# Is 30 millicuries a small dose?



## bdavis

Hi, I have been posting on the newbie site and then I saw this one...I was told they will give me approx 30 millicuries when I get my RAI. My doctor said that is a very small dose and has downplayed the precautions I should take. I have small dogs and I really don't want to risk a 10 pound dog getting exposed. Has anyone here had this level of dose? I am also worried when I read about the flulike symptoms, and people who feel lousy. I am getting an outpatient dose, that's all I really know. My daughter wants to put me up in a hotel to minimize exposure to the family and pets but I wonder if we are over-reacting with this small dose? Or is it small? Thanks for any advice!


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## Octavia

It's a small dose, but you still want to take precautions to minimize exposure to others. Can you not quarantine yourself to one room for a few days?


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## bdavis

Hi! Oh absolutely I could...but my daughter is worried about my dogs...who would want to be with me in the bedroom. My doctor acts like it is a small dose and very little worry, but I read a bit differently online. I think it really is a matter of dose and I couldn't tell how small 30 was. To be honest, I am dreading the whole thing.


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## Octavia

Well, if your dogs are anything like mine, they'll be cuddling with you and/or on top of you the entire time. That's not good. Daughter can't watch the dogs for a few days while you're quarantined? Or can the dogs stay elsewhere in the house (outside of your room), and you walk them outside a few times a day?

There's a balance to be found here, I think...some give and take.

Yes, there can be side effects from the RAI, but that's not always the case. I had a 100 millicuries dose, and I did not have any symptoms/side effects.


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## bdavis

Yes, my dogs are cuddlers and small (one is on my lap right now)...I think exposing a 10 lb dog to it would be really bad. She can't watch them because she is a busy atty and actually I usually watch HERS every day. So, she came up with the hotel idea..her treat. i think that is unfair to the hotel staff though and I would rather be home and do my own bedding and clean up. SO, maybe we should board the dogs for a few days. I just wasn't sure how many...3? or 6? I read such different stuff. i am trying to think that 30 millicuries is so small that I can go with 3 days for everything.


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## Octavia

Here's an alternative idea: Can the dogs stay in a different room (kitchen, perhaps?) from you, using a baby gate? If you can do that, you can walk the dogs a few times a day, and that would be safe. They just can't be near you for long periods of time. I hate kenneling my dogs, so if it were me, I would definitely be exploring alternatives to a kennel. You have options...it's not like you can't be around people/animals at all, ever, during your quarantine time. You just can't be around them for extended periods. Walking the dogs around the block would be fine.


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## bdavis

I wish that would work. My house is all open floor plan so gates don't work...and the little monsters would be a pain trying to get to me. I agree about kenneling...I think I will send them to my daughter's house and maybe she can get someone else to watch ALL of them!!! Or I can drive over and give them walks. I feel a little like walking hazardous waste!


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## Octavia

Okay, now I'm really confused. So you don't live with your daughter? Then why would a hotel even come up? I must be missing something somewhere.

I think your solution of having the dogs stay at her house and you going over once or twice a day to walk them is a good one. That should keep everyone happy and safe, and it's a lot less expensive than a hotel or kennel.


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## bdavis

Oh, the hotel came up because she didn't want me to expose my family and dogs at MY house or her dogs at HER house! lol. I go to her house every day and walk and play with her dogs. And, my dogs are obviously with me the rest of the time. She thought the easiest thing for both households was to tuck me away. BUT, I would rather be home by myself and send the dogs and the family to her. Lucky her. We are really dog people, as you might be able to tell. Five dogs between us.

Yes, I told her "my solution" and she is mulling it over. She probably doesn't even want me walking them during the first few days. When I read stopthethyroidmadness, it is very against this and says that we expose others for weeks! I think it is probably somewhere between three days and weeks...but my doctor is so very much for this treatment that he totally downplays it. I would rather he was dire about it, but still thought it was the best of three not-so-great choices.

Thanks so much for weighing in, though! It helps so much to talk to those who have made this decision.


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## Octavia

Maybe these will answer some of your questions (and put your daughter's mind at ease):

http://www.thyroid.org/radioactive-iodine/

http://www.thyroid.org/wp-content/uploads/patients/brochures/Radioactive_IodineFAQ.pdf

http://www.thyroid.org/wp-content/uploads/patients/brochures/Radioactive_iodine_brochure.pdf


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## bdavis

Yes, I agree Joplin! And thank you Octavia! I read those links....and they certainly give a lot of information, but still kind of scary. Golly would it be terrible to do nothing for a while? I really don't have any symptoms.


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