What are the long term side effects of radioactive iodine?

What are the long term side effects of radioactive iodine?

Possible long term side effects include:

• Ability to have children (fertility) Some women may have irregular periods after radioactive iodine treatment.
• Inflammation of the salivary glands (where spit is made)
• Tiredness.
• Dry or watery eyes.
• Lower levels of blood cells.
• Lung problems.
• Second cancers.

What happens to thyroid after radioactive iodine?

Treatment Overview Radioactive iodine is a medicine that you take one time. After you swallow it, it is taken up by your thyroid gland. Depending on the dosage used, the radioactivity in the iodine destroys most or all of the tissue in your thyroid gland, but it does not harm any other parts of your body.

Can your thyroid come back after radioactive iodine?

In almost all cases, your thyroid hormone levels will return to normal or below normal after radioactive iodine treatment. This may take 8 to 12 weeks or longer. If your thyroid hormone level does not go down after 6 months, you may need another dose of radioactive iodine.

Does iodine 131 cause hypothyroidism?

Use of radioactive iodine (I-131) for treatment of Graves disease generally results in permanent hypothyroidism within 3-6 months after therapy. The frequency of hypothyroidism after I-131 treatment is much lower in patients with toxic nodular goiters and those with autonomously functioning thyroid nodules.

Do you gain weight after radioactive iodine treatment?

Weight change was analyzed in only 228 patients and 84% gained weight by 1 year after radioactive iodine therapy.

Does radioactive iodine treatment shorten your life?

Quality of life is worse at 6-10 years after radioactive iodine therapy of Graves’ disease compared with treatment with antithyroid drugs or surgery. Quality of life is worse at 6-10 years after radioactive iodine therapy of Graves’ disease compared with treatment with antithyroid drugs or surgery.

Can radiation treatment cause thyroid problems?

Many patients who have radiation therapy for head and neck cancer receive radiation to the area of the thyroid gland, an important organ located in the midline lower neck. Damage to the thyroid gland from radiation therapy can result in hypothyroidism.

Can hypothyroidism cause Myxoedema?

Myxedema is a result of undiagnosed or untreated severe hypothyroidism. It can also develop when someone stops taking their thyroid medication. It’s more common in the elderly and women. Deposits of chains of sugar molecules in the skin cause the skin condition myxedema.

Does RAI treatment cause weight gain?

Treatment of hyperthyroidism with RAI or anti-thyroid medications is associated with an increased risk of gaining weight and even developing obesity. This risk is slightly higher with RAI therapy compared to medications.

Can you have hypothyroidism without weight gain?

The symptoms of hypothyroidism can be non-specific or attributed to other factors, like stress and aging. Therefore, they are often easily missed. For instance, while weight gain is common in people with hypothyroidism,1 many people with an underactive thyroid are of normal weight or even thin.

Can radioactive iodine cause other cancers?

Patients treated with radioactive iodine also have an increased risk of acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), stomach cancer, and salivary gland cancer.

Why does radiation cause hypothyroidism?

The aetiology of radiation-induced thyroid injury includes vascular damage, parenchymal cell damage and auto-immune reactions. Total radiotherapy dose, irradiated volume of the thyroid gland, and the extent of prior thyroid resection are among the most important factors associated with the risk of hypothyroidism.

Can hyperthyroidism return after radioactive iodine treatment?

In brief: Yes. Radioactive iodine treatment for hyperthyroidism has a 5-10% failure rate. Failure can be either persistent hyperthyroidism more than 6 months after treatment, or recurrent hyperthyroidism after a treatment resulted in hypothyroidism, as expected.

Is iodine bad for hypothyroidism?

It is true that iodine deficiency can cause hypothyroidism. But iodine deficiency is rare in the United States and other developed countries since the addition of iodine to salt (iodized salt) and other foods. If iodine deficiency isn’t the cause of hypothyroidism, then iodine supplements provide no benefit and should not be used.

How does radioiodine really work to treat hyperthyroidism?

Radioactive iodine. Taken by mouth,radioactive iodine is absorbed by your thyroid gland,where it causes the gland to shrink.

Anti-thyroid medications. These medications gradually reduce symptoms of hyperthyroidism by preventing your thyroid gland from producing excess amounts of hormones.

Beta blockers.

Surgery (thyroidectomy).

How does iodine affect hypothyroidism?

Since iodine is needed to make thyroid hormone, diminished levels can lead to hypothyroidism (low thyroid function). Iodine deficiency is also linked to the development of goiter (thyroid enlargement), the condition of which can cause coughing, rapid heart rate, heat intolerance, shortness of breath, throat tightness, and weight gain. 5