# Uptake and Scan questions.



## Elegant_Phoenix (Feb 26, 2011)

My appointments are on the 21st to take the pill and 22nd for the scan.

Questions:

- My endo has me following the cookbook and guidelines from thyca.com for a low iodine diet. I'm doing well and have made a lot of meals ahead of time and plans to make more this weekend to freeze for the week. No egg yolks, no dairy, no iodized salt, no seafood, etc...

When I called to make my appointment, the super nice nurse said just no seafood and reduce salt intake.

Which is the better to follow? I would love to read about your experiences!!
(My thoughts are the doc's orders because I DO NOT want to do this twice and I want to get as accurate reading as possible.)

- After I take the iodine pill, am I radioactive to the point where I cannot be around people and pets for extended periods of time or is the radiation so low that it is not the same as the ablation procedure?

Thank you!


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Elegant_Phoenix said:


> My appointments are on the 21st to take the pill and 22nd for the scan.
> 
> Questions:
> 
> ...


Personally, I opt for the Thyca recommendation.

You will have to follow instructions that the radiologist "should" provide to you by way of a written print-out. You might want to call the radiology dept. now so you can plan ahead.

This will be a small dose but none the less, there will be guidelines for say about 72 hours or so.


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## kpn_chin_up (Feb 26, 2011)

Elegant_Phoenix said:


> My appointments are on the 21st to take the pill and 22nd for the scan.
> 
> Questions:
> 
> ...


Definitely sounds like the doc's orders are best. The diet is not to bad, I'm on my 12th day and looking forward to it ending next week...

It's too bad there isn't a way for RAI people to get together to cook for each or hang out with other radioactive people arty0016:


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## Elegant_Phoenix (Feb 26, 2011)

kpn_chin_up said:


> Definitely sounds like the doc's orders are best. The diet is not to bad, I'm on my 12th day and looking forward to it ending next week...
> 
> It's too bad there isn't a way for RAI people to get together to cook for each or hang out with other radioactive people arty0016:


LOL! Too true!

Are you following the thyca.com cookbook? If so, what have you made so far??

I made a bunch of stuffed red peppers with the fresh tomato sauce (yummy!) and also have done the foil packets with ground beef, onion, potato (without the skin) and carrots. And FYI - A1 Sauce has NO iodine in it! Lifesaver since my favorite hot sauce has some in it. And I tried the blueberry muffins. They are OK - just the consistency is a bit rubbery with just the egg whites.

Oh - and I called the scan place back today and found out that with the RAIU, you are no more radioactive than when you get an x-ray. There are no restrictions with proximities.


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## lavender (Jul 13, 2010)

I had an uptake and scan, and although I was not told to go on a specifically "low iodine diet," I remember there was a list of things I was not supposed to eat, and my endo checked my iodine level before the procedure. He also made a comment about how my thyroid was processing iodine really fast because I was really hyperthyroid.

I had no precautions afterward, but I was given a card to carry for a week in case I set off a geiger counter. I was tempted to go into a government building just to see what would happen, but I was too sick to go anywhere!


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## kpn_chin_up (Feb 26, 2011)

Elegant_Phoenix said:


> LOL! Too true!
> 
> Are you following the thyca.com cookbook? If so, what have you made so far??


Yep, following the thyca diet. I'm getting sick of it, although tonight I made some hamburgers, onions sauteed in balsamic vinegar, salad, and salt-free tortilla chips.

More details about my meals in post #7 here:

http://www.thyroidboards.com/showthread.php?t=2768


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