You will have to check each one for ingredients.

I don't use sunscreens or even baby sunscreens, for I have skin reactions to them. I use to use a home mixture of baby oil and iodine. Baby oil to keep skin from drying out and iodine to keep from burning or incase of any burns. For my skin it gave a beautiful deep tan, but I have that type of skin anyway. However, due to my summer water activities, baby oil is too slippery, so I use nothing.


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## Bean

Thank You 911, Im having RAI tomorrow morning and was looking forward to a bit of sunbathing during my 'sick leave' from work.Looks like I will be decorating after all. Hope you feel better soon.


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## Bean

Hi,I had my RAI yesterday and im pleased to say that apart from a strange headache (that went after anadin), I have had no side effects. It was a low dose and my Doctor was very laid back about the precautions when I got home. Keeping a 3 foot distance from my husband and sleeping in separate rooms but not much else. No rubber gloves, separate eating utensils or flushing the toilet twice. Obviously no kids or pregnant women near me. As one of you said 'RAI is very uneventful'. Thank you, It IS !! My Doctor said that I could sunbathe but after 911's experience im not going to try. Took my first Levothyroxine this morning. Ive heard that you have to leave an hour between the pill and breakfast, is this true? My Doc just said take before breakfast, didnt mention any waiting.


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