# One week post RAI



## kpn_chin_up

So I had 129 mc I131 last week. I was in isolation for 4 days, and now having limited contact with my wife and cat.

After the pill, I didn't have any symptoms besides a bit of nausea, and the doc had prescribed an anti-nausea medication for me to prevent me from vomiting, and it did the trick. While I've felt some slight pain in the neck and the throat, I have not had any issue with swallowing or with the salivary glands.

I do have a question: Today I realized that I have no taste in my mouth. I finally have been eating foods that were familiar to me, and I've noticed that I can barely tell if something is sweet or salty. For example, I was eating some pie and some granola, and neither of them seemed sweet. Since I had eaten them before, I finally realized that the reason everything tasted so bland was that my sense of taste is completely off.

Has anyone else experienced this? And how long might it last?

I have my follow up WBS tomorrow so I'll check with my doctor as well.

Thanks...


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## Andros

kpn_chin_up said:


> So I had 129 mc I131 last week. I was in isolation for 4 days, and now having limited contact with my wife and cat.
> 
> After the pill, I didn't have any symptoms besides a bit of nausea, and the doc had prescribed an anti-nausea medication for me to prevent me from vomiting, and it did the trick. While I've felt some slight pain in the neck and the throat, I have not had any issue with swallowing or with the salivary glands.
> 
> I do have a question: Today I realized that I have no taste in my mouth. I finally have been eating foods that were familiar to me, and I've noticed that I can barely tell if something is sweet or salty. For example, I was eating some pie and some granola, and neither of them seemed sweet. Since I had eaten them before, I finally realized that the reason everything tasted so bland was that my sense of taste is completely off.
> 
> Has anyone else experienced this? And how long might it last?
> 
> I have my follow up WBS tomorrow so I'll check with my doctor as well.
> 
> Thanks...


Just a thought! Your salivary glands may be reacting to the radiation. Have you been advised to suck on lemon drops and such to promote saliva?

Good to hear from you; you sound of good cheer and that happens to be 80% of the battle if not more!


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## Jaimee

I lost my sense of taste too, around day 5 post RAI. It returned completely by 3-4 weeks. Watch out for dry mouth which would indicate salivary damage. I found Biotene products to be WAY more useful than the sour candy my doc prescribed! The mouthwash is especially soothing.


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## randymorris

Andros said:


> Just a thought! Your salivary glands may be reacting to the radiation. Have you been advised to suck on lemon drops and such to promote saliva?!


I was told that I will need them too (lemon drops), problem is, I was told that I am to remain in the low iodine diet incase I need another dose of RI131 glow

All the lemon drops I found contain some form of soy product in them, and soy is a no-no on the iodine free hit list its really confusing me because it all contradicts itself...


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## Jaimee

You can also use the sour jolly ranchers. I found them to work quite a bit better than any lemon candies. The red dye used in them is not the one that interferes with the iodine. I used lemon in my gallon of water a day too. But I still had salivary troubles and still do now 2 months later. The Biotene products have helped way more. I also drank sour diet sodas for awhile (though I am not typically a soda drinker) and that seemed to slightly increase my salivation when it was at its worst.

And I too was told to stay on the LID until after my scan, so I was very careful to avoid offending foods.


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## Andros

Jaimee said:


> You can also use the sour jolly ranchers. I found them to work quite a bit better than any lemon candies. The red dye used in them is not the one that interferes with the iodine. I used lemon in my gallon of water a day too. But I still had salivary troubles and still do now 2 months later. The Biotene products have helped way more. I also drank sour diet sodas for awhile (though I am not typically a soda drinker) and that seemed to slightly increase my salivation when it was at its worst.
> 
> And I too was told to stay on the LID until after my scan, so I was very careful to avoid offending foods.


Jaimee; thanks for your insight on all of this. There is nothing like the voice of experience. I never had to go through what you have (thank goodness) so did not have a clue.


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