# during RAI, what sucking candies on LID



## crimebuff (May 25, 2012)

Going for my RAI on Wednesday, so I know I should suck lemon drops-why lemon by he way? Anyway, assuming I'm still on LID does anyone know what drops would be on the diet-i'm getting so weary of this LID stuff...


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## momof5 (Jun 21, 2012)

I just got done with my RAI a week and a half ago, I totally understand being tired of the LID. I was SO ready to be done with it! 
As for lemon drops- I don't think it strictly has to be lemon drops. I think they say sour candies only because they produce more saliva than regular candies, thus preventing your salivary glands from being damaged. I had a variety of sour candies so I didn't get tired of just one kind. I liked lemonheads and sour skittles too. As far as I know both of those are OK for the LID. 
The Thyrogen and RAI were not as bad as I thought they would be. My imagination definately got the best of me! 
Good luck!:hugs:


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

Here is a link to a study referenced on the American Thyroid Association website about this question:

http://www.thyroid.org/patients/ct/volume3/issue9/ct_patients_v39_7_8.html

In case you don't want to click the link, here are a couple of summary paragraphs:

*What were the results of the study?*
The absorbed radiation was about 28% less in the non-lemon slice group, especially in the parotid glands. Lemon slices increased the initial uptake of the RAI by salivary glands, but did not speed up the saliva flow out of the salivary glands with RAI. The net effect was to prolong the radiation exposure of the salivary glands in the lemon slice group.

*How does this compare with other studies? *
A prior study reported in this journal (Farahati, J. Salivary stimulation with vitamin C at any time after I-131 therapy has no major effect on salivary uptake of I-131 in Clinical Thyroidology for Patients, Vol 3, May 2010) showed no effect of increasing salivary flow on radiation exposure. Other studies demonstrate increased risk of sialadenitis and other forms of damage to the salivary glands when saliva flow was stimulated with lemon drops immediately after RAI compared to lemon drop use delayed by 24 hours after treatment.

*What are the implications of this study?* 
Salivary gland stimulation with lemon drops/slices/juice immediately after RAI treatment results in more radiation complications compared to a delay of 24 hours. The benefit of any lemon drops/slices salivary stimulation at any time after RAI treatment has not been proven. It is recommended that no salivary gland stimulation protocols with lemon drops/slices should be used until further studies discover a better method of reducing these radiation risks.

- Jerrold Stock, MD


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