Drs. cavalier about RAI exposure (Was: Re: just FYI as suggested by Terry)

[Guest guest]

This was my question for Liang:

> > Now were you told by your endo to do this or is this [keep your

> distance

> > from kids for as long as a MONTH] something that you decided on

> your own?

His response:

> Actually, the endo did not give any suggestion. He only recommends

> RAI over ATD, especially, after years of unsuccessful try with ATD.

> It was the radiologist who made the suggestion that I should

> seperate my laundry for 3 days, avoid to get too close to adults for

> 1 week, and avoid kids for 2 weeks. Because of the counter I can use

> from the lab and my family history, I would like to double the

> precaution as suggested by the radiologist.

> today is 19 days after my RAI, the counter is still buzzing if i put

> the probe 2-3 feet from my neck, anywhere than 3 feet, the counter

> barely gets a buzz. So 3 feet is my safety zone for kids. In Europe,

> they used to keep people in hospital for 2 weeks after RAI. Now they

> only keep them for 3 days, so for initial 3 days, I stayed in my

> basement:)

Now open to the group: What can we do about this?????!!!!!!!!!?????? How

is it possible that doctors downplay or totally omit the precautions that

patients should take RAI, leaving it for a radiologist to happen to

mention just before RAI, when most patients are so fed up and tired that

they'll go ahead with it anyway just to feel relief and get it over with?

A layperson's letter to JAMA or other medical journals? Anyone with media

contacts? This is beyond upsetting (and in case you didn't realize this,

Liang, NONE of my soapbox is aimed at you personally).

Take care, Fay

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[Guest guest]

I understand you statement that " NONE of my soapbox is aimed at you

personally " . I will not take it personally.

I just want to make one more point, because you said

Actually, I asked my endo what I should be aware of after the RAI,

he told me to talk to the radiologist. His opinion is RAI should be

radiologist's job so is the explainantion about risk and precaution.

The radiologist did not happen to mention, actually, he asked me

specifically what kind of concern I had before the RAI. So I asked

him about the precaution after the RAI. He gave me a fly with the

information after RAI what kind precaution I should take. He said

radiation is not dangerous for the level I got but minimize the

unnecessary exposure to others. So, I asked him if I should double

the precaustion period suggested in the fly. He said that is your

decision, from medical aspect, the time suggested in the fly will be

enough to protect others.

best wishes.

Liang

> This was my question for Liang:

> > > Now were you told by your endo to do this or is this [keep

your

> > distance

> > > from kids for as long as a MONTH] something that you decided

on

> > your own?

>

> His response:

> > Actually, the endo did not give any suggestion. He only

recommends

> > RAI over ATD, especially, after years of unsuccessful try with

ATD.

> > It was the radiologist who made the suggestion that I should

> > seperate my laundry for 3 days, avoid to get too close to adults

for

> > 1 week, and avoid kids for 2 weeks. Because of the counter I can

use

> > from the lab and my family history, I would like to double the

> > precaution as suggested by the radiologist.

> > today is 19 days after my RAI, the counter is still buzzing if i

put

> > the probe 2-3 feet from my neck, anywhere than 3 feet, the

counter

> > barely gets a buzz. So 3 feet is my safety zone for kids. In

Europe,

> > they used to keep people in hospital for 2 weeks after RAI. Now

they

> > only keep them for 3 days, so for initial 3 days, I stayed in my

> > basement:)

>

> Now open to the group: What can we do about

this?????!!!!!!!!!?????? How

> is it possible that doctors downplay or totally omit the

precautions that

> patients should take RAI, leaving it for a radiologist to happen to

> mention just before RAI, when most patients are so fed up and

tired that

> they'll go ahead with it anyway just to feel relief and get it

over with?

> A layperson's letter to JAMA or other medical journals? Anyone

with media

> contacts? This is beyond upsetting (and in case you didn't realize

this,

> Liang, NONE of my soapbox is aimed at you personally).

>

> Take care, Fay

>

>

> ________________________________________________________________

> The best thing to hit the internet in years - Juno SpeedBand!

> Surf the web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER!

> Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today!