Sunday, June 05, 2005

brief notes on the RAI experience

100 mCi is easier to deal with than 200 mCi.

I am climbing the walls. There is a huge difference between being post-op and hypo, on meds withdrawal for weeks, and being on Thyrogen.

Thyrogen is mondo expensive, but worth. every. cent.

Dr. S recommended 600 mg ibuprofen every 8 hours for RAI mumps; it works. Mostly.

My taste buds are shot. I'm not sure if it's from eating Altoids sours all day as directed, or from the RAI. Could be some of both. I feel like it was burned last week and is just now healing. There's no pain but my sense of taste seems to have evaporated. Here's hoping it comes back.

Heat packs are great on the swollen salivaries. I'm sure I looked ridiculous, but I took my bed buddy, a tube filled with rice with handles sewn onto each end, and nuked it for 2 minutes. Then I twisted the middle so that the two ends became heating pads joined by the twisted part. The twist goes under the chin, and the two heat packs lie right along all the salivaries in the neck and face -- lovely. You do have to hold the handles up, and I'm sure it looks ridiculous, but it really worked. I suppose you could tie them, but I don't like to leave it on for that long, and holding the two handles together wasn't that difficult.

Can't wait to get out tomorrow afternoon!

1 comment:

Joan said...

In general it's better to send an email if you want answers to questions.

That said: 1) yes, I got my sense of taste back after about 2 weeks or so. 2) You don't need to do anything except wait for the effects of the RAI to wear off. If your salivary glands swell or are tender, ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) can help, as does heat and massage. If you have salty-tasting saliva, that probably indicates a small blockage in the ducts, and sucking on sour candies can help you generate more saliva to clear the blockage.

I recommend the Yahoo! Thyroid Cancer Support group.