Talking Diet For Radioactive Iodine Therapy
The diagnosis of either papillary or follicular thyroid cancer has just been handed to you. Now what? If the cancer is still encapsulated in the thyroid gland and not spread to other areas or lymph nodes, a total thyroidectomy may be all that will be required as far as treatment.
This would be determined by biopsy of surrounding tissue and lymph nodes that have been removed during surgery. But in the majority of cases papillary or follicular thyroid cancer patients will require at least one treatment of radioactive iodine also known as I-135.
Why is radioactive iodine (RAI) given? The RAI treatment is given to destroy any thyroid cells, that may contain cancer, remaining in the body. If there is cancer found in the surrounding tissues or in the lymph nodes is the the normal protocol to do at least one radioactive iodine treatment.
What has to be done to prepare for this treatment? Patients will be asked to go off their thyroid replacement hormone, levothyroxine, for 4 to 6 weeks prior to the scheduled treatment. Cytomel, a quick dissipating form of the thyroid hormone, may be prescribed for the first month. Going off the thyroid replacement hormone will cause the body to produce thyroid simulating hormones (TSH), stimulating any remaining thyroid tissue. Another method of preparing is staying on the levothyroxine and receiving two injections of Thyrogen, a manmade hormone that acts the same way as the naturally-occurring TSH in the body.
One more step that is taken in preparation for a radioactive iodine treatment, following either one of the two described methods of raising the thyroid stimulating hormone level in the body, is following a low iodine diet for about two weeks prior to the routine.
The reason for a low iodine diet is to deplete the iodine stored in the body. Thyroid cells are the only cells in the body that absorbs iodine. Therefore, with the body lacking of iodine, any remaining thyroid cells would naturally absorb or suck up the radioactive iodine.
What is a low iodine diet? Many people, when they hear the term iodine they relate it to salt because of iodized salt being a part of our diet. Salt that is non-iodized is permitted. Iodized salt or sea salts are only one of the many ways our body gets iodine on a daily basis. All seafood and sea products such as seaweed are to be avoided. Fresh water fish are fine. Dairy products are to be avoided for the two weeks also because of their iodine content. The dairy products are high in iodine because of the iodine that is in the cattle's feed, the cleaner used to clean the udder, the teats and the equipment used in the dairy product processing. Egg yolks also contain iodine but egg whites are permitted.
Commercially baked products have to be avoided because they may contain a dough conditioner iodine/iodate. Baking your breads and other baked goods from scratch is highly recommended. Foods containing red food dye #3 have to be avoided. If the food contains red food dye #40 it is acceptable. Since most labels do not clearly state which red dye has been used it is best to stay clear from these products for the time you have to be on the low iodine diet.
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